PRIVACY POLICY

Last Modified: November 16, 2021

Effective Date: November 16, 2021

Green Blue Institute, Inc., a Delaware non-profit corporation (referred to in this Privacy Policy as “GreenBlue”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your privacy and we are committed to protecting it through compliance with this Privacy Policy.

1.  Introduction.  This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect through your use of the public Recycled Material Standard (RMS) Website located at https://www.rmscertified.com and the RMS Certificate Database located at https://app.rmscertified.com/database/ (collectively, this “Site” or the “RMS Website”) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and sharing that information. In general, this Privacy Policy applies to all information that we collect through the RMS Website. However, this Privacy Policy does not apply: (a) to the ARC Registry (located at https://registry.rmscertified.com), which is instead subject to the ARC Registry Privacy Policy and the ARC Registry Terms of Use; (b) to information provided in connection with your participation in the RMS Program, which is subject to the RMS Participant Terms and Conditions; (c) to information provided in connection with your activities as an Accredited Certification Body for the RMS Program, which is subject to the RMS Certification Body Agreement; (d) to information from or about you that is provided in connection with other programs, projects, websites, and services provided, performed, or operated by GreenBlue; or (e) to information that you provide to third parties or that we may collect from you or about you in other ways, including through e-mails you may send to us or through third parties.

2.  Updates to Privacy Policy.  As technology changes and as our business grows and develops, we may modify this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we modify this Privacy Policy, we will give you notice by posting the amended Privacy Policy on the RMS Website. The amended Privacy Policy will include an effective date, and it will be effective on that date.

3.  Children Under Age 13.  We are committed to protecting the privacy of children under the age of thirteen (13) years (each a “Child” and collectively, “Children”). The RMS Website is not designed for or marketed to Children, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information (as defined below) from Children. If we learn we have collected or received Personal Information from a Child, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a Child, please contact us using any of the methods described at: https://www.rmscertified.com/contact/.

4.  Definitions.  As used in this Privacy Policy:

4.1.  “Non-Personal Information” means information or content other than Personal Information (as defined below), including, for example, aggregated or anonymized information about our users and other information that does not identify any individual.

4.2.  “Personal Information” means personally-identifiable information (information relating to an individual that can be used to identify, locate, or contact that individual, alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information), such as: name, home or physical address, e-mail address, phone number, or personal characteristics, or any other information about an individual that we collect through the RMS Website and maintain in personally identifiable form in combination with other personally-identifiable information.

5.  Types of Information Collected.

5.1.  Visitor Information.  We may automatically collect information about you when you use the RMS Website, such as the pages, materials, and features you access and use, the amount of data transferred, the links and buttons you click, the amount of time you spend interacting with the components of the RMS Website, and other information about your interactions with the RMS Website, as well as certain standard information that your browser or device sends to every website or Internet server that you visit, including your Internet Protocol (IP) address, operating environment (such as browser type and version, browser plugins installed, operating system version, regional and language settings, screen size and/or resolution, windows size, and page size), access dates and times, and referring websites. We may also collect diagnostic information, including without limitation device hardware and operating system information, and information relating to how the RMS Website and other aspects of the RMS Website function on the device you use to access the RMS Website. We may share such diagnostic information and other Non-Personal Information with our service providers to diagnose and improve the RMS Website and other aspects of the RMS Website. The RMS Website may use cookies, flash cookies, web beacons, pixel gifs, HTML 5 local storage, and other technologies for a variety of purposes, such as saving and retrieving information about you, your visit, and your preferences and settings. We may use such technologies to share Non-Personal Information with third parties or to retrieve Non-Personal Information from third parties. At this time, the RMS Website does not respond to “Do Not Track” signals sent to us by your browser.

5.2.  Google Analytics and Google Marketing Platform.  We may, from time to time, use a tool called “Google Analytics” (including Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting, Remarketing, Google Display Network Impression Reporting, and Google Marketing Platform (formerly DoubleClick) features) to collect information about your use of the RMS Website, which helps us provide content that is relevant to you and optimized for the devices that you use (such as smartphones and tablets). We respect and value your privacy, and we never combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with other personal data. We use the information we receive from Google Analytics only to improve our website and our content and marketing. Google’s use and sharing of information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to this Site is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Service (located at: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/us/) and the Google Privacy Policy (located at: https://policies.google.com/privacy). For more information about Google’s privacy practices, see: How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps (located at: www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/). You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads using Google’s Ad Settings tool (https://www.google.com/settings/ads/). As an added privacy measure, you can use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/). You can also opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads using the Google Ad Settings (see: https://adssettings.google.com/).

5.3.  Information You Provide.  If you contact us through the RMS Website or enter information into forms or search boxes in the RMS Website, we will store and use such information only in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

6.  Cookie Policy.  We may use cookies and other similar technologies, such as HTML5 local storage, to provide the RMS Website.

6.1.  Cookies and Local Storage.  Cookies are small text files placed onto your device when you visit and interact with the RMS Website. Local storage is a technology that allows a website or application to store information locally on your device. These technologies enable us to provide and enhance your experience using the RMS Website.

6.2.  How We Use Cookies and Local Storage.  We use these technologies to provide the RMS Website to you and to analyze and improve the RMS Website. Our uses generally fall into one of the following categories:

6.2.1.  Essential Processes and Security:  To enable essential functions of the RMS Website, such as protecting your security, and helping us fight spam, and abuse.

6.2.2.  Preferences:  To remember information about your browser and your preferences.

6.2.3.  Performance, Analytics, Research, and Marketing:  To help us understand and measure how you use the RMS Website, to improve the RMS Website, and to provide relevant and targeted advertisements to you on the RMS Website and on other websites, which may include cookies associated with Google Analytics and the Google Marketing Platform. For more information, see: How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps (located at: http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/).

6.3.  Blocking and Removing Cookies.  We are committed to protecting your privacy, as described in this Privacy Policy. Most browsers allow you to modify your settings to accept or deny all cookies or to request your permission each time a website attempts to place a cookie on your device, and most browsers allow you to delete cookies that have already been placed on your device. However, the RMS Website will not function properly if you prevent it from placing cookies on your device.

7.  Use of Non-Personal Information.  We may use Non-Personal Information (including, for example, aggregated information about our users or information that does not identify any individual) for any purposes whatsoever (including without limitation, advertising, marketing, enhancing, designing, or developing products and/or services, and research), and we may share Non-Personal Information with others, including our partners, affiliates, and our service providers.

8.  Use of Personal Information.  

8.1.  We will only store and use your Personal Information as is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with your use of the RMS Website, including: (a) to contact you in connection with your use of the RMS Website, including to respond to your inquiries; (b) for authentication and identification purposes; (c) to enable us to provide the features of the RMS Website; (d) to provide you with information about GreenBlue and our services and other information related to the Recycled Material Standard, such as by sending you our newsletter if you subscribe to it; (e) to fulfill any other purpose for which you provide such information to us; (f) in any other way we may describe when you provide the information; (g) to carry out our obligations and enforce our rights; and (h) to protect our networks, data, software, or business interests. You understand and agree that we may transfer, process, maintain, and store your Personal Information and other information in any country (or in multiple countries), including countries other than your country of residence or the country or countries where you use the RMS Website.

8.2.  We are committed to protecting your privacy and we will not sell, lease, or disclose your Personal Information to any third party except as described in this Privacy Policy.

8.3.  In addition to using and disclosing your Personal Information in the manner described above and elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, we may disclose your Personal Information:

8.3.1.  to any person, entity, or organization which you consent for us to disclose your Personal Information to;

8.3.2.  to a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding, in which Personal Information held by us about our users is among the assets transferred;

8.3.3.  to any person, entity, or organization in order to facilitate the operation and provision of the RMS Website;

8.3.4.  to our affiliates, business partners, service providers, vendors, and agents who provide hosting services, technical support services, administration services, and as is necessary or appropriate in connection with the operation, maintenance, and support of the RMS Website;

8.3.5.  to comply with any legal requirements, subpoenas, discovery requests, or court orders, to defend any legal or administrative proceedings, or as we believe in good faith is necessary to comply with any laws or legal requirements;

8.3.6.  to any person as we believe is necessary or appropriate in an emergency situation, including without limitation, to prevent criminal activity, personal injury, or property damage;

8.3.7.  to law enforcement, financial institutions, or other appropriate authorities in connection with any investigation of suspected criminal or fraudulent activity by any person or entity; and

8.3.8.  if we believe it is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of GreenBlue or our affiliates, other users of the RMS Website, or other third parties.

9.  Opt-In Sharing Features.  We will not knowingly disclose your Personal Information to a third party if we know or have reason to believe that the third party will use your Personal Information for direct marketing purposes.

10.  Nevada Residents.  Nevada residents who wish to exercise their sale opt-out rights under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A may submit a request to this designated address: [email protected]. However, please know that we do not sell data triggering that statute’s opt-out requirements.

11.  Security.  We have implemented measures designed to secure your Personal Information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure, including the use of TLS to encrypt information you send through the RMS Website. The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the Internet is not completely secure. Despite our measures to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information transmitted to or through the RMS Website. Any transmission of Personal Information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures of the RMS Website or of our service providers, agents, or other third parties.

12.  Other Sites.  The RMS Website may contain links to other websites, including other websites operated by GreenBlue and websites operated by third parties. Once you have clicked on a link connecting you to such other website, you will leave the RMS Website and be taken to a website for which this Privacy Policy does not apply. This Privacy Policy does not apply to any Personal Information (or other information) collected on any website other than the RMS Website.

13.  Access to and Change of Personal Information.  You may contact us at any time to: (a) request the removal of the Personal Information you provided to us from our databases; and (b) update your Personal Information. However, certain information associated with your requests or correspondence with us may be retained permanently for accounting, legal, tax, and business reasons. When your Personal Information is updated or deleted, copies of such information may remain in our backups.

14.  Contacting Us.  You may contact us with questions relating to this Privacy Policy by sending an e-mail to [email protected].