Privacy Policy

Your privacy is critically important to us. At the Business Environmental Coalition (BEC) we have a few fundamental principles:

• We don’t ask you for personal information unless we truly need it.
• We don’t share your personal information with anyone except to comply with the law, develop our products, or protect our rights.
• We don’t store personal information on our servers unless required for the on-going operation of one of our services.
• In our Certification products, we aim to make it as simple as possible for you to control what’s visible to the public, seen by search engines, kept private, and permanently deleted.

Business Environmental Coalition operates several websites it is our policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our websites.

Website Visitors

Like most website operators, the BEC collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. BEC’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how BEC’s visitors use its website. From time to time, BEC may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website.

BEC also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. BEC does not use such information to identify its visitors, however, and does not disclose such information, other than under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information, as described below.

Gathering of Personally-Identifying Information

Certain visitors to BEC’s websites choose to interact with BEC in ways that require BEC to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that BEC gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who sign up for a Certificate to provide a username and email address and other details about their website and business. Those who engage in transactions with BEC – by purchasing access to the BEC service are asked to provide additional information, including as necessary the personal and financial information required to process those transactions. In each case, BEC collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with BEC. BEC does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities.

If you make a purchase or subscribe to BEC services, the BEC keeps records of these transactions and the information you provided when you created your account. In copliance with GDPR regulations, your purchase receipt will include all the information we stored based on your purchase. If, you have an account with the BEC, you can contact us and request a copy of all the information we have collected on you. You can request any record we have of you be deleted at any time but this will also terminate our services being provided to you.

Use, Fees, Payments and Refund Policy

BEC provides certification and training as part of your membership. Your plan includes an educational portion, business evaluation and a Certificate (seal) for your business web site indicating that your business supports Green (Regenerative) practices. The BEC reserves the right to change the payment terms and fees at any time. Your continued use of the BEC and membership in the BEC constitutes your acceptance of all changes to payments, fees and terms. If, after registering with the BEC you are dissatisfied with your membership, you may contact us and have membership canceled within 30 days. You will be refunded in full if you have not initiated the "Green Certification Process" or the SB-1383 audit process. Completing the certification process is your indication that you have accepted the terms of membership in the BEC and also makes you a member in good standing. If any issues are found to be the responsibility of the BEC, the only compensation available will be the extension of membership at our discretion.

Aggregated Statistics

BEC may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its websites. For instance, BEC may monitor the most popular Certificates to automate positioning within the search elements of the site and may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, BEC does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below.

Protection of Certain Personally-Identifying Information

BEC discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on BEC’s behalf or to provide services available at BEC’s websites, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using BEC’s websites, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. BEC will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, BEC discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only when required to do so by law, or when BEC believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of BEC, third parties or the public at large. If you are a registered user of the BEC website and have supplied your email address, BEC may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what’s going on with BEC and our products. We expect to keep this type of email to a minimum. If you send us a request (for example via a support email or via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish it in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users (this is a more Green practice). BEC takes all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information.

Cookies

A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. BEC uses cookies to help BEC identify and track visitors, their usage of BEC website, and their website access preferences. BEC visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using BEC’s websites, with the drawback that certain features of BEC’s websites may not function properly without the aid of cookies. For example, you won't be able to login to the site and administer your account.

Ads

Ads appearing on any of our websites may be delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer. This information allows ad networks to, among other things, deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. This Privacy Policy covers the use of cookies by BEC and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers. Third party advertisers are responsible for their own policies.

Service

The services provided by the BEC and information posted on its website are provided for the convenience of users of the services or website. BEC strives to make the information as accurate as possible however, it cannot guarantee that all of the information is complete, accurate or up-to-date. Users should solely rely on statutes (laws) and regulations.

No Legal Advice or Consultant-Client Relationship

Services and information provided by BEC and information contained on or made available through its website is not intended to and does not constitute legal advice, recommendations, mediation or counseling under any circumstance. The website and your use thereof does not create a consultant-client relationship. The BEC does not warrant or guarantee the accurateness, completeness, adequacy or currency of the information provided or information contained in or linked to the website. Your use of information on the website or materials linked is entirely at your own risk.

Forms & Documents

The BEC may make available through this website sample forms, checklists, posters and other documents (collectively, “Documents”). All Documents are provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to their suitability, legal effect, completeness, currency, accuracy, and/or appropriateness. The documents are provided “as is” and “as available”, and the provider of the documents disclaim any warranties, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Third Party Content

Third party content may appear on the BEC website or may be accessible via links from the website. BEC is not responsible for and assumes no liability for any third party content. You understand that the information and opinions in the third party content represent solely the third party’s representation and is not endorsed by the BEC.

Privacy Policy Changes

Although most changes are likely to be minor, BEC may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and in BEC’s sole discretion. BEC encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.

Last updated: 04/2021

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