Privacy and Cookie Notice

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1. Who we are

Ελληνικός Σύλλογος Προστασίας Ιπποειδών (ΕΣΠΙ), referred to below as “ESPI” or “we”, is a Greek non-profit animal welfare association and the controller of the personal data described in this notice.

Registered address: 3rd km, Myrrinountos Road, Markopoulo Mesogaias, Attica, 19003, Greece.  
Website: www.espihelphorses.org  
Privacy enquiries and requests: info@espihelphorses.org

 2. Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we collect:

- Names, email addresses, telephone numbers, postal addresses and correspondence.
- Donation and animal sponsorship information, including amounts, transaction references, payment status and information needed for receipts.
- Information supplied when expressing interest in volunteering or supporting our activities.
- Newsletter subscription details and records of your choices.
- Animal welfare reports, including reporter contact details, incident locations, descriptions, photographs, videos and information about other people included in a report.
- Technical information, such as IP addresses, browser and device information, security logs and website activity collected through cookies or similar technologies.

We obtain information directly from you, through our website and service providers, and, where relevant, from people reporting an animal welfare concern or arranging a gift sponsorship.

Please provide only information necessary for your request. If required information is missing, we may be unable to process a donation, respond to an enquiry or assess a report.

## 3. Purposes and legal bases

We process personal data for the following purposes:

- **Enquiries and volunteering:** to respond, assess requests and organise participation, based on our legitimate interests in communicating with supporters and managing our activities.
- **Donations and sponsorships:** to administer contributions, acknowledge support and maintain records, based on our legitimate interests in managing charitable support; performance of an agreement where applicable; and legal obligations concerning accounting and taxation.
- **Animal welfare reports:** to assess concerns, seek clarification and coordinate an appropriate response, based on our legitimate interests in protecting equine welfare, balanced against the rights of the people concerned.
- **Newsletters and fundraising emails:** based on your consent.
- **Website security:** based on our legitimate interests in protecting our website, systems and visitors.
- **Optional analytics and advertising tracking:** based on your consent where required.
- **Legal obligations and claims:** where necessary to comply with applicable law or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Where a report contains information subject to additional legal restrictions, including allegations of criminal conduct, an Article 6 legal basis alone is insufficient: such information must also be handled in accordance with the applicable additional requirements.

## 4. Animal welfare reports

Within ESPI, access to welfare reports is restricted to the two individuals responsible for handling them. Our email and website service providers also process information as necessary to deliver their services.

We do not routinely disclose reporters’ identities or contact details to external parties. Where we seek to share those details to help respond to a report, we obtain specific consent beforehand, unless disclosure is required by applicable law.

An incident location, photograph or description may itself identify someone. We limit the information used or disclosed to what is necessary and lawful for the relevant purpose.

## 5. Newsletters

We use Wix and Mailchimp to manage subscriptions and send news, event information and fundraising appeals.

Subscription requires a separate choice. Subscription boxes are not preselected, and donating or submitting another form does not automatically subscribe you.

You can unsubscribe through the link in our emails or by contacting info@espihelphorses.org. Withdrawing consent does not affect earlier lawful processing or necessary communications concerning your donation, sponsorship or request.

## 6. Payments and service providers

Stripe and PayPal process online payments. We also accept manual payments, including bank transfers according to our instructions. These providers and the relevant financial institutions process payment information under their own legal obligations and privacy notices.

We use the following services for the relevant activities:

- **Wix:** website hosting, forms, donations, communications and related website functions.
- **Wix and Mailchimp:** newsletter management and delivery.
- **Stripe and PayPal:** payment processing.
- **Google tools:** website analytics through the connected Google Tag and Google Analytics.
- **Meta Pixel and Conversions API:** advertising measurement and related marketing functions.

Providers receive information relevant to their services, rather than automatically receiving every category of information we hold. They may act as processors on our behalf or as separate controllers, depending on their role.

Further details are available in their privacy notices: [Wix](https://www.wix.com/about/privacy), [Mailchimp](https://www.intuit.com/privacy/statement/), [Stripe](https://stripe.com/privacy), [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full), [Google](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Meta](https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/).

## 7. Cookies and tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for essential functions, analytics and marketing.

Essential cookies support functions such as security and requested website services. Optional analytics and marketing technologies are subject to your choices through the cookie banner. You can accept all, reject optional cookies or manage categories through Settings.

Our connected tools include Google Analytics and Meta Pixel and Conversions API. These can process information about website visits and actions; the Conversions API can also transmit event information directly between systems.

You can change your choices through the website’s cookie settings control. Refusing optional cookies does not prevent you from using essential website functions.

## 8. International transfers

Our providers may process personal data outside the European Economic Area, including in the United States and other countries where they or their service providers operate.

Depending on the provider and destination, relevant transfer arrangements include European Commission adequacy decisions, the EU–US Data Privacy Framework where applicable, Standard Contractual Clauses, or approved Binding Corporate Rules.

You can contact info@espihelphorses.org for information about the safeguards applicable to your data and how to obtain a copy or reference to them. The provider notices linked above also describe their transfer arrangements.

## 9. Retention

Our retention rules are:

- **General enquiries:** deletion two years after the last meaningful contact, unless another justified retention requirement applies.
- **Welfare reports:** annual review and deletion of personal details three years after the case closes, unless an ongoing matter or legal requirement justifies longer retention.
- **Animal rescue histories:** retention of the animal’s history, with unnecessary information identifying reporters or other individuals removed.
- **Donation and accounting records:** retention for the period required by applicable Greek accounting and tax law.
- **Newsletter records:** retention while subscribed. After unsubscribing, we retain only information necessary to respect your choice and document consent where needed.
- **Technical, analytics and consent records:** retention according to their purpose, relevant provider settings and applicable legal requirements, followed by deletion or anonymisation when no longer necessary.

These rules apply to emails, attachments and other copies held by ESPI. We are reviewing older retained correspondence to bring it into line with these rules.

## 10. Security

We take appropriate measures to protect personal data and restrict access according to responsibilities. No internet service or storage system can guarantee absolute security.

## 11. Your rights

Subject to the applicable conditions and exceptions, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction of processing and data portability.

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests and may object at any time to processing for direct marketing.

Where processing relies on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Contact info@espihelphorses.org to exercise your rights. We may request information reasonably necessary to confirm your identity. We respond without undue delay, normally within one month. Where a lawful extension is necessary, we notify you within the initial month and explain why.

You may complain to the [Hellenic Data Protection Authority](https://www.dpa.gr/en/individuals/complaint-to-the-hellenic-dpa), or another competent supervisory authority, particularly where you live or work or where the alleged infringement occurred.

## 12. Children and external websites

Our volunteering programme is for adults aged 18 and over. Parents or guardians should contact us before providing a child’s personal information in connection with other activities.

External websites and social media platforms have their own privacy notices. Please review those notices when using their services.

## 13. Updates

We may update this notice when our activities, providers or legal obligations change. The latest version and update date appear on this page. Where required, we provide additional notice or request fresh consent.