Privacy Policy

Societas Ethica – The European Society for Research in Ethics

Last updated: 03.12.2025

1. Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (revDSG) is:

Societas Ethica – The European Society for Research in Ethics
Association under Swiss law with its registered seat in Basel, Switzerland
c/o Prof. Dr. Gotlind Ulshöfer, Evangelische Hochschule Darmstadt
Zweifalltorweg 12
64293 Darmstadt
Germany

Email: president@societasethica.info
Phone: +49 6151 8798 647

For any questions regarding data protection, you can contact us using the contact details above.

No data protection officer has been appointed.

2. Purposes and legal bases of processing

We process personal data in particular for the following purposes:

• operation and security of our website

• responding to enquiries (contact form, email)

• sending newsletters and information

• managing memberships

• organising and conducting conferences and events

Where the GDPR applies, we rely on the following legal bases:

• Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (performance of a contract or steps prior to entering into a contract), in particular for

  • membership applications and administration of memberships

  • conference and event registrations

• Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), in particular for sending newsletters, where required

• Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests), in particular for the secure and efficient operation of the website, communication with interested persons and members, and the evaluation of reach statistics.

Under Swiss data protection law, we process personal data in particular on the basis of Art. 6 et seq. revDSG in pursuit of our statutory purposes as an association.

3. Visiting our website / server log files

When you visit our website, our hosting provider automatically collects certain data in so-called server log files. This may include:

• IP address

• date and time of access

• pages/files accessed

• amount of data transferred

• notification of successful access

• browser type and operating system

• referrer URL (previously visited page)

As a rule, this data cannot be directly linked to specific individuals. It is processed for the purpose of ensuring the functionality, security and technical optimisation of our website.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) or our overriding interest under Swiss law. Server log files are usually deleted after a short period of time (generally within 30 days), unless their further retention is necessary for evidence purposes.

4. Hosting, email and service providers

Our website and related services are operated with the help of external IT service providers. These may include, in particular, domain and email services provided by Network Solutions LLC (USA) as well as other hosting or web service providers.

These providers process personal data (e.g. technical usage data, email traffic) on our behalf or in connection with the services they provide.

Personal data may be transferred to countries outside Switzerland and the European Economic Area, in particular to the USA, where this is necessary for operating our website and communication. In such cases, we ensure that appropriate safeguards (such as recognised standard contractual clauses) are in place or that a statutory exception applies.

5. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies (e.g. local storage technologies) to provide basic website functions (such as page navigation, form functions, security).

The use of technically necessary cookies is based on our legitimate interest in providing a secure and functional website (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) or our overriding interest under Swiss law.

We currently do not use cookies for personalised advertising and do not employ external tracking services such as Google Analytics. Should we use additional, non-essential cookies in the future, we will update this privacy policy and – where required by law – obtain your prior consent.

You can restrict or delete cookies in your browser settings. This may, however, affect the functionality of the website.

6. Contact (contact form, email)

If you contact us via a contact form or by email, we process the data you provide (e.g. name, title, email address, institution and your message) in order to handle and respond to your enquiry.

Depending on the content of the enquiry, processing is based on:

• Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (pre-contractual or contractual enquiries, e.g. regarding membership or conference participation), or

• Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (general enquiries; our legitimate interest in communication).

We store the data only for as long as necessary to process your enquiry and, where appropriate, for documentation purposes or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

7. Newsletter

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we process your email address and, where provided, further details (e.g. name, institution) in order to send you updates on our activities, conferences and publications.

Processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, for example by clicking an unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

We may record that and when you subscribed or unsubscribed in order to demonstrate that we obtained consent.

8. Membership

In the context of membership applications and the administration of memberships, we process the following categories of data:

• title, first name, last name

• academic affiliation (university, department)

• contact details (email address(es), postal address, country, phone number, where applicable)

• information on membership category and contributions

We process this data for the purpose of establishing, performing and terminating membership as well as for communication with members.

The legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (performance of a contract) and the necessity of the processing for our statutory purposes under Swiss law.

As a rule, membership data is stored for the duration of the membership. After termination, data is deleted or anonymised unless it must be retained for longer due to statutory retention obligations or our legitimate interests (e.g. legal claims, documentation, archiving the history of the association).

9. Conference and event registrations

For registration to our conferences and events, we generally collect the following data:

• title, first name, last name

• email address

• university / institution, department

• postal address (street, postal code, city, country)

• phone number (where applicable)

• further conference-related information (e.g. paper title, abstract, participation options)

We use this data to plan, organise and conduct the event, including communicating with you, creating participant lists and, where necessary, handling payments.

Processing is based on Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (performance of a contract) and our legitimate interest in the efficient organisation of conferences (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR), as well as the necessity of the processing within the scope of our statutory purposes under Swiss law.

Where necessary, we may transmit personal data to local co-organisers or service providers (such as conference venues) to the extent required for the event.

Conference data is generally stored for as long as necessary to conduct and reasonably follow up the event and subsequently within statutory retention periods and for documentation purposes.

10. Social media and external links

Our website contains links to social media platforms (such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook). These are usually simple links; when you access our pages, no data is automatically transmitted to these platforms.

If you click on such a link, a direct connection to the servers of the respective provider is established. The provider thereby receives, in particular, your IP address, the information that you visited our website and further technical data. The subsequent processing of data is the sole responsibility of the respective platform provider. Please consult the privacy policies of the relevant platforms.

Our website may also contain links to other external websites. We have no control over their content and data protection practices and accept no responsibility for them.

11. Recipients of data and international data transfers

We only share personal data with third parties where necessary, based on a legal ground or your consent. Typical categories of recipients

include:

• IT and hosting service providers (e.g. for operating the website, email infrastructure)

• service providers involved in conferences (e.g. conference venues)

• payment service providers and banks (e.g. for handling payments)

Such recipients may be located in Switzerland, in the European Economic Area or in other countries (in particular the USA).

Data transfers to countries without an adequate level of data protection take place only where appropriate safeguards (in particular recognised standard contractual clauses) are in place or where a statutory exception applies.

12. Storage periods

We generally store personal data only for as long as necessary for the respective purposes or as long as we have a legitimate interest in continued storage (e.g. for legal claims, documentation of our activities) and no overriding interests on your part oppose continued storage.

Afterwards, data is deleted or anonymised, unless statutory retention obligations (e.g. commercial or tax law retention periods) require further storage.

13. Your rights

Where the GDPR applies, you have in particular the following rights:

• right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)

• right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)

• right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)

• right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)

• right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)

• right to object (Art. 21 GDPR)

• right to withdraw consent at any time (Art. 7 (3) GDPR)

Under Swiss data protection law, you have in particular the right to request information, rectification and deletion of your personal data within the framework of the statutory provisions.

To exercise these rights, you may contact us at any time using the contact details above.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority. Competent authorities include, in particular, the authority at your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement. In Switzerland, this is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).

14. Changes to this privacy policy

We may amend this privacy policy from time to time, for example if legal requirements change or if we adjust our data processing activities. The version published on this website shall apply.