Notice: This privacy policy does not apply if you are situated in Brazil, in the People's Republic of China, in Japan, in Thailand or in the Republic of Korea.

If you are situated in Brazil, please click here for the applicable privacy policy.
If you are situated in the People’s Republic of China, please click here for the applicable privacy policy.
If you are situated in Japan, please click here for the applicable privacy policy.
If you are situated in Thailand, please click here for the applicable privacy policy.
If you are located in the Republic of Korea, please click here to read the applicable privacy policy.

PRIVACY POLICY

Privacy Policy (information about data protection in our data processing as per Articles 13, 14 and 21 of theGeneral Data Protection Regulation)

Thank you for visiting our Website and for your interest in our company. Protecting your per-sonal data is animportant priority for us. The following provides you with data as per Articles 12, 13 and 21 of the General DataProtection Regulation (GDPR) about how we handle your personal data when you use our Website.

Personal data consists of individual data about personal or factual circumstances relating to a determined ordeterminable natural person. This includes data such as your name, address, telephone number and date of birth.

  1. General Data

    1. Controller

      Evonik Operations GmbH
      Rellinghauser Straße 1-11
      D-45128 Essen
      Email: privacy-policy@evonik.com

    2. Data Protection Officer

      - Group Data Protection Officer -
      Evonik Industries AG
      Konzerndatenschutz (Group Privacy)
      Rellinghauser Straße 1-11
      Email: privacy-policy@evonik.com

  2. Using our Website: Purposes and legal bases for data processing

    1. Informational use of the Website

      You can visit our Website without providing any personal details. If you exclusively use our Websitefor data purposes and do not provide us with any personal details, we will not process any personaldata, with the exception of data transferred by your browser in order to permit your use of theWebsite as well as information provided to us through the installed cookies.

      1. Technical provision of the Website

        1. Logfiles/provision of Website

          For the technical provision of the Website, our system (i.e. the web server)automatically collects data from your browser each time the Website is called up.

          The temporary storage of your IP address by our system is necessary to allowdeliveryof the Website to your computer. This is why the IP address of the user has to bestored for the duration of the session.

          The IP address is stored in the log files to ensure the functionality of ourWebsite.In addition, we use this data to optimise the Website and to ensure the security ofour data technology systems (e.g. attack detection). Furthermore, the data isevaluated for marketing purposes in connection with the tools mentioned in sectionB.I.2 "Analysis and Tracking".

          The following data is collected:

          • IP address
          • Country;
          • Browser type/version (e.g.: Firefox 59.0.2 (64 bit));
          • Browser language (e.g.: German);
          • Operating system used (e.g.: Windows 11);
          • Cookies On / Off;
          • Time of access
          • The previous website from which you reached us.

          Furthermore, we use cookies to provide you with certain technical functions of ourWebsite for your use. Some functions of our Website can therefore not be offeredwithout the use of cookies. You can find more data about cookies in the UserCentricsConsent Management.

          We process your personal data for the technical provision of our Website on thebasisof the following legal basis:

          • To carry out pre-contractual measures in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. bGDPR, insofar as you visit our Website to obtain information about our companyand our products/services; and
          • To protect our legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR,in order to be able to make the Website technically available to you. Ourlegitimate interest in doing so is to be able to provide you with an attractive,technically functional and user-friendly Website, as well as to take measures toprotect our Website from cyber risks and to prevent our Website from posingcyber risks to third parties.

        2. Consent Management

          On our Website we use the Consent Manager "UserCentrics" of Usercentrics GmbH,Sendlinger Straße 7, 80331 Munich, Germany. UserCentrics is a technical solutionthat we use to obtain your consent for certain data processing activities thatrequire your consent (e.g. analysis, tracking or similar). By using UserCentrics, wecan inform you about the cookies and tools we use. You can use UserCentrics tochoose which cookies and tools you want to categorically allow or reject. At the endof this Privacy Policy, UserCentrics also provides an overview of the cookies usedand the option to change or revoke your consent. This enables you to make aninformed decision about the transfer of your data and enables us to use cookies andtools in a transparent and documented manner that complies with data protectionregulations.

          UserCentrics processes your personal data in order to record your decision to acceptcookies and tools and to display the UserCentrics pop-up, and to save this data fora subsequent visit to our Website. This includes the corresponding cookie with your(consent) decision as well as further usage data, e.g. IP address, domain name, timeof request, server data (including data transmission types, server status, etc.),country, browser and operating system.

          Further information and the Privacy Policy of UserCentrics can be found at: Privacy Policy |Usercentrics.

          We process your personal data for the technical provision of our Website on thebasisof the following legal grounds:

          • To carry out pre-contractual measures in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. bGDPR, insofar as you visit our Website to obtain data about our products orservices;
          • For the use of cookie management to meet a legal obligation to which we aresubject as the responsible party pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR. The legalobligation is to inform you about cookies we use and to obtain and document yourconsent to data processing; and
          • To protect our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR, in orderto be able to make cookie management technically available to you. Ourlegitimate interest in doing so is to be able to provide you with an attractive,technically functional and user-friendly cookie management system, as well as totake measures to protect the cookie management system from cyber risks and toprevent the cookie management system from posing cyber risks to third parties.

      2. Analysis and tracking

        For the purpose of analysing and tracking the use of our Website, we or the serviceprovidersacting on our behalf use cookies which enable an evaluation of your surfing behaviour. Thisallows us to improve the quality of our Website and its content. We learn how the Website isused and can thus constantly optimize our offer.

        You can obtain more detailed information about the cookies and tools we use, their purposesand functions, the data processed in each case, the data recipients, the place of processingor transfer to so-called third countries (outside the EU/EEA), and the storage periods viaUserCentrics ("fingerprint" icon).

        We process your personal data on the basis of the following legal basis:

        • Your consent according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

      3. Social Links

        Links to the Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Xing services are integrated on theWebsite. You will, for instance, be redirected to our Facebook or LinkedIn page afterclicking on the link, i.e. only then will user data be transferred to the respective site.For information on the handling of your data when using the social media sites, please referto the respective data protection notices:

        Active use of the Website

        In addition to the purely informative use of our Website, you can also actively use our Website todownload information, register for a newsletter or an event or to contact us. In addition to theprocessing of your personal data described above in the case of purely informational use, we willthen also process further personal data from you which we require, for example, to process yourenquiry.

        1. User requests

          In order to be able to process and answer your enquiries to us, e.g. via contact forms, toour e-mail address or via a chat, we process the personal data you provide in this context.In any case, this includes your name and e-mail address in order to send you a reply, aswell as any other data you send us as part of your communication.

          We process your personal data to respond to user requests on the basis of the followinglegalgrounds:

          • To protect our legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR; ourlegitimate interest is to respond appropriately to customer enquiries;
          • If the request is aimed at the conclusion of a contract, the additional legal basis isArt. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR;
          • If the request is aimed at asserting your data subject rights, the additional legalbasis is Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR, as the processing of your data is necessary for thefulfilment of legal obligations.

        2. Promotional purposes, such as newsletters, document downloads

          With your consent, we use your data for promotional purposes, such as the transmission ofournewsletter or customer magazine, the transmission of data via e.g. download links, eBooks orwhitepapers, promotional surveys, the transmission of product data, your invitation toevents that are of interest to you, follow-ups, status messages or we use your data formarket research purposes. We collect mandatory data such as your e-mail address, but alsodata that you provide to us voluntarily. We use the voluntary data to permanently improveour customer relationship.

          Where you have provided us with your e-mail address in connection with the purchase of goodsor services, we may subsequently use it to send you a newsletter. In such a case, onlydirect advertising for our own similar goods or services will be sent via the newsletter.

          We process your data for the purpose of sending newsletters, surveys, etc. and personalisingthe approach on the following legal bases:

          • if you have given us your consent, in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR;

      4. Legal enforcement

        We also process your personal data on our Website in order to be able to assert our rights andenforce ourlegal claims. We also process your personal data in order to be able to defend ourselves againstlegalclaims. Finally, we process your personal data to the extent necessary to prevent or prosecutecriminaloffences.

        We process your personal data for this purpose on the following legal basis:

        • To protect our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR, insofar as we assertlegalclaims or defend ourselves in legal disputes or we prevent or investigate criminal offences.

      5. Compliance with statutory regulations

        We also process your personal data on our Website to comply with other legal requirements. These mayaffectus inter alia in connection with business communications and include in particular retention periodsundercommercial or tax law.

        We process your personal data on the basis of the following legal basis:

        • To fulfil a legal obligation to which we are subject in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. cGDPR inconnection with commercial, industrial or tax law, insofar as we are obliged to record and storeyourdata.

      6. Company sales/mergers, etc.

        We may process your personal data in order to complete a (partial) sale of a business or merger (orsimilarprocess such as acquisition in liquidation, insolvency, dissolution, etc.) with another company. Intheevent that another company acquires or proposes to acquire assets from us, which may include yourpersonaldata, or we merge or seek to merge with another company, we may need to provide that company withaccess toor transfer your personal data held by us for the purpose of reviewing and implementing thesale/merger(e.g., to determine the value of the business or business risks, to transfer the data/assets, etc.).

        We process your personal data on the basis of the following legal basis:

        • To safeguard our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR in order to be able toorganiseand implement a planned sale of the company or a planned merger.

      7. Links

        Some sections of our Website contain links to third-party websites. Such websites are subject totheir owndata protection principles. We are not responsible for their operation including data handling. Ifyou senddata to or through such third-party websites, you should review the privacy statements of thosesites beforesending them any personally identifiable data.

      8. Categories of recipients

        Initially, only our employees will gain knowledge of your personal data.

        Your data will only be passed on to third parties if this is permitted or required by law or if youhavegiven your consent. We also share your data to the extent necessary with the service providers weuse toprovide our services. We limit the transfer of data to what is necessary to provide our services toyou. Insome cases, our service providers receive your data as order processors and are then strictly boundby ourinstructions when handling your data. In some cases, the recipients act independently with your datathat wetransmit to them.

        Please find below the categories of recipients of your data:

        • Affiliated companies within the group of companies, insofar as they act as order processors forus ande.g. provide IT services or insofar as this is necessary for the provision of our services,
        • IT service providers who, among other things, store data, assist in the administration andmaintenanceof the systems;
        • Legal counsel in the assertion of our claims,
        • public bodies and institutions insofar as we are legally obliged to do so.
        • Agencies, printers and lettershops that support us in the implementation of advertisingmeasures,competitions, promotions, etc,
        • Logistics service provider to deliver goods, etc

        In addition, we may share your personal data within our global group of companies, e.g. withsubsidiaries orother companies affiliated with us, which require this data to fulfil our contractual and legalobligationsor on the basis of our legitimate interests. This may be for economic, administrative or otherinternalbusiness purposes and only insofar as such purposes do not override your interests or fundamentalrights andfreedoms which require the protection of personal data. Beyond that we will not pass your data on tothirdparties.

      9. Third-country transfer

        We operate on a global scale. Therefore, your personal data may be transferred to other parts of ourbusinessin countries outside the European Union. Data will only be transferred to countries outside the EUor theEEA (so-called third countries) if this is necessary in the context of the processing of ourcontractualrelationships or is required by law (e.g. tax reporting obligations), you have given us your consentor inthe context of an order processing.

        When cookies and similar applications are used, we will transfer your IP address or your shortenedIPaddressand possibly other data to countries outside the European Union, including the USA. The transfer ofdata isbased on the standard contractual clauses drafted and made available by the European Commission,which wehave agreed with the respective providers. Nevertheless, due to the laws of non-EU states (e.g.within theframework of the so-called Cloud Act in the USA), even if these agreements and regulations areconcluded,there is still the possibility that government agencies in particular will access your personal datawithoutus being able to prevent, stop or control this. For these reasons, your consent to the use ofcookies, forexample, also includes the purpose of data transfer to countries outside the EU.

        Where service providers in third countries are used and we are able to exercise an influence onthem, theywill also be obliged to comply with the level of data protection in Europe by agreeing to the EUstandardcontractual clauses in addition to written instructions. Alternatively, we transfer the data on thebasis ofBinding Corporate Rules or an adequacy decision of the EU Commission. For further data, pleasecontact ourdata protection officer.

        Apart from that, we will not transfer your personal data to countries outside the EU or the EEA ortointernational organisations.

      10. Retention period

        1. Informative use of the Website

          In the case of purely informational use of our Website, we store your personal data on ourserversexclusively for the duration of your visit to our Website. After you have left our Website,yourpersonal data will be deleted.

          Cookies installed by us are usually will also be deleted after you leave our Website.However, somecookies will be stored for a longer period of time, you can get more data about therespectivestorage period of the cookies and tools we use via UserCentrics ("fingerprint" icon on thebottomleft of the screen). You also have the option of deleting installed cookies yourself at anytime.

        2. Active use of the Website

          When you actively use our Website, we will initially store your personal data for theduration oftheresponse to your inquiry and the actual initiation of a contract (pre-contractual legalrelationship).

          We will also process your data for the duration of your subscription to our newsletter,customermagazine, and other promotional communications or for the duration of our marketingcampaigns oruntil you withdraw your consent to receive/participate.

          In addition, we will then store your personal data until the statute of limitations for anylegalclaims arising from the relationship with you has expired, in order to use it as evidence ifnecessary. The statute of limitations is usually between one (1) and three (3) years, butcan be aslong as 30 years.

          We will delete your personal data when the statute of limitations expires, unless there is alegalobligation to retain the data, for example under the German Commercial Code (Sections 238,257 para.4 HGB) or under the German Fiscal Code (Section147 para. 3, 4 AO). These retentionrequirements canrange from two to ten years. For this period, the data will be processed again solely in theeventof a review by the tax authorities.

      11. Scope of your obligations to provide data

        In principle, you are not obliged to provide us with your personal data. However, if you do not doso, wewill not be able to provide you with our Website, we will not be able to respond to your enquiriesto us andwe will not be able to provide you with data, newsletters, etc.

      12. Profiling / Automated decision-making

        Apart from that, we will not carry out any profiling and will not use any purely automateddecision-makingprocesses in accordance with Article 22 GDPR. Should we use further procedures in individual casesin thefuture, we will inform you separately.

        Right to object Art. 21 GDPR

        You have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data whichiscarriedout on the basis of Art. 6 (1) f GDPR (data processing on the basis of a balance ofinterests)or Art. 6 (1) e GDPR (data processing in the public interest) if there are grounds fordoing sorelating to your particular situation. This also applies to profiling based on thisprovisionwithin the meaning of Art. 4 No. 4 GDPR.

        If you object, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstratecompellinglegitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights andfreedoms, or theprocessing serves to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

        We also process your personal data in individual cases for direct marketing purposes. Ifyou donot wish to receive advertising, you have the right to object to this at any time; thisalsoincludes profiling, insofar to the extent that this is related to such direct marketing.We willkeep this objection in mind for the future.

        We will no longer process your data for direct marketing purposes if you object toprocessingforthese purposes.

        Such objection can be made without any formalities and should, if possible, be addressedto theaddress mentioned under Clause I.

    2. Data processing for social media use

      If you have come to us via one of our social media sites, please also note the further data on the processingofyour data on these platforms.

    3. Your rights as a data subject

      Where personal data of yours is processed, you are a "data subject" within the meaning of the GDPR. Yourrightsas a data subject are as follows:

      • Right of access: You can request data about whether we process personal data about you.Ifthis is the case, you have a right of access to this personal data as well as to further data related totheprocessing (Art. 15 GDPR). Please note that this right of access may be limited or excluded in certaincases.
      • Right of rectification: In the event that personal data about you is not (or is nolonger)accurate or incomplete, you may request that this data be corrected and, if necessary, completed (Art.16GDPR).
      • Right to erasure or restriction of processing: If the legal requirements are met, youmayrequest the erasure of your personal data (Art. 17 GDPR) or the restriction of the processing of suchdata(Art. 18 GDPR). However, the right to erasure under Article 17(1) and (2) of the GDPR does not apply,interalia, where the processing of personal data is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (Article17(3)(b) of the GDPR).
      • Right to object: For reasons arising from your particular situation, you may alsoobject tothe processing of personal data concerning you by us at any time (Art. 21 GDPR). If the legalrequirementsare met, we will subsequently no longer process your personal data.
      • Right to data portability: You are entitled, under the conditions of Art. 20 GDPR, torequire that we provide you with the personal data relating to you that you have provided to us in astructured, common and machine-readable format.
      • Right to revoke the declaration of consent under data protection law: You have theright torevoke your consent at any time. The revocation is only effective for the future; this means that therevocation does not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent uptothe revocation.
      • Right to complain to a supervisory authority: Without prejudice to any otheradministrativeor judicial remedy, a data subject (you) shall have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisoryauthority - in particular in the member state of your residence - if you consider that the processing ofyour personal data by us infringes the GDPR.
      • The supervisory authority responsible for us is:

        State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of North Rhine-Westphalia(Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen)

        Kavalleriestr. 2-4
        40213 Düsseldorf, Germany
        Phone: + 49 211/38424-0
        Fax: + 49 211/38424-10
        Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

        However, we recommend that you always send a complaint to our data protection officer in thefirst instance.

      Your requests about exercising your rights should preferably be addressed in writing to the addressindicated above or directly to our Data Protection Officer.

    4. Changes

      We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be announced by posting theamended Privacy Policy on our Website. Unless otherwise specified, such changes shall take effectimmediately.Therefore, please check this Privacy Policy regularly to view the most current version.

    © Evonik Operations GmbH, February 2022