Privacy statement
The IET and what it does
The IET is a membership body and a not-for-profit organisation, registered as a charity in the UK.
Its objectives are promoting the advancement of engineering, technology and science. It provides a range of services to both members and non-members. The IET is careful to protect the privacy of its members, other contacts and stakeholders. This privacy policy sets out details of the personal information that the IET collects about you, and the ways in which it may use that information.
The data that the IET requests and why it needs them
The IET uses information collected from its members and non-members to enhance the services that it offers to you, and to improve your experience on its site. It invites you to supply your personal data in order that it can process your requirements and deliver the services that you have requested.
Typically, the following details are required in order to send any products that you have ordered, or for event registration purposes: name, address and other contact information. If you are (or are applying to become) a member of the IET, your personal data will be used to provide the members' services that you require. If you are seeking the MIET category of membership, or you have asked for support in achieving qualifications under the rules of the ECUK, then further information may be required from you, (educational and employment history, plus the name of a qualified supporter) in order to assess your application. The IET will share some of your information with the ECUK in order to register your Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer or Engineering Technician qualification. The IET publishes a list of new qualified members each month on its Web site.
The IET records the services, publications and other products that you have selected. If you contribute to the work of the IET, for example by serving on a committee, this will be recorded; the information may then be used to provide you with access to any special services that the IET provides to assist that committee. The IET does not attempt to collect personal information by methods that are indirect or not made obvious to you, and it does not attempt to combine your information with data obtained from sources outside the IET.
Normally, when you order products or services through the IET Web sites, you will be invited to register a Web site log-in account. You may also create a log-in account to gain access to services such as the IET's Technical and Professional Networks, to take part in discussions or to update your membership information. For Web site registration, you will be asked for your name and email address, plus the country in which you live. This allows the IET to know which of its events and local member activities take place in your country or region.
What the IET does with your data
The IET protects the privacy of your information using secure servers. The information that you provide will be kept confidential and used to support the IET's relationship with you.
Your details will be made available, as appropriate, to those officers of the IET who are responsible for the services that you request. Services such as Branch activities and advice on achieving qualifications are mostly delivered to members by local volunteer officers. Publications and membership subscriptions are examples of services mostly delivered by the staff in the main offices.
The information that you provide may be held and used by the IET for market analysis and production of internal reports, for marketing its products and services generally and (subject to any objection or preference you may indicate when submitting your details) for sending information to you about its activities, services and publications from time to time. Please see the section below if you would like to change your preferences.
From time to time the IET may invite visitors to the Web site to provide data to improve the site, or its services or marketing. Answering any questions will be optional.
The IET has a wholly-owned trading company, IET Services Limited. Major IET Services Limited and IET brands include Inspec, Savoy Place, Austin Court and the Teacher Building. The IET Benevolent Fund is a separate charity that offers services to members in need of special assistance. As appropriate, the IET may disclose your information to these companies, including their and the IET's respective partners, agents and subcontractors, for the purpose of delivering goods and services to you.
When you make purchases at the IET Web Shop, or pay online for other services, you are using a partner company, WorldPay plc. The IET makes it clear on the payment pages that you are being transferred to the WorldPay site.
Some IET events are organised on its behalf by other organisations. When you register for an event, you will be informed if the IET shares personal data with a third party for the purposes of providing the event. There is information below on changing your preferences at a later date.
The IET Web site gives preferential access to some third-party services; often this is restricted to members only. You will be told, when you register for a third-party service, that this will mean that the IET will need to share your data with the third party company before you can receive the service.
If you choose to receive information from other companies and later decide that you no longer want to receive further information, you should contact that company directly. You should be aware that, if you give any personal information to another company, the uses to which that information may be put will be determined by that company's privacy policy. The IET's privacy policy will no longer apply.
Otherwise, except for the purposes of law enforcement, regulation or legal proceedings, or with your explicit permission, the IET will not give or sell its members' and other contacts' personal information to third parties.
Tracking your behaviour on the Web site
A minority of the banner advertisements on the IET Web site may be from third party advertising servers, and these may set cookies under their own policies, as indicated in our cookie statement.
All Web servers log record each page request, together with the time and date, and the Internet (IP) address of the user who requested the page. Except in the case of malicious activity against its site, the IET makes no attempt to use an IP address to trace an individual user. Where an IET Web site restricts access to staff or students of particular organisations, the IET may also test your IP address to determine whether it falls into the ranges used by subscriber organisations for that service. Otherwise, the IET uses server logs only to see general trends, such as which areas of the site are popular, the most frequent paths that users follow, and so on. This helps to improve the site for you in future.
Amending or accessing your personal information preferences
The accuracy of your personal details is important to the IET.
- If you are a registered Web site user, then you can log on to the site to review and update your contact details and mailing preferences in the "My IET" area of the site.
- If you are not registered on the site, please use our mailing preferences form.
- Otherwise, if you change e-mail address, you would like to change your mailing preferences, or you need to advise the IET of any other changes, please contact the Webmaster using the feedback form.
- Please ensure that you provide enough information for staff to identify you (such as the address that the IET is using to communicate with you, and your membership number if you are a member).
The IET is working on ways to make it easier for you to review and correct the information that it, IET Services or IET Connect (The IET Benevolent Fund) maintains about you.
Questions and comments
If you require a copy of the personal data that the IET holds about you, please make a written request to the Data Protection Officer at the IET's business address. You should include your name, address and telephone number, and membership number if you have one. The IET may charge a fee of £10 for responding to an access request.
Please also contact the Data Protection Officer if you would like further information about this policy, or are concerned about the security of your personal data.
Your responsibilities
You must not share the password for your IET account. Your passwords are your responsibility, and must not be disclosed to any third party. This is also important for your own protection and that of your personal data.
If you access the IET web site from a PC that can be used by any other person, such as those at work or at college or in an Internet Café, there are some basic guidelines to follow. Be aware of others close by who may try to take note of your access information. Never leave the PC unattended when you are logged on to your IET account. At the end of your Internet session, use the Logout link that appears on every page; you should also delete cookies and files, and always close the Web browser correctly using the exit button or File - Close/Exit. The IET recommends that you avoid using the "Remember Me" logon option in this situation.
If you suspect that your password or account information has been compromised, please inform us promptly and change your password.
Updates to this policy
The privacy of members and visitors is important to the IET. In line with industry best practice, this policy will be kept under continual review, and any changes made from time to time will be posted on this page.