Privacy Policy

Effective Altruism Belgium (Effectief Altruïsme België VZW) is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, process, and protect your personal information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Belgian data protection laws.

Who we are

• Data controller: Effectief Altruïsme België VZW
• Contact email: info@eabelgium.org
• Registration: Belgian non-profit organization (VZW/ASBL)

For any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at info@eabelgium.org.

What personal data we collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us through:

Direct interactions

• Contact forms on our website
• Registration forms for events, activities, or membership
• Expression of interest forms for programs or opportunities
• Email communications and conversations with our team
• Event participation and community interactions

Types of personal data

The personal data we may collect includes:

• Contact information: Name, email address, phone number
• Professional information: Occupation, career interests, professional background
• Interests and preferences: Areas of effective altruism interest, cause priorities
• Communication records: Content of emails, forms, and other communications
• Event data: Registration details, attendance records, dietary preferences
• Any other information you choose to share with us

Website analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. This involves collecting:

• IP addresses (anonymized)
• Browser and device information
• Pages visited and time spent on site
• Referring websites

How we use your personal data

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

Legitimate business purposes

• Community connection: Connecting you with like-minded individuals and relevant opportunities
• Career advice: Providing personalized career guidance and resources
• Project management: Coordinating projects, events, and community activities
• Communication: Sending updates, newsletters, and relevant information
• Event organization: Managing registrations, logistics, and follow-up

Legal basis for processing

We process your data based on:

• Consent: When you explicitly agree to data processing
• Legitimate interests: For community building, career advice, and organizational activities
• Contract performance: When necessary to fulfill services you’ve requested

How we share your personal data

Internal use only

Your personal data is kept within Effective Altruism Belgium and is not shared with third parties without your explicit consent.

Sharing with other organizations

We may share your information with other effective altruism organizations or relevant opportunities only when:

• You have given explicit consent for such sharing
• The sharing is for specific opportunities or connections you’ve expressed interest in
• You can withdraw this consent at any time

Third-party services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

• Google Workspace: For knowledge and document management
• Airtable: For database management and organization
• Lu.ma: For event management and registration
• Substack: For newsletter distribution
• Google Analytics: For website analytics

These services may be located outside the EU/EEA. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through:

• Standard contractual clauses
• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms

Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against:

• Unauthorized access, use, or disclosure
• Accidental loss or destruction
• Alteration or damage

Security measures include:

• Encrypted data transmission
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments

Data retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Active community members: Data retained while you remain engaged with our community
• Event participants: Registration data kept for 3 years after the event
• General inquiries: Communication records kept for 3 years
• Newsletter subscribers: Data retained until you unsubscribe
• Career advice: Records kept for 3 years to enable follow-up and impact assessment

After the retention period, we will securely delete or anonymize your data unless we are required to retain it for legal compliance.

Your rights under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access rights

• Right to access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”)
• Right to restrict processing: Request limitation of how we process your data
• Right to data portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for processing at any time

Exercising your rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@eabelgium.org. We will respond to your request within one month.

Right to complain

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit/Autorité de protection des données).

Cookies and website tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. Please refer to our separate cookie policy for detailed information about:

• Types of cookies we use
• How to manage cookie preferences
• Third-party cookies (such as Google Analytics)

International data transfers

Some of our third-party service providers are located outside the European Union. When we transfer your data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions for certain countries
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms

Children’s privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information.

Changes to this privacy policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this policy

Contact information

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our data processing practices, please contact us:

Email: info@eabelgium.org
Organization: Effectief Altruïsme België VZW

We are committed to addressing your privacy concerns and will respond to your inquiries promptly.