Privacy Policy
Data protection
Privacy Policy
1. Who we are
The controller responsible for the processing described in this notice is:
Energy Living Lab Association (ELLA)
Rue de l’Industrie 23
Energypolis (Bâtiment 23), Espace Fabulle
1950 Sion
Switzerland
Email: info@energylivinglab.com
For privacy questions or to exercise your data-protection rights, please contact us using the email address above.
2. Scope of this notice
This notice explains how ELLA processes personal data when you visit and use the public pages of the ELLA website.
It does not cover the Mountain Tourism Fresco shared space, other authenticated community spaces, or personal data collected for a specific research project, event, membership application or participant programme where a separate privacy notice is provided. A separate notice will apply to those activities.
The website may contain links to third-party websites and external forms. Those third parties may process personal data under their own privacy notices. Where ELLA receives information submitted through an external form, ELLA remains responsible for its own subsequent use of that information and will provide any additional information required at the point of collection.
3. Legal framework
ELLA processes personal data in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also applies where its territorial requirements are met.
Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis used for each relevant processing activity is identified below.
4. Data processed when you visit the website
4.1 Website delivery, server logs and security
When you access the website, ELLA and its technical service providers may automatically process:
your IP address;
the date and time of access;
the requested page or file and the referring page;
browser type and version;
device and operating-system information;
language and approximate location derived from the IP address;
response status, errors and the amount of data transferred; and
information needed to detect attacks, misuse or technical failures.
This information is processed to deliver the website, maintain its security and stability, diagnose errors and prevent misuse.
Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis is ELLA’s legitimate interests in operating a secure and functional website (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).
Server-log information is deleted or anonymised when it is no longer required for these purposes and, under ELLA’s current stated practice, no later than three months after collection, unless an incident or legal obligation requires longer retention.
4.2 Contact forms and direct enquiries
If you contact ELLA through a website form or by email, ELLA may process your:
name;
email address and other contact details;
organisation or project information;
subject and message; and
any other information you choose to provide.
ELLA uses this information to receive, manage and respond to your enquiry, communicate with you through our newsletter or by email, and take steps you request before entering into a possible agreement.
Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis is:
Article 6(1)(b) GDPR where the enquiry concerns a contract or steps requested before entering into a contract; or
Article 6(1)(f) GDPR for ELLA’s legitimate interest in responding to other enquiries and managing its professional relationships.
Fields marked as mandatory are necessary for ELLA to process the enquiry. If you do not provide them, ELLA may be unable to respond.
ELLA deletes or anonymises enquiry data when it is no longer required for the correspondence or resulting relationship. Information may be retained longer where necessary to document a business relationship, establish or defend legal claims, or comply with a legal retention obligation.
Please do not include sensitive personal data in a general contact form unless it is necessary and ELLA has asked you to provide it.
5. Cookies and similar technologies
The website may use cookies, local storage and comparable technologies.
5.1 Strictly necessary technologies
Strictly necessary technologies support functions such as website security, network delivery, language selection and recording your privacy choices. These technologies cannot always be disabled without affecting the operation of the website.
Where the GDPR applies, any related processing is based on ELLA’s legitimate interests in providing a secure, functional website (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).
5.2 Optional analytics and third-party content
Analytics, tracking and non-essential third-party content should be activated only after you have made the relevant choice through the cookie banner. Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis is consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting processing that took place before withdrawal, by using the website’s Cookie Settings control.
Refusing optional technologies should not prevent you from using the essential parts of the website, although embedded maps or videos may remain unavailable until activated.
6. Google Analytics and Google tags
Subject to your cookie choice, ELLA uses Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors use the website and to improve its content and performance. The website also uses Google tags and Google Tag Manager to manage measurement tags and communicate relevant consent choices.
The data processed may include:
online identifiers and cookie identifiers;
IP address and approximate location;
browser, device, operating-system and language information;
pages viewed, links selected and time spent on pages;
referring website; and
technical interaction and performance information.
Google may process this data on ELLA’s behalf. The relevant providers are Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, and, where applicable, Google LLC in the United States.
Where the GDPR applies, this processing is based on consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). ELLA should configure non-essential Google tags so that they respect the choices made through the cookie banner.
User- and event-level Google Analytics data is retained for no longer than 14 months, depending on ELLA’s configured setting. Aggregated statistical reports may be retained for longer where they no longer identify individual visitors.
Google may process information outside Switzerland and the European Economic Area. Depending on the recipient and circumstances, transfers may rely on an applicable adequacy decision, including the EU–US or Swiss–US Data Privacy Framework for a certified recipient, and/or approved contractual safeguards.
Further information is available in Google’s Privacy Policy and Google Analytics privacy information.
7. Embedded maps, videos and other external content
Some pages may include content or links provided by third parties, including Google Maps, YouTube and Vimeo. If embedded content is activated, the provider may receive your IP address, device and browser information, the page you visited and information about your interaction with the content. If you are signed in to the provider, it may associate the interaction with your account.
Non-essential embedded content should remain blocked until you choose to activate it or provide the relevant consent. Where the GDPR applies, ELLA relies on consent for this processing (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR).
The relevant provider information is:
Google Maps and YouTube: Google Ireland Limited and, where applicable, Google LLC. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
Vimeo: Vimeo.com, Inc. See Vimeo’s Privacy Policy.
These providers may process data outside Switzerland and the European Economic Area. The safeguards described in section 10 apply.
Links to social networks, such as LinkedIn or X, do not by themselves transmit data to those networks merely because they appear on the website. If you select a link, you leave ELLA’s website and the relevant network’s privacy terms apply.
8. Website hosting, delivery and technical support
ELLA uses hosting, content-delivery, security, maintenance and website-support providers to operate the site. Those providers may process IP addresses, request and log information, and information submitted through the website to the extent necessary to provide their services.
The existing website configuration identifies Cloudflare, Inc. as a content-delivery and security provider. Cloudflare may act as a reverse proxy between your device and ELLA’s hosting infrastructure. Where the GDPR applies, this processing is based on ELLA’s legitimate interests in website security, resilience and efficient delivery (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).
See Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy for further information.
ELLA requires service providers that act on its behalf to process personal data only under appropriate instructions and safeguards.
9. Recipients of personal data
Depending on the circumstances, personal data may be disclosed to:
authorised ELLA personnel and contractors who require access for their work;
website hosting, content-delivery, security, analytics, email, form and IT-support providers;
professional advisers where necessary;
public authorities or courts where disclosure is required by law; and
another organisation in connection with a restructuring or transfer of an activity, subject to appropriate safeguards.
ELLA does not sell personal data.
10. International data transfers
Some service providers may process personal data in countries outside Switzerland or the European Economic Area.
ELLA uses an appropriate transfer mechanism where required. Depending on the destination and recipient, this may include:
a Swiss or EU adequacy decision;
the EU–US or Swiss–US Data Privacy Framework for a participating recipient;
approved standard contractual clauses and any necessary supplementary safeguards; or
another exception permitted by applicable law.
You may contact ELLA for further information about the safeguards relevant to a particular transfer.
11. Retention
ELLA retains personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including website operation, responding to enquiries, maintaining security, complying with legal obligations and establishing or defending legal claims.
Specific periods or retention criteria are described in the relevant sections above. When personal data is no longer required, ELLA deletes or anonymises it, unless continued retention is legally required.
12. Your rights
Subject to the conditions and limits of applicable law, you may have the right to:
request access to your personal data;
have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected;
request deletion of personal data;
request restriction of processing;
object to processing based on legitimate interests;
receive certain data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or have it transmitted to another controller;
withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent; and
lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Some rights are not absolute and may be restricted where permitted by law.
To exercise a right, contact info@energylivinglab.com. ELLA may request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity and locate the relevant data.
In Switzerland, you may contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC). If the GDPR applies, you may also complain to the data-protection authority responsible for your place of residence, work or the alleged infringement.
13. Automated decisions
ELLA does not use the personal data described in this notice to make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on website visitors.
14. Security
ELLA applies appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful loss, alteration, disclosure or access. The website uses encrypted HTTPS connections. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure.
15. Changes to this notice
ELLA may update this notice when its website, service providers or legal obligations change. The current version will be published on this page with its revision date. Material changes will be highlighted where appropriate.
16. Contact
For questions about this notice or ELLA’s processing of personal data, contact:
Energy Living Lab Association (ELLA)
Rue de l’Industrie 23
Energypolis (Bâtiment 23), Espace Fabulle
1950 Sion
Switzerland
info@energylivinglab.com
Data protection officer:
Kuonen Colm
Communication Manager
colm.kuonen@energylivinglab.com
