Privacy Policy

1) Introduction and Contact Information of the Responsible Party

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. In the following, we inform you about the handling of your personal data when using our website. Personal data are all data with which you can be personally identified.

1.2 The responsible party for data processing on this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is Guido Gerding, Guido Gerding Company, Heerdestrasse 3, 48149 Münster, Germany, Tel.: +492516867211, Email: gerding@epigeo.com. The responsible party for the processing of personal data is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

2) Data Collection When Visiting Our Website

2.1 When using our website for informational purposes only, i.e., if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information, we only collect data that your browser transmits to the server (so-called "server log files"). When you visit our website, we collect the following data, which is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:

Our visited website
Date and time at the time of access
Amount of data sent in bytes
Source/reference from which you came to the page
Used browser
Used operating system
Used IP address (if applicable: in anonymized form)

The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR based on our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data will not be passed on or used in any other way. However, we reserve the right to check the server log files retrospectively should specific indications point to unlawful use.

2.2 This website uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g., orders or inquiries to the responsible party). You can recognize an encrypted connection by the string "https://" and the lock symbol in your browser line.

3) Contact

When contacting us (e.g., via contact form or email), personal data is collected. Which data is collected in the case of a contact form can be seen from the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for contacting you and the associated technical administration.

The legal basis for processing this data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. If your contact aims at concluding a contract, then the additional legal basis for processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR. Your data will be deleted after the final processing of your inquiry. This is the case if it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and provided that there are no statutory retention obligations to the contrary.

4) Online Marketing

Google AdSense

This website uses Google AdSense, a web advertising service of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"). Google AdSense uses so-called cookies, text files that are stored on your computer and that allow an analysis of the use of the website by you. In addition, Google AdSense uses so-called "web beacons" (small invisible graphics) to collect information, through the use of which simple actions such as visitor traffic on the website can be recorded, collected, and evaluated. The information generated by the cookie and/or web beacon (including your IP address) about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there. This may also result in a transmission to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

Google uses the information obtained to evaluate your usage behavior with regard to the AdSense ads. The IP address transmitted by your browser within the scope of Google AdSense will not be merged with other Google data. The information collected by Google may be transferred to third parties if this is required by law and/or if third parties process this data on behalf of Google.
All the processing described above, in particular reading information on the used end device via cookies and/orWeb beacons are only executed if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. Without this consent, the use of Google AdSense will be omitted during your visit to the site.

You can revoke your given consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the "Cookie-Consent-Tool" provided on the website.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with European data protection levels based on an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

Google's privacy policy can be viewed here: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/

5) Site functionalities

5.1 Google Maps

This website uses an online map service from the following provider: Google Maps (API) by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”).

Google Maps is a web service for displaying interactive (land) maps to visually present geographical information. By using this service, our location is displayed to you and any potential directions are made easier.

When you access those subpages in which the Google Maps map is integrated, information about your use of our website (e.g., your IP address) is transmitted to Google's servers and stored there. This may also involve transmission to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA. This happens regardless of whether Google provides a user account through which you are logged in or whether a user account exists. If you are logged in to Google, your data will be directly associated with your account. If you do not want this association with your profile on Google, you must log out before activating the button. Google stores your data (even for non-logged-in users) as usage profiles and evaluates them.

The collection, storage, and evaluation are carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR based on Google's legitimate interest in displaying personalized advertising, market research, and/or designing Google websites to meet needs. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles, whereby you must contact Google to exercise this right. If you do not agree with the future transmission of your data to Google within the scope of using Google Maps, you also have the option to completely deactivate the Google Maps web service by turning off the JavaScript application in your browser. Google Maps and thus the map display on this website can then not be used.

Where legally required, we have obtained your consent for the above-described processing of your data in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can revoke your given consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, please follow the previously described option for making an objection.

5.2 OpenStreetMap

This website uses an online map service from the following provider: OpenStreetMap Foundation, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK

The online map service is a tool for displaying interactive (land) maps to visually present geographical information. By using this service, our location is displayed to you and any potential geolocation is made easier.

When you access those subpages in which the provider's map is integrated, information about your use of our website (e.g., your IP address) is transmitted to the provider's servers and stored there.

The processing of your personal data is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR based on our legitimate interest in the needs-based design of our website. If you do not agree with the future transmission of your data to the provider, you have the option to completely deactivate the provider's online map service by turning off the JavaScript application in your browser. The online map service on this website can then no longer be used.

For data transfers to the provider's location, an adequate level of data protection is ensured by an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

6) Tools and Miscellaneous

Cookie-Consent-Tool

This website uses a so-called "Cookie-Consent-Tool" to obtain effective user consents for consent-requiring cookies and cookie-based applications. The "Cookie-Consent-Tool" is displayed to users in the form of an interactive user interface when the page is called up, where consents for certain cookies and/or cookie-based applications can be given by ticking a box. By using the tool, all consent-requiring cookies/services are only loaded if the respective user gives the corresponding consents by ticking a box. This ensures that such cookies are only set on the respective user's device in the event of given consent.

The tool sets technically necessary cookies to save your cookie preferences. Personal user data is generally not processed in this context.

If, in individual cases, the processing of personal data (such as the IP address) occurs for the purpose of storage, assignment, or logging of cookie settings, this is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR based on our legitimate interest in legally compliant, user-specific, and user-friendly consent management for cookies and thus in the legally compliant design of our online presence.

Another legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c

GDPR. As controllers, we are legally obligated to make the use of non-essential cookies dependent on the respective user consent.

Where necessary, we have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider, which ensures the protection of our site visitors' data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

For more information about the operator and the settings of the cookie consent tool, please refer directly to the corresponding user interface on our website.

7) Rights of the Data Subject

7.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following data subject rights (rights of access and intervention) against the controller regarding the processing of your personal data, with reference to the legal basis for the respective exercise conditions:

Right of access according to Art. 15 GDPR;
Right to rectification according to Art. 16 GDPR;
Right to erasure according to Art. 17 GDPR;
Right to restriction of processing according to Art. 18 GDPR;
Right to notification according to Art. 19 GDPR;
Right to data portability according to Art. 20 GDPR;
Right to withdraw consent according to Art. 7(3) GDPR;
Right to lodge a complaint according to Art. 77 GDPR.

7.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON THE BASIS OF OUR PREDOMINANT LEGITIMATE INTEREST WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING AT ANY TIME WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE AFFECTED DATA. FURTHER PROCESSING IS RESERVED, HOWEVER, IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ASSERTION, EXERCISE, OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS.

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED BY US FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR SUCH ADVERTISING AT ANY TIME. YOU CAN EXERCISE THE OBJECTION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE AFFECTED DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES.

8) Duration of Storage of Personal Data

The duration of the storage of personal data is determined by the respective legal basis, the processing purpose, and – if relevant – additionally by the respective statutory retention period (e.g., commercial and tax law retention periods).

When processing personal data based on explicit consent according to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, the data concerned will be stored as long as you revoke your consent.

If there are statutory retention periods for data that are processed within the framework of legal or quasi-legal obligations based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR, these data will be routinely deleted after the retention periods have expired, provided they are no longer required for contract fulfillment or contract initiation and/or there is no legitimate interest on our part in further storage.

When processing personal data based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, these data will be stored as long as you do not exercise your right to object according to Art. 21(1) GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or the processing serves the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims.

When processing personal data for direct marketing purposes based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, these data will be stored as long as you do not exercise your right to object according to Art. 21(2) GDPR.

If nothing else results from the other information in this declaration about specific processing situations, stored personal data will otherwise be deleted when they are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed.

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