Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy
Effective Date: September, 2019
Without the cooperation of respondents who trust us when they provide us their information, we would not have a business. That is why we jealousy guard and safeguard your right to privacy. Our reputation depends on protecting your privacy: it’s that simple.
Our Privacy Policy below details our company’s approach and the rights of respondents regarding personal information. If you have contact with our company, or with anyone acting as an agent on our behalf, you are protected by the right and safeguards contained below.
Scope and Application
There are ten principles that form the basis of the Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy. Each principle must be read in conjunction with the accompanying commentary which has been drafted to reflect personal identifiable information issues specific to Stone-Olafson operations.
What is Personal Identifiable Information?
This privacy policy describes our practices with respect to personal information. “Personal information” is any information about an individual who is identifiable by our use of that information or other information available to us. In some jurisdictions, personal information is described as “personally identifiable information” or as “personal data”. In this policy, all such information is identified as “personal information”.
Personal information includes information such as the age, ethnic origin, opinions, evaluations, comments and medical history of identifiable individuals.
The scope and application of the Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy are as follows:
The Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected, used, or disclosed to or by Stone-Olafson in the course of commercial activities.
The Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy applies to the management of personal information in any form whether oral, electronic or written.
The Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy does not impose any limits on the collection, use or disclosure of the following information by Stone-Olafson:
non-personally identifiable information;
any information that is used for the purpose of communicating with an individual in relation to their employment, business or profession, such as the individual's name, position name or title, work address, work telephone number, work fax number or work email address;
the name, title, business address and/or telephone number of an employee of Stone-Olafson, where the collection, use and disclosure of that information relates to the individual's employment with Stone-Olafson; and
other information about an individual that is publicly available and is specified by regulation pursuant to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada), and Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta).
The Ten Principles of Privacy
Principle 1 - Accountability
Stone-Olafson is responsible for personal information under its control and shall designate one or more persons who are accountable for Stone-Olafson’s compliance with the following principles.
Responsibility for compliance with the provisions of the Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy rests with the Stone-Olafson Privacy Officer who can be reached by email at research@stone-olafson.com or by mail at 500,805 10th Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta T2R-0B4. Other individuals within Stone-Olafson may be delegated to act on behalf of the Privacy Officer or to take responsibility for the day-to-day collection and/or processing of personal information.
Stone-Olafson is responsible for personal information in its possession or control and shall use contractual or other means to provide a comparable level of protection while information is being processed or used by a third party.
As appropriate, we implement privacy policies and procedures to properly enforce this Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy. Such privacy policies and procedures include:
implementing privacy procedures to protect personal information and to oversee compliance with this Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy;
establishing privacy procedures to receive and respond to inquiries or complaints;
training employees about our privacy policies and procedures; and
developing publicly available information to explain our privacy policies and procedures.
Principle 2 - Identifying Purposes for Collection of Personal Information
Stone-Olafson shall identify the purposes for which personal information is collected at or before the time the information is collected.
Stone-Olafson collects personal information from the public only for the following purposes:
to conduct quantitative or qualitative marketing and social research;
to understand respondent opinions to establish suitability for further quantitative and qualitative marketing and social research;
to meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
to carry out any other purpose that the respondent has authorized or that is required or permitted by law.
Further reference to “identified purposes” mean the purposes identified in this Principle.
Stone-Olafson shall specify orally, electronically or in writing the identified purposes to the respondent at or before the time personal information is collected in a survey/research study. Upon request, persons collecting personal information shall explain these identified purposes or refer the individual to a designated person within Stone-Olafson or an individual in our client organization for which the research study is being performed, who can explain the purposes.
When personal information that has been collected is to be used or disclosed for a purpose not previously identified, the new purpose shall be identified prior to use. Unless the new purpose is permitted or required by law, the consent of the respondent will be acquired before the information will be used or disclosed for the new purpose.
Stone-Olafson may provide clients or other third parties with information from any survey/research study, in aggregate form. In aggregate form it is impossible to identify an individual respondent’s personal information. If data is provided, but not in aggregate form, any personal identifying information would be removed prior to sharing the data file.
Principle 3 - Obtaining Consent for Collection, Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
The knowledge and consent of an individual are required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except where inappropriate.
Participation by respondents in a survey/research study is always voluntary. When a respondent agrees to participate in a survey/research study, he/she gives consent to the interview/data collection by participating.
Generally, any personal information collected in the course of an interview is not disclosed to third parties. However, occasionally, a client sponsoring a research project may want to contact respondents directly. In these cases, Stone-Olafson always explains the reason for the disclosure to the respondent and obtains express permission from the respondent before making any such disclosure.
A respondent is always free to choose whether or not to participate in a survey/research study, free to choose not to answer any specific questions and free to discontinue participation at any time.
In obtaining consent, Stone-Olafson shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that a respondent is advised of the identified purposes for which personal information will be used or disclosed. The identified purposes shall be stated in a manner that can be reasonably understood by the respondent.
Generally, Stone-Olafson shall seek consent to use and disclose personal information at the same time it collects the information. However, Stone-Olafson may seek consent to use and/or disclose personal information after it has been collected, but before it is used and/or disclosed for a new purpose.
In determining the appropriate form of consent, Stone-Olafson shall take into account the sensitivity of the personal information and the reasonable expectations of its respondents.
The participation of a respondent in a quantitative or qualitative marketing or social research study may constitute implied consent for Stone-Olafson to collect, use and disclose personal information for the identified purposes.
A respondent may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. A respondent may contact us for more information regarding the implications of withdrawing consent.
Principle 4 - Limiting Collection of Personal Information
Stone-Olafson shall limit the collection of personal information to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by Stone-Olafson. Stone-Olafson shall collect personal information by fair and lawful means.
In conducting surveys/research studies, Stone-Olafson limits the amount and type of personal information it collects. We collect only the amount and type of information needed for the purposes identified to individuals.
Stone-Olafson collects personal information about an individual primarily from that individual or a member of that individual’s household. Except as permitted by law, Stone-Olafson will only collect personal information from external sources, such as client organizations, if individuals have consented to such collection.
In most cases, we will only collect personal information that is necessary for the purposes identified in this Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy. We may collect personal information from other sources as permitted by applicable laws.
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Children/Minors
We do not knowingly collect personal information about individuals under the age of 18 without the consent of their parent or guardian. If a parent or guardian has become aware that their Child has provided us with personal information, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from such an individual without the consent of his/her parent or guardian, we will use all reasonable efforts to promptly delete such information from our database/servers.
Principle 5 - Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention of Personal Information
Stone-Olafson shall not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than those for which it was information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
Stone-Olafson may disclose a respondent’s personal information to:
a client of Stone-Olafson where the respondent has consented to such disclosure;
a third party engaged by Stone-Olafson to perform functions on its behalf and or engaged to provide support services to us. These third-party providers only have access to personal information that is needed to perform their services and may not use it for any other purpose. They are bound by agreements that obligate them to protect respondents’ personal information; these partners are contractually bound with Stone-Olafson in order to ensure that respondent personal information benefits from the same levels of protection as they have when handled directly by Stone-Olafson.
a public authority or agent of a public authority if, in the reasonable judgment of Stone-Olafson, it appears that there is imminent danger to life or property which could be avoided or minimized by disclosure of the information; or
a third party or parties, where the respondent consents to such disclosure or disclosure is required or permitted by law or by order or requirement of a court, administrative agency or other governmental tribunal, or where otherwise permitted by law.
Only Stone-Olafson’s employees with a business need-to-know, or whose duties reasonably so require, are granted access to personal information about respondents.
Stone-Olafson shall keep personal information only as long as it remains necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or as required by law. Depending on the circumstances, where a respondent may have to be re-contacted for purposes of clarifying responses to a survey, or to seek additional responses, Stone-Olafson shall retain the personal information for a period of time that is reasonably sufficient to allow this re-contact. Personal information that is no longer necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or required shall be destroyed, erased or made anonymous.
In some circumstances, we may anonymise respondent personal information (so that it can no longer be associated with the respondent) for research or statistical purposes in which case we may use this information indefinitely without further notice to the respondent.
Principle 6 - Accuracy of Personal Information
Personal information shall be as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
Personal information used by Stone-Olafson shall be sufficiently accurate, complete, and up-to-date to minimize the possibility that inappropriate information may be used to make a decision about a respondent.
Respondents have the right to view and update their personal information or ask us to delete it at any time. Simply send a detailed request to us at research@stone-olafson.com. Stone-Olafson shall update personal information about respondents and employees as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or upon notification by the individual.
Principle 7 - Security Safeguards
Stone-Olafson shall protect personal information by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
Stone-Olafson shall protect personal information against such risks as loss or theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction, through appropriate security measures, regardless of the format in which it is held.
Stone-Olafson shall protect personal information disclosed to third parties by contractual agreements stipulating the confidentiality of the information and the purposes for which it is to be used.
All of Stone-Olafson’s employees with access to personal information shall be required to respect the confidentiality of that information.
Principle 8 - Openness Concerning Policies and Procedures
Stone-Olafson shall make readily available to individuals' specific information about its policies and procedures relating to the management of personal information.
Stone-Olafson shall make information about its policies and procedures easy to understand, including:
the title and address of the person or persons accountable for Stone-Olafson’s compliance with its Privacy Policy and to whom inquiries and/or complaints can be forwarded;
the means of gaining access to personal information held by Stone-Olafson;
a description of the type of personal information held by Stone-Olafson, including a general account of its use; and
a description of what personal information is made available to related organizations (e.g. subsidiaries).
Principle 9 – Individual Access to Personal Information
Upon request, Stone-Olafson shall inform an individual of the existence, use, and disclosure of his or her personal information and shall give the individual access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
Upon written request to the Privacy Officer, Stone-Olafson will inform an individual of the existence, use and disclosure of his/her personal information and shall be given access to that information.
In certain situations, Stone-Olafson may not be able to provide access to all the personal information that it holds about a respondent. For example, Stone-Olafson may not provide access to information if doing so would likely reveal personal information about a third party or could reasonably be expected to threaten the life or security of another individual. Also, Stone-Olafson may not provide access to information if disclosure would reveal confidential commercial information.
If we are unable to provide access to all or part of an individual’s personal information, we will explain our reasons for such a decision to the greatest extent permitted by law.
In order to safeguard personal information, a respondent may be required to provide sufficient identification information to permit Stone-Olafson to account for the existence, use and disclosure of personal information and to authorize access to the individual’s file. Any such information shall be used only for this purpose.
Stone-Olafson shall promptly correct or complete any personal information found to be inaccurate or incomplete. Any unresolved differences as to accuracy or completeness shall be noted in the individual’s file. Where appropriate, Stone-Olafson shall transmit to third parties having access to the personal information in question any amended information or the existence of any unresolved differences.
Respondents and employees can obtain information or seek access to their individual files by contacting the Stone-Olafson Privacy Officer.
Principle 10 - Challenging Compliance
An individual shall be able to address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to the Stone-Olafson Privacy Officer accountable for Stone-Olafson’s compliance with the Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy.
Stone-Olafson shall maintain procedures for addressing and responding to all inquiries or complaints from its respondents regarding Stone-Olafson’s handling of personal information.
Stone-Olafson shall, on written request, inform its respondents about the existence of these procedures as well as the availability of complaint procedures.
The person or persons accountable for compliance with the Stone-Olafson Privacy Policy may seek external advice where appropriate before providing a final response to individual complaints. Stone-Olafson shall investigate all complaints concerning compliance with its Privacy Policy. If a complaint is found to be justified, Stone-Olafson shall take appropriate measures to resolve the complaint including, if necessary, amending its policies and procedures. The respondent shall be informed of the outcome of the investigation regarding his or her complaint.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify the public of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
Contact Us
A respondent may opt-out of receiving invitations to participate in a survey/research study from Stone-Olafson or promotional electronic messages from us, by replying to the message sender provided in all such communications.
A respondent may also withdraw consent to our collection and processing of their personal information at any time. If respondents have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact: Stone-Olafson Privacy Officer at research@stone-olafson.com or at Stone-Olafson, 500, 805 10th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta T2R0B4.