PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT

CUSTOMER PRIVACY NOTICE

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd

This Privacy Notice explains how ASC Research (Pty) Ltd obtains, uses, stores and discloses personal information in accordance with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

At ASC Research (Pty) Ltd, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully and transparently.

1. About ASC Research (Pty) Ltd

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd is an agricultural research and technical services company that provides research support, laboratory-related services, field research, product development support, scientific protocols, GLP-related support, reporting and agricultural technical assistance.

We may process personal information when interacting with clients, prospective clients, suppliers, service providers, employees, job applicants, visitors, research participants, training-related referrals and other stakeholders.

2. The information we collect

We collect and process personal information mainly to communicate with you, understand your requirements, provide services, manage enquiries, prepare quotations, conduct research-related activities, fulfil contractual obligations and comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

Where possible, we will inform you which information is required and which information is optional.

Personal information we may collect includes, but is not limited to:

Forenames and surnames;
Company, organisation or employer details;
Job title or role;
Contact details, including telephone number and email address;
Physical, postal or business address;
Identification or passport number, where legally or operationally required;
Billing, payment and account-related information;
Information submitted through enquiry forms, quotation requests or service requests;
Information relating to samples, projects, studies, field trials, product testing or laboratory-related services;
Employment-related information, where applicable;
Visitor information, where applicable;
Supplier and service provider information;
Communication preferences;
Any other information voluntarily provided to ASC Research (Pty) Ltd.

In limited circumstances, and only where necessary and lawful, we may also process special personal information or information relating to a third party, for example where required for employment, legal compliance, occupational health and safety, access control, research administration or contractual purposes.

3. How personal information may be collected

Personal information may be collected in different ways, including through:

Contact forms;
Quotation request forms;
Emails;
Telephone calls;
Website enquiries;
Client meetings;
Service agreements or contracts;
Application forms;
Supplier registration processes;
Research, testing or project documentation;
Sample submission forms;
Training referral enquiries;
Social media platforms;
Surveys or questionnaires;
Third-party service providers, where lawful and necessary.

Website usage information may also be collected through cookies or similar technologies, which allow us to collect standard internet visitor usage information.

4. Information excluded from this notice

This Privacy Notice does not apply to information that:

Has been anonymised so that it no longer identifies a specific person;
Has been permanently de-identified and cannot be traced back to you;
Is non-personal statistical information collected and compiled by ASC Research (Pty) Ltd;
Has been voluntarily made public by you in an open public environment, such as a public website, social media platform, public forum, blog, discussion board or similar platform.

5. How we use your information

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd will use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected, or for purposes that are related to those original purposes.

We may use your personal information for the following purposes:

Responding to enquiries, requests and complaints;
Preparing quotations, proposals and service-related information;
Providing agricultural research, laboratory-related, technical, field research or project support services;
Managing client relationships;
Communicating important information relating to services, projects, testing, reporting or administration;
Managing sample submissions and related documentation;
Managing field trials, product evaluation, research projects and technical studies;
Preparing reports, records, invoices and other service documentation;
Managing contracts and service agreements;
Processing payments and managing accounts;
Managing supplier and service provider relationships;
Meeting legal, regulatory, audit and compliance obligations;
Supporting GLP-related documentation, traceability and quality management requirements;
Internal administration, record keeping and business operations;
Employment, recruitment and human resources purposes, where applicable;
Protecting the rights, property, safety and security of ASC Research (Pty) Ltd, its employees, clients, visitors, service providers and stakeholders.

Where required, ASC Research (Pty) Ltd may retain information for legal, regulatory, audit, research, quality assurance or record-keeping purposes.

6. Disclosure of personal information

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd may disclose your personal information to third parties where it is necessary, lawful and appropriate.

This may include disclosure to:

Service providers involved in delivering services to you;
Laboratories, technical specialists or research partners, where required for a project or service;
Financial institutions and payment service providers;
Accountants, auditors, legal advisers or professional consultants;
Information technology and website service providers;
Courier, logistics or sample transport providers;
Regulatory bodies, accreditation bodies or lawful authorities, where required;
Business partners, contractors or vendors involved in providing requested services;
Employees or authorised representatives of ASC Research (Pty) Ltd who require access to perform their duties.

We may also disclose information where:

Required by law, regulation or legal process;
Required by a legitimate authority;
Necessary to comply with court orders or legal proceedings;
Necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of ASC Research (Pty) Ltd or others;
You have provided consent for the sharing of your personal information.

Where we share personal information with service providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure that they protect the information and comply with POPIA requirements.

7. Information security

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd is legally obliged to provide appropriate protection for personal information and to prevent unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure of personal information.

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including:

Physical, administrative and electronic safeguards;
Access controls;
Secure storage of records where applicable;
Reasonable cybersecurity and system protection measures;
Confidentiality obligations for employees, service providers and contractors;
Appropriate privacy and security requirements in agreements with third parties;
Ongoing review of security controls and related processes.

Where we contract with third parties, we impose appropriate privacy, security and confidentiality obligations on them to ensure that personal information remains protected.

While ASC Research (Pty) Ltd takes reasonable steps to protect personal information, online communication and electronic transmission may carry security risks. We cannot guarantee absolute security against unlawful interception, unauthorised access or external security breaches.

8. Your rights

In terms of POPIA, you have certain rights regarding your personal information.

These rights include the right to:

Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
Request correction or updating of your personal information;
Request deletion of personal information, where legally permissible;
Object to the processing of your personal information, where applicable;
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

To protect your privacy, ASC Research (Pty) Ltd may require proof of identity before providing access to, correcting or deleting personal information.

9. Access to personal information

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

To do this, you may contact ASC Research (Pty) Ltd using the contact details provided on our website or official communication channels and specify what information you require.

We may require a copy of your identity document or other suitable proof of identity before providing access to your personal information.

10. Correction of personal information

You have the right to ask us to update, correct or delete personal information that we hold about you, subject to applicable legal and operational requirements.

We may require proof of identity before making changes to your personal information.

We encourage you to keep your personal information accurate and to inform ASC Research (Pty) Ltd of any changes.

11. Definition of personal information

In terms of POPIA, “personal information” means information relating to an identifiable, living natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable existing juristic person.

Personal information may include, among other things:

Names and surnames;
Contact details;
Identification numbers;
Addresses, including physical, postal and email addresses;
Financial information;
Employment information;
Online identifiers;
Opinions, correspondence or views linked to an identifiable person;
Information relating to a company, organisation or juristic person where applicable.

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd treats personal information with care and processes it in accordance with POPIA and applicable legal requirements.

12. Lawful basis for processing

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd processes personal information only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

This may include processing where:

You have provided consent;
Processing is necessary to conclude or perform a contract;
Processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation;
Processing protects a legitimate interest of you, the data subject;
Processing is necessary for the proper performance of a public law duty, where applicable;
Processing is necessary for pursuing the legitimate interests of ASC Research (Pty) Ltd or a third party, provided that your rights and interests are not unjustifiably infringed.

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd undertakes to process personal information lawfully, reasonably and in a manner that does not unjustifiably infringe your privacy.

13. Retention of personal information

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd will retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law, regulation, contract, audit, quality management or legitimate business purposes.

Where information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy, delete or de-identify it.

14. Cookies and website usage

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to improve website functionality, analyse website usage and understand how visitors interact with our website.

You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect certain website functionality.

15. How to contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, need further information about our privacy practices, wish to withdraw consent, exercise your rights, or access, correct or delete your personal information, you may contact ASC Research (Pty) Ltd using the contact details listed on our website.

ASC Research (Pty) Ltd
Website: www.agricscience.com
Email: info@agricscience.com
Telephone: 021 987 7806
Address: 67 Suikerbekkie East Street , Joostenbergvlakte , Kraaifontein East , 7569, South Africa

Information Officer:
Dawid Ryk van Schoor

You may also contact the Information Regulator of South Africa:

Information Regulator South Africa
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za

16. Related documents

This Customer Privacy Notice should be read together with any applicable privacy policy, website terms, POPIA manual, client agreements, supplier agreements, employment documentation or other relevant policies of ASC Research (Pty) Ltd.

Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013.