In administering the Programme and operating the Website, We act as a Data Controller in respect of the Personal Data that You provide to Us. We are committed to processing Your Personal Data in accordance with all applicable Data Protection Laws, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, the Saudi Arabia PDPL, the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and other applicable national data protection laws across the Middle East and African jurisdictions we serve.

We collect the following categories of Personal Data from Applicants:

• Identity Data: full name, job title, and professional designation.
• Contact Data: email address, telephone number, and postal address.
• Organisational Data: company or organisation name, sector, jurisdiction, and size.
• Application Data: Sustainability and climate performance evidence, supporting documents, and any other information submitted as part of the application.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and usage data collected automatically when you use the Website.
• Communications Data: records of any correspondence between You and Us.

We process Your Personal Data on the following legal bases:

• Performance of a Contract / Pre-contractual Steps: processing necessary to administer Your application and evaluate Your entry.
• Legitimate Interests: processing for fraud prevention, security, and improvement of the Programme, where such interests are not overridden by Your rights.
• Legal Obligation: processing required to comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
• Consent: where We seek Your consent for specific processing activities (e.g., marketing communications), You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

Your Personal Data will be used for the following purposes:

• Processing and evaluating Your application and administering the Assessment Process.
• Communicating with You about the Programme, including notifications of results and awards.
• Verifying the accuracy of information provided in applications.
• Publishing the names and organisations of Award winners in connection with the Programme.
• Complying with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
• Improving the Website and Programme and conducting internal analytics.
• Sending Programme-related updates and announcements (with opt-out available at any time).

We will not sell Your Personal Data to third parties. We may share Your Personal Data with:

• Independent judges and assessors involved in the Assessment Process, subject to confidentiality obligations.
• Technology and IT service providers supporting the Website and data management systems.
• Professional advisers (legal, financial, compliance) where necessary.
• Regulatory bodies, law enforcement, or courts where required by applicable law.
• Partner organisations and sponsors of the Programme, only where You have provided specific consent or where disclosure is necessary for the administration of the Programme.

Where Personal Data is shared with third-party processors, We ensure that appropriate data processing agreements are in place to protect Your information.

Given the multi-jurisdictional nature of the Programme (covering the UK, Middle East, and Africa), Your Personal Data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your country of residence. Where such transfers occur, We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs) or Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for transfers from the UK.
• Equivalent contractual or regulatory safeguards for transfers from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and other MEA jurisdictions.
• Transfers only to countries or organisations offering an adequate level of data protection as recognised under applicable law.

We retain Personal Data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Specifically:

• Application data for unsuccessful applicants: retained for up to 12 months from the close of the relevant Programme cycle.
• Application data for Award winners: retained for up to 7 years for legal, audit, and promotional purposes.
• Technical and website usage data: retained for up to 12 months.
• Financial records (where applicable): retained in accordance with applicable accounting and tax law.

At the end of the applicable retention period, Personal Data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

Depending on your jurisdiction, You may have the following rights in respect of Your Personal Data:

• Right of Access: to request a copy of the Personal Data We hold about You.
• Right to Rectification: to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data.
• Right to Erasure: to request deletion of Your Personal Data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Restriction of Processing: to request that We limit how We process Your data.
• Right to Data Portability: to receive Your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: where processing is based on consent, to withdraw that consent at any time.
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: to complain to your relevant data protection supervisory authority (e.g., the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UAE Data Office, or the relevant national authority in your jurisdiction).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact Us at the details set out in Clause 8 below. We will respond to all valid requests within the timeframes required by applicable law (typically 30 days, subject to extensions where permitted).

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect Your Personal Data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include encryption, access controls, secure servers, and staff training. However, no method of transmission over the internet is entirely secure and We cannot guarantee absolute security.

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to Your rights and freedoms, We will notify You and/or the relevant supervisory authority in accordance with applicable law.

The Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance Your experience, analyse Website traffic, and support our legitimate interests in Website security and improvement. By using the Website, You consent to Our use of cookies in accordance with Our Cookie Policy, which is available on the Website.

You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website.

All content on the Website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, video, data compilations, and software, is the property of the Clima Awards or its licensors and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works, or otherwise exploit such content without Our prior written consent.

By submitting an application, You grant Us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, publish, and display the content of Your application (including supporting documents) solely for the purposes of administering the Programme and, in respect of Award winners, for promotional and publicity purposes as described in Clause 6 (Terms and Conditions). You retain all other rights in Your application content.

You warrant that Your application does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, and You agree to indemnify Us against any claims arising from any such infringement.

We treat all application information as confidential and will not disclose it to third parties except as set out in these Terms or as required by law. Applicants must not disclose any confidential information received from Us in connection with the Programme without Our prior written consent.

The Website and Programme are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from Your use of the Website or participation in the Programme, including without limitation any loss of profits, goodwill, data, or business opportunity. Our total aggregate liability to You arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall not exceed the application fee (if any) paid by You for the relevant Programme cycle.

We shall not be in breach of these Terms, nor liable for any failure or delay in performance, arising from circumstances beyond Our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, governmental actions, pandemic, power failure, natural disasters, or telecommunication failures.

The Website may contain links to third-party websites for information purposes. We do not endorse, control, or accept responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or availability of such third-party websites. Accessing third-party websites is at Your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those websites.

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection rights that may apply to Applicants in their country of residence under applicable local law, including the laws of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and other applicable MEA jurisdictions.

In the event of any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the parties shall first endeavour to resolve the matter amicably through good-faith negotiation. If a dispute cannot be resolved within 30 days of written notice, either party may refer the dispute to the courts of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory local jurisdiction requirements applicable to Applicants in specific MEA jurisdictions.

Nothing in these Terms prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive or other equitable relief from a competent court. We are open to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation or arbitration, where agreed by both parties in writing.

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. Where amendments are material, We will publish the updated Terms on the Website and, where reasonably practicable, notify registered Applicants by email. Your continued use of the Website or participation in the Programme following publication of amended Terms constitutes Your acceptance of the changes. We recommend that You review these Terms periodically.

• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, lawful, and enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of Our right to enforce that provision in the future.
• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with Our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between You and Us in relation to Your use of the Website and participation in the Programme, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.
• No Partnership: Nothing in these Terms creates or implies any partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between You and Us.
• Third-Party Rights: These Terms do not confer any rights on third parties under applicable law.

If You have any questions about these Terms, wish to exercise any of Your data subject rights, or wish to raise a concern or complaint, please contact Us at:

• Email: support@climaawards.com
• Postal Address: 71 - 75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ

For Applicants in the UK, You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk

Applicants in other jurisdictions may contact their applicable national data protection supervisory authority.