Privacy statement

• The IET and what it does
• The data that the IET requests and why it needs them
• What the IET does with your data
• Tracking your behaviour on the website
• Amending or accessing your personal information and preferences
• Questions and comments
• Your responsibilities
• Updates to this policy

The IET and what it does

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a membership body and a not-for-profit organisation.

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 IET is registered as a charity in England & Wales (no 211014) and Scotland (no SC038698). It is supported by two wholly owned trading subsidiaries, IET Services Limited and IET Standards Limited. IET brands include Inspec, Savoy Place, Austin Court and the Teacher Building. Additionally the IET maintains a relationship with IET Connect, the benevolent fund, which is a separate charity that offers services to members in need of special assistance.

As appropriate, the IET may disclose your information to any of these legal entities for the purposes of introducing and delivering goods and services to you. In order to offer you the IET's global activities, it may be necessary to share personal data with IET Local Networks and offices outside the EEA.

IET Standards Limited is registered in England & Wales (no 7475762).

IET Services Limited is registered in England & Wales (no 909719).

The data that the IET requests and why it needs them

The IET invites you to supply your personal data in order that it can process your requirements and deliver the services that you have requested. It uses information collected from its members and non-members to enhance the services that it offers, and to improve your experience on its site.

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 such as telephone number. 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 Engineering Council, 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 Engineering Council in order to register your Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer or Engineering Technician qualification. The Engineering Council publishes a list of new qualified engineers each month on its website and in the UK press.

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 websites, you will be invited to register a website 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 website 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 Local Network activities and advice on achieving qualifications are mostly delivered by volunteer members. Publications and membership subscriptions are examples of services mostly delivered by the staff in the main offices.

If you are a member of the IET your information will be processed by the IET for its sole use and that of its associated organisations, including your Local Network, for the purpose of promoting, delivering and improving your experience of the IET and its product and services or such other purposes as are described in this Privacy Statement. If either now or in the future you are based outside the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), your information may be transferred outside the EEA (for example to your Local Network or IET Global Office) to enable you to benefit from the IET opportunities overseas or, where required, to enable the IET to meet any legal or other legitimate obligations in that country.

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 preference that you may indicate when submitting your details) for sending information to you about its activities, services and publications. Please see the section below if you would like to change your preferences.

From time to time, the IET may invite visitors to the website to provide data to improve the site, or its services or marketing. Answering any questions will be optional.

When you make purchases at the IET Web shop, or pay online for other services, you are using a partner company, either NetBanx or RBS WorldPay. The IET makes it clear on the payment pages that you are being transferred to the one of these sites.

Some events listed on the IET sites are organised in co-operation with other organisations. When you register for an event, it will be made clear to you to which of the partner organisations your registration is being submitted.

The IET website 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 the relevant 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 website

Details of the use of cookies on the IET sites may be found in our cookie statement.

Subject to the preferences that you have indicated, the IET sends emails to its existing members, contacts and registered Web users. Links included in these may be personalised to allow us to determine which members and contacts followed such links.

All Web servers record each page request, together with the time and date, and the Internet (IP) address of the user who requested the page. In addition, the IET uses Google Analytics, which records the pages requested from particular IP addresses using a small piece of code in the Web page. Where an IET website 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. Server logs allow the IET 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.

The IET also uses Scout Analytics code in its Web pages. Scout Analytics assists publishers in building behavioural profiles of site visitors, in order to match content and services to users' interests.

Amending or accessing your personal information preferences

The accuracy of your personal details is important to the IET.

• If you are a registered website 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.
• Otherwise, if you change email address, you would like to change your mailing preferences, or you need to advise the IET of any other changes, please using the enquiry form in the membership area of the site.
• 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).

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 important for your own protection and that of your personal data.

If you access the IET website 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 username and password. 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 such situations, or wherever PCs are shared.

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. This policy will be kept under continual review, and changes may be made from time to time.

Updated: 25 July 2012