Research Groups Privacy Notice
This privacy notice covers what you need to know about how we collect, use and look after your personal data if you decide to become a member of one of the RGS-IBG Research Groups. More detailed information can be found in our main privacy policy.
1. Information we collect
Personal Information
Research Groups collect personal information when you join, nominate another person for an award or prize, or when you book an event organised by the Research Group. The information asked for will only ever be used for the purpose for which it was provided.
Membership for RGS-IBG members:
If you are already a Fellow or member of RGS-IBG then you have the option to become a member of one of our Research Groups, normally free of charge (RGS-IBG will not charge an additional fee, although some Research Groups may do so). You can join a Research Group by downloading, completing and returning the appropriate form from RGS-IBG's website.
This form will collect your name, membership number and the Research Group(s) you wish to join.
The information you provide will then be processed under legitimate interest in order to update your membership record. Your details will be shared with the relevant Research Group Officers so they can welcome you to the relevant group and keep you informed about their activities.
Your details will be treated in the strictest confidence and only used in connection with processing your Research Group membership.
Membership for non-RGS-IBG members:
If you are not a member of RGS-IBG, you can still become a member of one of our Research Groups. Please contact the appropriate Research Group Chair for further information on how to join. Details are available via each Research Group’s website.
Website Visitors
Whenever you visit one of the Research Group websites you should be aware that standard internet log information will be collected. This information will include IP addresses and cookies. To find out more about this see RGS-IBG's main privacy notice.
2. Using your information
When you provide your personal details, the relevant Research Group will use this information to provide the services you require. This is likely to include servicing your membership or booking you onto one of the Research Group events.
Jiscmail is used as the main email service through which Research Groups communicate with their members. You will be asked your consent to receive these emails when you join the Group and you can withdraw your consent to receive these communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link for the relevant Research Group through Jiscmail. More information can be found in the Jiscmail privacy notice and Jiscmail service policy
Both the Society and the Research Groups will never keep your information longer than is necessary for the purposes which the information was provided.
3. Sharing your information
The Society and the RGS-IBG Research Groups will never sell or rent your personal information to another person or organisation.
The information you provide is used within the Research Groups to maintain their membership records and run activities of benefit to their members. In order to do this, they may use some select third parties to help process your data.
Eventbrite is used for both organising and booking Research Group events. More information can be found in their privacy policy. If a Research Group wishes to use another event organising platform for booking their events, this will first be approved by the Society.
Jiscmail is used as the main email service through which Research Groups provide communications to their members. On joining the Research Group you will be asked to join the Jiscmail group for the relevant Research Group and be made aware of the implications of doing so. More information can be found in the Jiscmail privacy notice and Jiscmail service policy.
4. Keeping your information secure
RGS-IBG Research groups have measures in place to keep your information secure at all times. This includes only authorised committee members having access to members’ personal information as described above and this information being stored and shared through secure third parties which are limited to Dropbox and Google Docs. More information on how these parties keep your information secure can be found on the Dropbox privacy policy and the Google Docs privacy policy.
Once processed for the relevant purpose, personal information is destroyed securely when it is no longer needed.
If a Research Group wishes to use another document sharing platform, this will first have to be approved by the Society.
More information on how the Society collects, uses and looks after your personal data, can be found in our main privacy policy.