Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

We may collect information you voluntarily provide when you create
an account, complete or update a professional or business profile,
respond to a nomination or recognition inquiry, purchase a product
or service, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with the
Global Directory.

This information may include:

• Name, professional title, credentials and occupation.
• Business, practice or organization information.
• Email address, telephone number and mailing or business address.
• Account login and authentication information.
• Education, career history, professional affiliations, specialties,
  accomplishments, honors, awards, publications and other
  biographical information.
• Photographs, logos, videos, press-release materials and other
  content submitted for publication or inclusion in a profile.
• Billing, order and transaction information associated with
  purchases or services.
• Correspondence, customer-service requests and other communications
  you send to us.

Telephone and Other Communications

When permitted by applicable law, telephone calls or other
communications with Global Directory representatives may be recorded
or monitored for quality assurance, training, verification,
customer-service, security and dispute-resolution purposes. Where
legally required, appropriate notice or consent will be obtained.

Information From Other Sources

We may receive professional or business information from nominations,
referrals, publicly available sources, professional or business
directories, business partners, service providers, or other lawful
sources. We may use this information to evaluate potential recognition,
verify information or communicate with professionals and businesses.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use our websites or online services, certain technical
information may be collected automatically. Depending on the device,
browser and services used, this may include your IP address, browser
type, device type, operating system, referring website, pages viewed,
links clicked, approximate location derived from an IP address,
access times and other website activity.

2. Public Directory and Publication Information

The Global Directory is designed in part to publish and promote
professional and business information. Information approved for a
public member profile, business profile, press release, recognition
announcement or other publication may be available to members of the
public.

Publicly available information may include a person’s or business’s
name, photograph or logo, profession, specialty, organization,
geographic area, professional background, education, career
information, affiliations, honors, awards, accomplishments,
publications and other information selected for publication.

Public content may be discovered, indexed, cached or archived by
search engines, social-media platforms, online archives and other
third-party services. Removal or modification of information on our
own website may not immediately remove copies that have already been
indexed, cached, shared or archived by third parties.

3. How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

• Create, maintain and administer member accounts.
• Create, publish, maintain and promote professional or business profiles.
• Evaluate nominations, professional achievements and eligibility
  for recognition programs.
• Prepare and distribute press releases, profile materials,
  publications and other authorized promotional content.
• Process purchases, orders, billing and account transactions.
• Provide products, services and customer support.
• Verify information and protect against fraud or unauthorized activity.
• Communicate about accounts, services, orders, recognition
  opportunities and other business matters.
• Send marketing or promotional communications where permitted
  by law and subject to applicable opt-out rights.
• Operate, maintain, analyze and improve our websites and services.
• Protect our rights, property, users, employees and services.
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

4. Cookies, Analytics and Online Technologies

We may use cookies, log files, pixels, analytics tools and similar
technologies to operate our websites, remember preferences, understand
website usage, measure performance, improve services, detect security
issues and support marketing activities.

Your browser may allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking
certain cookies may affect website functionality or prevent some
features from operating correctly.

We may also use security and fraud-prevention services, including
CAPTCHA or similar technologies. Providers of those services may
receive technical information necessary to provide their services.

5. Payments and Transaction Information

When you purchase products or services, payment information may be
processed by banks, merchant processors, payment networks or other
payment-service providers involved in completing the transaction.

We may retain transaction-related information such as the purchaser’s
name, billing information, amount, date, authorization or transaction
status, products or services purchased and limited payment details
made available to us by payment providers, as necessary for accounting,
customer service, fraud prevention, dispute resolution and legal
compliance.

6. How We Disclose Information

We may disclose information in the circumstances described below.

Service Providers

We may provide information to vendors and service providers that
perform services on our behalf, such as website hosting, technology,
email delivery, communications, payment processing, printing,
fulfillment, analytics, security, customer service, marketing and
professional services.

These providers may access information only as reasonably necessary
to provide services to us or as otherwise permitted by law and their
contractual obligations.

Public Information

Information intended for publication in a professional profile,
business profile, press release, recognition announcement or similar
content may be made publicly available as described in this Policy.

Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is
necessary to comply with law, legal process or governmental requests;
enforce agreements; investigate fraud or unlawful activity; resolve
disputes; or protect the rights, property, security or safety of the
Global Directory, our users, employees or others.

Business Transactions

Information may be transferred in connection with an actual or
proposed merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of
assets or other business transaction, subject to applicable law.

At Your Direction

We may disclose information when you request, authorize or consent
to the disclosure.

7. Text Messaging and Mobile Information

If you provide a mobile telephone number or consent to receive text
messages from us, we may use that information to send communications
you requested or agreed to receive, subject to applicable law and our
SMS Terms and Conditions.

Mobile information will not be shared with third parties or
affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
Text-message originator opt-in data and consent will not be
shared with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

We may disclose mobile information to service providers that assist
us in delivering or supporting text-message services, customer
service, fraud prevention, telecommunications or other operational
functions.

Where applicable, you may opt out of marketing text messages by
replying STOP. Additional instructions may be provided in the
applicable SMS Terms and Conditions.

8. Marketing Communications and Your Choices

You may opt out of promotional email communications by using an
unsubscribe link included in an email where available or by
contacting us.

Even if you opt out of promotional communications, we may continue
to send non-promotional communications concerning your account,
transactions, services, security matters, legal notices or other
administrative matters.

9. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for the
purposes for which it was collected, including providing services,
maintaining business and financial records, administering published
content, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, enforcing agreements
and complying with legal obligations.

Different categories of information may be retained for different
periods based on operational, contractual and legal requirements.

10. Information Security

We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed
to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse,
alteration or disclosure.

No website, network, database or electronic transmission can be
guaranteed to be completely secure. You should use reasonable care
when choosing passwords and when transmitting sensitive information.

11. Privacy Rights and Requests

Depending on where you live and subject to applicable law, you may
have rights concerning your personal information. These rights may
include the right to:

• Request access to personal information we maintain about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Request deletion of certain personal information.
• Receive a portable copy of certain information.
• Opt out of certain uses or disclosures, including targeted
  advertising or the sale or sharing of personal information where
  those rights apply.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Appeal certain decisions concerning a privacy request where
  applicable law provides that right.

Certain information may be exempt from a request or may need to be
retained for legal, security, contractual, accounting or other
permitted purposes.

We may need to verify your identity before completing a privacy
request. An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted
by applicable law, subject to appropriate verification.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising a
privacy right.

Privacy requests may be submitted using the contact information at
the end of this Policy.

12. International Visitors

Global Directory services may be accessed by individuals outside the
United States. Information may be processed in the United States or
other locations where we or our service providers operate.

If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom,
Switzerland or another jurisdiction with data-protection laws, your
local law may provide additional rights concerning access,
correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability,
withdrawal of consent or complaints to a data-protection authority.

Where required, we process personal information under an appropriate
legal basis, which may include performance of a contract, legitimate
interests, compliance with law or your consent.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our services are intended for adults and professional or business
users. We do not knowingly solicit or collect personal information
from children under 18 through member registration.

If you believe a child has provided personal information to us
without appropriate authorization, please contact us so that we can
review the matter.

14. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our websites may contain links to third-party websites, social-media
platforms or other services. We do not control the privacy practices
of those third parties. Their collection and use of information is
governed by their own privacy policies.

15. Browser Privacy Signals

Some browsers provide “Do Not Track” or other privacy preference
signals. Because industry standards for some signals continue to
vary, our response may depend on the signal and applicable law.
Where applicable law requires recognition of a legally recognized
opt-out preference signal, we will process such signals as required.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect
changes in our services, business practices, technology or legal
requirements.

When we update this Policy, we will revise the “Last Updated” date.
Material changes may also be communicated through the website,
account communications, email or other reasonable means where
appropriate.

17. Contact Us

Questions, privacy requests or concerns regarding this Privacy
Policy may be directed to: