Data protection

I. Data Protection Regulations 

Swiss Volunteers takes the protection of personal data seriously and attaches great importance to the protection of the privacy of volunteers and event organisers. For this reason, Swiss Volunteers undertakes to comply with the legal provisions on data protection.

§ 1 Scope of Validity

The data protection regulations apply to all persons involved in Swiss Volunteers (when processing or editing personal data which comes from the web-based platform of «Swiss Volunteers»).

If the Swiss Volunteers website refers, via tools or links, to websites of third parties on which use can be made of particular services offered, Swiss Volunteers does not accept any responsibility for compliance with these data protection regulations. Swiss Volunteers points out that other online providers have their own data protection guidelines, which are independent of those of Swiss Volunteers.

§ 2 Platform and Processed or Edited Personal Data 

Swiss Volunteers offers a web-based platform for the complete, centralised handling of administration for helpers at events. The «Swiss Volunteers» web-based platform contains personal data of volunteers and event organisers. The volunteers give their details to «Swiss Volunteers» when they register on the web-based platform. The volunteer chooses for himself which event organiser can view his personal data by indicating his interest in an event via the platform.

The platform contains the following categories of personal data: personal details, contact data, profile picture, knowledge of languages, other particular areas of knowledge, skills and abilities (such as driving licence categories) as well as the voluntary work missions already carried out through Swiss Volunteers and, where relevant, data of employees of the event (personal details, contact data, etc.).

Volunteers and event organisers can ask to view their personal information at any time (right of access to personal data and information).

The organiser undertakes to comply with the legal provisions regarding data protection and the data protection regulations of the «Swiss Volunteers» platform and to take every possible step to protect the privacy of the volunteers and to preserve its integrity. The data may be used only in the closest connection with the organisation and the mission planning of the event. The data must not be used for commercial purposes and must not, under any circumstances, be passed on to third parties.

Swiss Volunteers cannot be sued or prosecuted for the failure of event organisers to comply with the data protection regulations.

Information which cannot be directly associated with the identity of a volunteer, such as, for example, the number of users of a website or favourite websites, is not regarded as personal information and, therefore, is not subject to the data protection regulations.

Swiss Volunteers may, for the purposes of quality control, obtain information on a random sample basis from event organisers about a person registered with the «Swiss Volunteers» web-based platform. That information is treated as confidential and is not passed on to third parties except where these are prescribed by law or thus mandated according to a legal decision.

§ 3 Passing on Personal Information to Third parties

Swiss Volunteers uses personal information only in connection with the «Swiss Volunteers» web-based platform. The data is not passed on to third parties without the express consent of the volunteer or employee concerned.

Excluded from this is the profile picture of a volunteer for the purpose of accreditation. By agreeing to these «Terms and Conditions of Use» and «Data Protection Regulations», the volunteer gives his consent for the uploaded profile picture to be downloaded by the event organiser and used for identity cards (in particular, for accreditation purposes).

Also excluded from this is the passing on of personal data and credit card and payment card details to third parties for cooperation with service partners who require the transmission of data for the purpose of processing orders. The transmission of data is limited here to the minimum required for fulfilling orders. In relation to contract performance for chargeable products in particular, credit card details will be passed on to the relevant credit card organisation.

Swiss Volunteers complies with the measures according to the provisions of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). You will find all information on protective measures here. Swiss Volunteers points out that functions (plugins) from third-party providers are embedded on the website and the web-based platform, for example those of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Those plugins (e.g. Facebook «Share» button) allow the visitors to share content in social networks. When third-party providers’ websites with plugins are called up, data is automatically transmitted to the third-party providers. If a volunteer is simultaneously registered in the network of such a third-party provider, he can be associated with his network account on the Swiss Volunteers website. Swiss Volunteers has no influence on the way in which data is transmitted to these third-party providers.

§ 4 Tools for Website User Analysis

Swiss Volunteers draws the attention of all users to the fact that Google Analytics is embedded on the www.swissvolunteers.ch and go.swissvolunteers.ch websites. The purpose of this web analysis service from Google Inc. is to enable user analysis of the Swiss Volunteers website. For this, Google Analytics uses so-called «cookies» (text files), which are stored temporarily on the computer and exchanged with a Google server.

By using the www.swissvolunteers.ch website, the volunteer gives his consent to the processing and editing of the data ascertained about him by Google. The data is analysed as described above.

§ 5 Course of Action in the case of Inappropriate Behaviour by Volunteers

Where there is a suspicion or concrete indications of inappropriate behaviour, Swiss Volunteers reserves the right to confer with the event organiser and to obtain personal information about a volunteer. If the suspicion is substantiated, Swiss Volunteers has the right to refuse access to or delete the profile of the volunteer without notice.

§ 6 Legal Notice regarding Photographs and Videos

Photographs and videos taken at Swiss Volunteers events or at occasions held by event organisers who collaborate with Swiss Volunteers, as well as the names of the volunteers shown in them, may be used for editorial and promotional articles by Swiss Volunteers, its partners and/or by the event organiser in the various communication channels only in cooperation with Swiss Volunteers. The image rights are the property of Swiss Volunteers. The images are not passed on for any commercial purposes which are unconnected with Swiss Volunteers.

II. Final Clauses 

§ 1 Validity of the Terms and Conditions of Use

Swiss law applies to the content of this document and to all legal relationships between Swiss Volunteers, the volunteers and the event organisers. For any disputes which may arise from these Terms and Conditions of Use and Data Protection Regulations, the court of jurisdiction is Berne.

§ 2 Data Protection Officer for the Organisation 

Swiss Volunteers appoints an appropriate data protection officer for the organisation in accordance with Art. 10 FADP. He/she fulfills the requirements of Art. 10 para. 3 lit. a FADP and, in particular, the requirements of independence. Swiss Volunteers is therefore exempt from consulting the FDPIC in accordance with Art. 23 para. 4 FADP.

Ittigen, 1st September 2023