Privacy policy

01Who we are

In shortValden Studio Ltd is responsible for your information. You can reach us by email or post.

Valden Studio Ltd (“Valden”, “we”, “us”) is a company registered in England and Wales under company number 10234567, with its registered office at Unit 4, Hope Mill, 113 Pollard Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 7JA. We are the controller of the personal information described in this policy, and we are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under registration number ZA123456.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, email hello@valden.studio or write to us at the address above, marked for the attention of the data protection lead.

02What we collect

In shortWhat you tell us when you get in touch, what we need to run projects, and basic technical data.

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Enquiries. When you use our project form, email or call us, we collect your name, email address, company, website, the services, budget and timing you select, and anything you write in your message.
• Client work. When we work together, we hold the names, job titles and contact details of the people we work with, plus correspondence, meeting notes, invoices and payment records.
• Recruitment. If you apply for a role, we hold your CV, cover letter, portfolio and our interview notes.
• Website use. Our hosting provider keeps short-lived server logs, including IP addresses, for security. If you accept analytics cookies, we also collect anonymised information about the pages you visit and the device you use.

We do not ask for special category information such as health data, and we ask that you do not include it in enquiries.

03How we use it and why

In shortTo reply to you, deliver the work, keep our accounts and keep the site secure. Each use has a lawful basis.

UK data protection law requires a lawful basis for each way we use personal information. These are ours:

• Replying to enquiries and preparing proposals: to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or our legitimate interest in responding to people who contact us.
• Delivering projects and care plans: to perform our contract with you or your organisation.
• Invoicing, accounts and tax records: to comply with our legal obligations.
• Keeping the website and our systems secure: our legitimate interest in protecting our business and visitors.
• Understanding how the website is used: your consent, which we ask for before any analytics cookies are set and which you can withdraw at any time.
• Recruitment: to take steps before a possible employment contract, and our legitimate interest in hiring the right people.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling, and we do not send marketing emails unless you have asked to receive them.

04Who we share it with

In shortOnly with the service providers that help us run the studio, under contract. We never sell it.

We share personal information only where we need to, with:

• Service providers who process data on our behalf, such as website hosting, email and file storage, project management, accounting and, if you consent, analytics. Each works under a written contract that requires them to protect your information and use it only on our instructions.
• Professional advisers, such as our accountants, lawyers and insurers, where necessary.
• Regulators, law enforcement or courts, where the law requires it.
• A buyer or successor, if Valden is ever sold or restructured, under the same protections.

We never sell personal information or share it with third parties for their own marketing.

05International transfers

In shortSome providers store data outside the UK. When they do, recognised safeguards apply.

Some of our service providers are based outside the UK, including in the European Economic Area and the United States. Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we make sure it is protected by UK adequacy regulations, the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, or the International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum issued by the Information Commissioner.

06How long we keep it

In shortOnly as long as we need it, then we delete it. Accounting records are kept for six years.

• Enquiries that do not lead to a project: 12 months from our last contact.
• Client project records and correspondence: six years after the project ends, in case of questions or claims.
• Invoices and financial records: six years from the end of the financial year they relate to, as HMRC requires.
• Unsuccessful job applications: six months after the role is filled, unless you ask us to keep them longer.
• Server logs: up to 30 days. Analytics data: up to 14 months.

When information is no longer needed, we delete it or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

07Your rights

In shortYou can ask to see, correct, delete or move your information, or object to how we use it. It is free.

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• Ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Ask us to delete your information, where we no longer have a reason to keep it.
• Ask us to restrict how we use your information while a concern is resolved.
• Object to our use of your information where we rely on legitimate interests.
• Ask us to transfer information you have given us to another organisation.
• Withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

To use any of these rights, email hello@valden.studio. There is no charge, and we will respond within one month. We may need to confirm your identity before we act on a request.

08Cookies and similar technologies

In shortEssential storage only, unless you agree to analytics. You can change your mind at any time.

This website uses only the storage it needs to work unless you choose otherwise. Analytics cookies are set only after you accept them, and you can withdraw that consent at any time by clearing your cookies or changing your browser settings.

When you complete our project form, a short summary of your selections is kept in your browser’s session storage so we can show it back to you on the confirmation page. It stays on your device and is removed when you close the tab.

09Keeping it secure

In shortEncryption, access controls and two-factor sign-in on every system that holds client data.

We protect personal information with encryption in transit, access limited to the people who need it, two-factor authentication on the systems we use, and regular reviews of the providers we rely on. If a data breach ever puts your rights at risk, we will tell you and the Information Commissioner’s Office as the law requires.

10Changes to this policy

In shortWe will update this page when anything changes, and show the date at the top.

We review this policy at least once a year and whenever the way we handle personal information changes. The date at the top of the page shows when it was last updated. If a change significantly affects how we use information you have already given us, we will tell you directly.

11Questions and complaints

In shortTalk to us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first at hello@valden.studio and we will do our best to put it right.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection, at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.