Privacy Policy

 

1. Data controller

The organisation responsible for processing personal data in connection with this website is:

Swiss Environmental Foundation
Weyermannsstrasse 36
3008 Bern
Switzerland
Email: info@umwelt-stiftung.ch

This website is operated as part of Green Business Switzerland / Green Business Award:

Green Business Switzerland / Green Business Award
c/o Swiss Environmental Foundation
Weyermannsstrasse 36
3008 Bern
Switzerland

If you have any questions regarding data protection, please contact us at the above address or by email at info@umwelt-stiftung.ch.

 

2. General information

The protection of your personal data is of great importance to us. We process personal data confidentially and in accordance with the provisions of the revised Swiss Data Protection Act (revDSG) and the Data Protection Ordinance (DSV). Where visitors from the European Economic Area access this website, we also comply with the relevant provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), insofar as it applies.

Personal data is defined as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

You are not obliged to provide us with personal data. However, certain functions of this website, such as the contact form, require you to provide us with the necessary data.

 

3. Personal data processed

We process personal data that you actively provide to us, as well as data generated automatically when you visit the website. Depending on your use of the website, this may include, in particular:

  • Surname, first name and contact details (e.g. email address, telephone number, address)
  • The content of your enquiries or messages
  • Technical data such as IP address, date and time of access, pages viewed, referrer URL, browser and operating system used
  • Website usage data

 

4. Purposes of data processing

We process personal data for the following purposes:

  • Provision, operation and security of the website
  • Processing and responding to your enquiries
  • Providing information about the Green Business Award, nominated companies, partners, the jury, press releases and events
  • Statistical analysis of website usage to improve our service
  • Compliance with legal obligations

Depending on the circumstances, processing is based on your consent, on the initiation or performance of a contract, or on our legitimate interest in providing a secure, functional and user-friendly website.

 

5. Website visits and server log files

This website is hosted by cyon AG, Brunngässlein 12, 4052 Basel, Switzerland. The data is stored on servers in Switzerland. For technical reasons, data is automatically collected and stored in server log files each time the website is accessed, in particular:

  • IP address
  • Date and time of access
  • Pages accessed
  • Referrer URL
  • Browser type and operating system

This data is used to ensure secure operation, system stability, error analysis and technical optimisation. We only link this data to your identity to the extent that this is necessary to ensure system security or for legal reasons. The raw log files are retained for a period of 24 hours and are then deleted or anonymised. cyon AG processes this data as our data processor exclusively on our behalf.

 

6. Contacting us

If you contact us by email, we will process the information you provide in order to deal with and respond to your enquiry. We will not pass this data on to third parties unless this is necessary to deal with your enquiry or required by law. We retain the data for as long as is necessary to deal with your enquiry and any follow-up questions, and subsequently delete it, provided there are no statutory retention obligations.

 

7. Information on donations

This website provides only our bank details (IBAN) for donations. No personal or payment data relating to donations is collected or processed via the website itself. Any bank transfer is made directly through your bank; in this case, your financial institution’s data protection policy applies.

 

8. Cookies and similar technologies

This website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device and enable certain functions.

We distinguish between:

  • technically necessary cookies, which are required for the operation and basic functions of the website
  • optional cookies, in particular for the statistical analysis of website usage (Google Analytics) and for embedded third-party content (e.g. videos)

Technically necessary cookies are used without separate consent. We only use optional cookies, analytics and tracking services, and embedded third-party content that sets cookies or transmits data to third parties once you have given your consent. You can also disable or delete cookies, either in full or in part, via your browser settings. If cookies are disabled, not all functions of the website may be fully available.

 

9. Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Analytics uses cookies to enable a statistical analysis of website usage. The information generated as a result regarding your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server and stored there. We use Google Analytics with IP truncation (anonymisation) enabled, where technically available. In doing so, data may also be transferred to Google LLC in the USA; this transfer is based on appropriate safeguards, in particular standard contractual clauses or the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. The data collected via Google Analytics is retained for 14 months. We rely on your consent to use Google Analytics; you may withdraw this consent at any time with future effect. Further information can be found in Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

 

10. Embedding of third-party content

We embed content from third-party providers on this website. When this content is loaded, your IP address is transmitted to the relevant provider; data may also be transferred to the USA in the process. We only load this third-party content once you have given your consent.

YouTube / Vimeo

To display videos, we embed content from YouTube (Google Ireland Limited or Google LLC) and/or Vimeo (Vimeo Inc., USA). When a video is played or loaded, data is transmitted to the relevant provider. Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) and Vimeo’s privacy policy (https://vimeo.com/privacy) apply in addition.

Google Fonts

We use Google Fonts (Google Ireland Limited or Google LLC) to ensure consistent font display. The fonts are embedded locally. No data is transmitted to Google in connection with the display of fonts. Further information: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

 

11. Social Media

This website may contain links to social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or X. These are simply links; clicking on them will take you away from our website. Data processing by the respective providers is governed exclusively by their privacy policies.

 

12. Cooperation with service providers and disclosure to third parties

We engage carefully selected service providers to operate the website and deliver our services, in particular for hosting (cyon AG) and web analytics (Google). These providers process personal data exclusively on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions or, where they process data independently, in accordance with their own data protection policies.

Any further disclosure of personal data to third parties will only take place if:

  • you have given your consent
  • it is necessary to fulfil a contract
  • we are legally obliged to do so, or
  • it is necessary to safeguard overriding legitimate interests.

13. Data processing abroad

Personal data is generally processed in Switzerland; hosting takes place on servers in Switzerland. Where data is transferred abroad – specifically to the USA – in connection with the services used (in particular Google Analytics, YouTube/Vimeo and, where applicable, Google Fonts), we ensure an adequate level of data protection through appropriate measures, in particular through standard contractual clauses or the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

 

14. Retention period

We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary for the relevant processing purposes or as required by statutory retention obligations. After that, the data is deleted or anonymised.

 

15. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access and unauthorised processing. Data is transmitted in encrypted form (SSL/TLS). Our security measures are continuously updated in line with the latest technological developments. Please note that data transmission over the internet cannot be completely secure.

 

16. Rights of data subjects

Under the applicable data protection legislation, you have the following rights in particular:

  • Access to the personal data we process
  • Rectification of inaccurate data
  • Erasure or restriction of processing
  • Access to or portability of your data
  • Objection to processing and withdrawal of consent

Visitors to whom the GDPR applies also have the additional rights provided for therein, in particular the right to restriction of processing and the right to data portability.

To exercise your rights, please contact the data controller named in section 1. You may also lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority (in Switzerland: the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, FDPIC).

 

17. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy at any time. The version published on this website shall always be the authoritative one.

Version: May 2026

Tracking preferences

necessary

Functional information stored as cookies or in local storage or session storage is essential for a website to function. They are used, for example, to save the shopping cart in an online store or to set the language of a website. Technically necessary information may be set without the user's consent and cannot be deactivated, as otherwise the website will no longer function properly. This information also stores user preferences such as dark mode, ad sizes, language, etc.

analytics

Statistical information is used to analyze user behavior on a website. For this purpose, various data such as the pages visited, the time spent on a page or the clicks on certain elements are recorded. This data can then be used to improve the website, for example to make it more user-friendly or to better tailor content to users' interests.

marketing

This consent enables the storage of advertising-related cookies (web) or device identifiers (apps).

ad_user_data

This consent allows user data to be sent to Google and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. for online advertising purposes.

ad_personalization

This consent enables the use of personalized ads from Google Ads and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.