Privacy policy

Status: January 2022

1) Information on the collection of personal data and contact details of the data controller

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. In the following, we will inform you about how we handle your personal data when you use our website. Personal data is any data with which you can be personally identified.

1.2 The controller for data processing on this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is DICOTA SCHWEIZ AG, Churerstrasse 20, 8808 Pfäffikon SZ, Switzerland, Tel.: +41 55 416 50 30, Fax: +41 55 416 50 39, E-Mail: marketing@dicota.com. The controller 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

During the mere informational use of our website, i.e. if you do not register or otherwise transmit information to us, we only collect data that your browser transmits to our server (so-called "server log files"). When you call up 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
- Browser used
- Operating system used
- IP address used (if applicable: in anonymised form)

The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data is not passed on or used in any other way. However, we reserve the right to check the server log files retrospectively if there are concrete indications of illegal use.
Within the scope of the use of our website, you are not subject to any automated decision-making within the meaning of Art. 22 DSGVO.

3) Cookies

In order to make visiting our website more attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use so-called cookies on various pages. These are small text files that are stored on your terminal device. We distinguish between cookies that are absolutely necessary to provide the service you have requested (necessary cookies) and those for which this is not the case (other cookies).

We may work with advertising partners who help us to make our website more interesting for you. For this purpose, cookies from partner companies are also stored on your hard drive when you visit our website (third-party cookies). If we cooperate with aforementioned advertising partners, you will be informed individually and separately about the use of such cookies and the scope of the information collected in each case within the following paragraphs.

Please note that you can set your browser in such a way that you are informed about the setting of cookies and can decide individually about their acceptance or can exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general. Each browser differs in the way it manages cookie settings. This is described in the help menu of each browser, which explains how you can change your cookie settings. You can find these for the respective browsers under the following links:

Internet Explorer: http://windows.microsoft.com/de-DE/windows-vista/Block-or-allow-cookies
Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/de/kb/cookies-erlauben-und-ablehnen
Chrome: http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=de&hlrm=en&answer=95647
Safari: https://support.apple.com/de-de/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac
Opera: http://help.opera.com/Windows/10.20/de/cookies.html

Please note that if you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be limited.

3.1 Absolutely necessary cookies

Cookies are absolutely necessary if the service you have requested cannot be provided without their use. The legal data protection basis for the use of these cookies is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO.
- Google Tag Manager

3.2 Other cookies

For so-called other cookies, the legal basis for data processing is the consent you have given. You can revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future. If the consent is revoked or not given, processing will not take place.
- Google Analytics
- Usercentrics Consent Management Platform

4) Contacting

Personal data is collected when contacting us (e.g. via contact form or e-mail). Which data is collected in the case of the use of a contact form can be seen from the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of answering 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 Para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. If your contact aims at the conclusion of a contract, the legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. b DSGVO. Your data will be deleted after your request has been processed. This is the case when the circumstances indicate that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and provided that there are no statutory retention obligations to the contrary.

5) Registration with the portal or forum

You can register on our website by providing personal data. Which personal data is processed for the registration can be seen from the input mask used for the registration. We use the so-called double-opt-in procedure for registration, i.e. your registration is only completed once you have confirmed your registration by clicking on the link contained in a confirmation e-mail sent to you for this purpose. If your confirmation is not received within 24 hours, your registration will be automatically deleted from our database. The provision of the following data is mandatory, as it is necessary to identify you sufficiently: First name, Last name, Company name, E-mail address, Country. You can provide all other information voluntarily by using our portal.

If you use our portal, we store your data required for the fulfilment of the contract, including any information on the method of payment, until you finally delete your access. Furthermore, we store the voluntary data provided by you for the duration of your use of the portal, unless you delete it beforehand. You can manage and change all details in the protected customer area. The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO.

In addition, we store all content published by you (such as public posts, pinboard entries, guestbook entries, etc.) in order to operate the website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO. If you delete your account, your public statements, especially in the forum, remain visible to all readers, but your account can no longer be accessed. All other data will be deleted in this case. The consent you have given can be revoked at any time with effect for the future.

6) Use of customer data for direct advertising

6.1 Registration for our e-mail newsletter

If you register for our e-mail newsletter, we will regularly send you information about our offers. Only your e-mail address is required for sending the newsletter. The provision of further data is voluntary and is used to address you personally. We use the so-called double opt-in procedure for sending the newsletter. This means that we will only send you an e-mail newsletter once you have expressly confirmed that you consent to receiving newsletters. We will then send you a confirmation e-mail asking you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter in future by clicking on an appropriate link.

By activating the confirmation link, you give us your consent for the use of your personal data in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO. When you register for the newsletter, we store your IP address entered by your internet service provider (ISP) as well as the date and time of registration in order to be able to trace any possible misuse of your email address at a later date. The data we collect when you register for the newsletter is used exclusively for the purpose of advertising the newsletter.

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link provided for this purpose in the newsletter or by sending a corresponding message to the responsible person named at the beginning. After unsubscribing, your email address will be deleted from our newsletter distribution list immediately, unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data or we reserve the right to use your data in a way that goes beyond this and is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this declaration.

6.2 Sending the e-mail newsletter to existing customers

If you have provided us with your e-mail address when purchasing goods or services, we reserve the right to regularly send you offers for similar goods or services to those already purchased from our range by e-mail. In accordance with Section 7 (3) of the German Unfair Competition Act (UWG), we do not need to obtain your separate consent for this. In this respect, the data processing is carried out solely on the basis of our legitimate interest in personalised direct advertising in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. If you have initially objected to the use of your email address for this purpose, we will not send you any emails.

You are entitled to object to the use of your e-mail address for the aforementioned advertising purpose at any time with effect for the future by notifying the responsible person named at the beginning. This will only incur transmission costs for you according to the basic rates. After receipt of your objection, the use of your e-mail address for advertising purposes will cease immediately with effect for the future.

6.3 Newsletter dispatch via Sendinblue

Our email newsletter is sent via the technical service provider Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin, to whom we pass on the data you provided when registering for the newsletter. This transfer takes place in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f DSGVO and serves our legitimate interest in using an effective, secure and user-friendly newsletter system. The data you enter for the purpose of receiving the newsletter (e.g. email address) is stored on Sendinblue's servers in the EU.

Sendinblue uses this information to send and statistically evaluate the newsletter on our behalf. For the evaluation, the emails sent contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, which are single-pixel image files that are stored on our website. This makes it possible to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links, if any, have been clicked on. Technical information is also recorded (e.g. time of retrieval, IP address, browser type and operating system). The data is collected exclusively in pseudonymised form and is not linked to your other personal data; direct personal reference is excluded. This data is used exclusively for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses can be used to better adapt future newsletters to the interests of the recipients. If you wish to object to the data analysis for statistical evaluation purposes, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter.

Furthermore, Sendinblue may use this data itself in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO on the basis of its own legitimate interest in designing and optimising the service in line with demand, as well as for market research purposes, for example to determine which countries the recipients come from. However, Sendinblue does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass them on to third parties.
We have concluded an order processing agreement with Sendinblue, with which we oblige Sendinblue to protect our customers' data and not to pass it on to third parties.

You can view Sendinblue's privacy policy here: https://de.sendinblue.com/legal/privacypolicy/

6.4 - Advertising by letter post

Based on our legitimate interest in personalised direct advertising, we reserve the right to store your first name and surname, your postal address and - insofar as we have received this additional information from you as part of the contractual relationship - your title, academic degree, year of birth and your occupational, industry or business designation in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO and to use this information to send you interesting offers and information about our products by letter post.

You can object to the storage and use of your data for this purpose at any time by sending a message to the person responsible.

7) Use of social media: videos

Use of Youtube videos

This website uses the Youtube embedding function to display and play videos from the provider "Youtube", which belongs to Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google").

The extended data protection mode is used here, which, according to the provider, only triggers the storage of user information when the video(s) is/are played. If the playback of embedded Youtube videos is started, the provider "Youtube" uses cookies to collect information about user behaviour. According to information from "Youtube", these are used, among other things, to collect video statistics, to improve user-friendliness and to prevent abusive behaviour. If you are logged in to Google, your data will be directly assigned to your account when you click on a video. If you do not wish to have your data associated with your YouTube profile, you must log out before activating the button.

Independently of a playback of the embedded videos, a connection to the Google network is established each time this website is called up, which may trigger further data processing operations without our influence.

Further information on data protection at "Youtube" can be found in the Youtube terms of use at https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms and in Google's data protection declaration at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy.

Insofar as legally required, we have obtained your consent for the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, deactivate this service in the "Cookie Consent Tool" provided on the website.

8) Web analytics services

Google (Universal) Analytics

This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"). Google (Universal) Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics exclusively with the extension "_anonymizeIp()", which ensures anonymisation of the IP address by shortening it and excludes direct personal reference. The extension means that your IP address is shortened beforehand by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google LLC.server in the USA and shortened there. Google will use this information on our behalf for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. In the process, the IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google (Universal) Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.
Google Analytics also enables the creation of statistics with statements about the age, gender and interests of site visitors on the basis of an evaluation of interest-based advertising and with the inclusion of third-party information via a special function, the so-called "demographic characteristics". This allows the definition and differentiation of user groups of the website for the purpose of targeting marketing measures. However, data records collected via the "demographic characteristics" cannot be assigned to a specific person.

Details on the processing triggered by Google Analytics and Google's handling of data from websites can be found here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

All of the processing described above, in particular the setting of Google Analytics cookies for the reading of information on the end device used, will only be carried out if you have given us your express consent to do so in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO. Without this consent, Google Analytics will not be used during your visit to the website.

You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, please deactivate this service in the "Cookie Consent Tool" provided on the website. We have concluded an order processing agreement with Google for the use of Google Analytics, which obliges Google to protect the data of our site visitors and not to pass it on to third parties.

Further information on Google (Universal) Analytics can be found here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de&gl=de

9) Tools and miscellaneous

Google reCAPTCHA

On this website we also use the reCAPTCHA function of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland ("Google"). This function is primarily used to distinguish whether an entry is made by a natural person or is abused by machine and automated processing. The service includes the sending of the IP address and, if applicable, further data required by Google for the reCAPTCHA service to Google and is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO on the basis of our legitimate interest in determining individual personal responsibility on the Internet and the prevention of abuse and spam. The use of Google reCAPTCHA may also involve the transmission of personal data to the servers of Google LLC. in the USA.

Further information on Google reCAPTCHA and Google's privacy policy can be found at: https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/.

Insofar as legally required, we have obtained your consent for the processing of your data as described above in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. In order to exercise your revocation, please follow the option described above for making an objection.

10) Rights of the data subject

10.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following data subject rights (rights of information and intervention) vis-à-vis the controller with regard to the processing of your personal data, whereby reference is made to the stated legal basis for the respective exercise prerequisites:

- Right to information pursuant to Art. 15 DSGVO;
- Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 DSGVO;
- Right to erasure pursuant to Art. 17 DSGVO;
- Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 DSGVO;
- Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 DSGVO;
- Right to lodge a complaint pursuant to Article 77 of the GDPR.

10.2 Right of objection

If we process your personal data within the framework of a balancing of interests on the basis of our overriding legitimate interest, you have the right to object to this processing with effect for the future at any time for reasons arising from your particular situation.

If you exercise your right to object, we will stop processing the data concerned. However, we reserve the right to continue processing if we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, fundamental rights and freedoms, or if the processing serves the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims.

If your personal data is processed by us for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object to the processing of personal data relating to you at any time. You can exercise the objection as described above.

If you exercise your right to object, we will stop processing the data concerned for direct marketing purposes.

11) Duration of the storage of personal data

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

When processing personal data on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO, this data is stored until the data subject revokes his/her consent, unless there are statutory retention obligations.

If there are statutory retention periods for data that is processed within the scope of legal or quasi-legal obligations on the basis of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b DSGVO, this data will be routinely deleted after the retention periods have expired, provided that it is no longer required for the fulfilment of the contract or the initiation of the contract and/or there is no justified interest on our part in continuing to store it.

When processing personal data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) DSGVO, this data is stored until the data subject exercises his or her right to object pursuant to Art. 21(1) DSGVO, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims.

When processing personal data for the purpose of direct marketing on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO, this data is stored until the data subject exercises his/her right to object in accordance with Art. 21 (2) DSGVO.

Unless otherwise indicated in the other information in this statement on specific processing situations, stored personal data are otherwise deleted when they are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed.