On this page:
Guide Dogs Privacy Policy
Guide Dogs is committed to protecting your privacy. When you interact with us, you are trusting us with your personal information. We take this responsibility seriously.
This privacy policy sets out Guide Dogs’ approach to the handling of personal information.
We encourage you to check our privacy policy regularly, as this privacy policy may change from time to time.
What is personal information?
Personal information is any information that can be used to personally identify you.
Why we collect personal information
Our mission is to provide Guide Dog and specialist mobility services and resources that will enrich the quality of life of people living with low vision or blindness. We collect personal information so that we can provide services to our clients and perform business activities and functions to fulfil our mission. This includes keeping our records and your contact details up to date.
Types of information we collect
The information we request may include:
- your name
- your address, email and telephone number
- your age or birth date
- details of the products and services you have accessed or enquired about, together with any additional information necessary to deliver those products and services and to respond to your enquiries
- any additional information that you provide to us directly through our websites or indirectly through use of our websites or online presence, through our representatives or otherwise, and
- information you provide to us through customer surveys or online contacts.
If you are a client, we may also collect information concerning your profession, occupation or job title, health information (such as medial reports, allergies, disabilities, referrals, Medicare details) and other sensitive information.
We may also collect some information that is not personal information, because it does not identify you, or anyone else. For example, we may collect anonymous answers to surveys or information about the use of our website.
We also keep a record of communications and documents that we are required to retain, by law.
Why we collect your information
We collect information from you to:
- provide services or resources, in line with our mission
- manage staff, volunteers, and the services they provide
- seek additional support to help fund the services we provide, and
- to communicate with you about donations, products, services, campaigns, promotions, causes and events.
If you are a client, we may also use your information to:
- assess eligibility for our services
- research, monitor and evaluate our services so we can continually improve our services and develop new services
- advocate for awareness and improved outcomes
- meet our funding, professional and legal obligations (including our duty of care) in providing you with our services
- process and respond to complaints; and
- provide information to third parties as authorised or required by law.
Guide Dogs receives minimal government funding and depends on financial support from the community to provide services. This means it is necessary to contact individuals through a range of fundraising activities.
When you donate to Guide Dogs, we will collect financial information (such as credit card information) to receive payment for donations and orders for Guide Dogs products. Your details are held securely. We understand that there may be times when you are not able to make a gift. In this case, you can ask us not to contact you, and we will respect your wish.
We may collect information for statistical purposes about services provided and demographic data (this is optional), so we can tailor the information we provide to our supporters. We may provide statistical information to our sponsors without identifying any individuals.
We may collect information about potential supporters, sponsors or members from information that is publicly available to help us develop our donor, sponsorship and membership programs.
Where we collect your information for a specific purpose which is not outlined above, we will provide you with a collection notice explaining the purpose of the collection.
Health and sensitive information
We will only collect sensitive information (e.g. race or ethnic origin, health, or criminal history), if:
- the collection is necessary for service provision
- the person has consented (for example, Police background checks on potential volunteers and staff who will be working with clients, or details required to provide effective service to clients)
- the collection is required by law
- the collection is necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of a person, or
- the collection is necessary for conducting legal proceedings.
Anonymity
If you wish to remain anonymous, or use a pseudonym when dealing with us, we will attempt to fulfil your request. For example, if you wish to donate anonymously, we can use certain payment mechanisms to facilitate this, such as a bank cheque.
Anonymity may not always be practicable, depending on the nature of your request.
How we collect information
We collect information from a variety of sources, such as when you:
- visit our website, social media pages or other sites that we own or manage
- make an application to receive a product or service
- receive a service or follow-up training
- attend a fundraising event or activity
- engage with our marketing and fundraising events, our mailing program or telemarketing call
- donate to us
- join a support group
- subscribe to newsletters or other services, and
- become a staff member or volunteer of Guide Dogs.
Generally, we collect personal information directly from you, unless it is unreasonable or impractical for us to do so. In some cases, we may obtain contact details of potential supporters from third parties.
Disclosing information
Guide Dogs may disclose your personal information to:
- individuals or organisations, with your consent
- employees, volunteers, and related bodies corporate
- contractors, service providers and third parties who provide products or services to Guide Dogs, or, on our behalf (including, information collection, event registration, marketing and fundraising, database management, print and mail, data storage, banking, research and information technology services)
- professional advisers (such as health care professionals, auditors, accountants, lawyers and business consultants)
- researchers and research institutions
- government bodies and regulators (such as WorkCover)
- insurers, and
- your representatives.
We work closely with affiliate Guide Dogs organisations throughout Australia. We may share your information with these organisations, to request support for our activities and offer products and services that may be of interest to you. You may opt out from receiving communications from us at any time.
Some of these third party organisations conduct their business overseas, or process information on servers located outside of Australia. As a result, your information may be transferred offshore.
Protection of your personal information
Guide Dogs uses several measures to protect your personal information from, misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification and improper disclosure. These measures include electronic access controls, premises security and network firewalls. Where possible, Guide Dogs engages with service providers who hold ISO27001 certification. Our data management systems and procedures ensure that personal information is handled in a way that is consistent with our privacy policy.
E-Payment security
E-payment security on our site is achieved through encryption and system design. Additionally, the e-payment system does not store customers’ credit card details on a server or database. Communication with your bank is real time and the credit card number is deleted once the communication to the bank has been completed.
If you do not wish to disclose your credit card details over the internet, you can phone free call within Australia on 1800 436 364 with your credit card details. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Australian Bankcard.
Your right to access and correct information
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is, accurate, complete, and up to date.
You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. If the information we hold is not accurate, complete and up to date, you can ask us to modify our records.
However, we are permitted to refuse such requests in certain circumstances, including where:
- you have not paid our reasonable costs for accessing and copying the information
- we consider your request to be frivolous or vexatious
- to do so is likely to prejudice an investigation of possible unlawful activity
- to do so will be unlawful, or
- we are otherwise legally entitled to deny your request.
If we refuse your request to either access your personal information, or modify our records, we will provide you with the reasons for our refusal in writing.
Using our website, social pages or contacting us by email
We will record your e-mail address if you send us a message.
By using our website, and voluntarily providing us with personal information, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in the manner described in this privacy policy.
We use Google Analytics to track the effectiveness of our website, including the number of visits, length of visit, viewed pages and the technical capabilities of our visitors. While this data is mostly anonymous, sometimes we will connect it to you, for instance in personalising a webpage, or pre-filling a form with your details. For more information on our analytics tools, read Google’s Privacy Policy.
We also use tools that tell us when a computer or device has visited or accessed our content, which allows us to tailor advertising both on our websites and through advertising networks on other websites based on your visits or behaviour through cookies on your device. You can control how cookies are used by accessing the settings on your chosen browser.
You can also engage with Guide Dogs through social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can always control how you receive content through each website’s settings. Occasionally, we may get in touch with you via social media if you are not already a follower by using the details on your record, such as your email address. If you prefer we don’t do this, please let us know.
Cookies
We use cookies on our website to allow it to function effectively.
A ‘cookie’ is a small text file that is stored in your browser. We may also log your IP address. Your IP address is your computer’s electronic Internet address. We may collect your IP address to see trends, run the website, track user movements, and gather broad demographic information.
Links to other websites
Our web site contains links to other sites. Guide Dogs is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites and their operators.
Complaints
If you are not satisfied with how your personal information has been handled, you may lodge a complaint by using the contact details below. We will endeavour to contact you within 30 days to address your concerns.
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your complaint you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Contact details
Guide Dogs welcomes your questions and comments on our privacy policy. If you have any feedback or wish to amend the details we hold about you, please contact our privacy officer using the details outlined below.
Email: privacy@guidedogs.com.au
Postal Address:
Privacy Officer
Level 1
7-9 Albany Street
St Leonards NSW 2065
Ready to continue?
Seems like you have filled this form earlier. Let’s pick up where you left off.
