Data Protection and Confidentiality

At Williams & Wood we take data protection and confidentiality seriously and are members of the Data Protection Regulator, ICO number ZA097201 and in light of the recent updates to GDPR you can view our amended privacy policy below. 

We appreciate that many of our cases are sensitive and require optimum discretion and confidentiality. Our clients' wellbeing and reputation is of paramount importance and we refrain from carrying out any activities that may compromise this.

Compliance

Data Protection Compliance Statement

This is a statement of Data Protection Compliance adopted by Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd.

Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd is required to collect and use certain types of information about people with whom it deals with in order to operate. These can include current, past and prospective employees, suppliers, clients/customers, and others with whom it communicates. In addition, it may occasionally be required by law to collect and use certain types of information of this kind to comply with the requirements of government departments for business data, for example. This personal information must be dealt with properly, however it is collected, recorded and used – whether on paper, on a computer, or recorded on other material – and there are safeguards to ensure this in the GDPR and theData Protection Act 1998.

We regard the lawful and correct treatment of personal information by Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd. as very important to successful operations, and to maintaining confidence between those with whom we deal with and ourselves. We ensure that our organisation treats personal information lawfully and correctly.

To this end we fully endorse and adhere to the Principles of Data Protection, as enumerated in the Data Protection Act 1998.

Specifically, the Principles require that personal information:

• Shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless specific conditions are met;
• Shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes;
• Shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed;
• Shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes;
• Shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under the Act;

Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

Shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data.

Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd will apply appropriate management and application of criteria and controls:

• Fully observe conditions regarding the fair collection and use of information;
• Meet its legal obligations to specify the purposes for which information is used;
• Collect and process appropriate information, and only to the extent that it is needed to fulfil operational needs or to comply with any legal requirements;
• Ensure the quality of information used;
• Apply strict checks to determine the length of time information is held;
• Ensure that the rights of people about whom information is held, are able to be fully exercised under the Act. (These include: the right to be informed that processing is being undertaken, the right of access to one’s personal information, the right to prevent processing in certain circumstances and the right to correct, rectify, block or erase information which is regarded as wrong information.);
• Take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal information; 
• Ensure that personal information is not transferred abroad without suitable safeguards.
   

In addition, Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd has ensured there is someone with specific responsibility for data protection in the organisation;
 

• Everyone managing and handling personal information understands that they are contractually responsible for following good data protection practice; 
• Everyone managing and handling personal information is appropriately trained to do so;
• Everyone managing and handling personal information is appropriately supervised;
  Anybody wanting to make enquiries about handling personal information knows what to do;
• Queries about handling personal information are promptly and courteously dealt with; 
• Methods of handling personal information are clearly described; 
• A regular review and audit is made of the way personal information is managed;
• Methods of handling personal information are regularly assessed and evaluated;

Data Protection Policy

If the client’s instruction is a trace and dependent upon the information we obtain from the databases that we access, this will then determine what further enquiries are appropriate. Such as obtaining telephone numbers from addresses at which we believe the subject may be or have been located. We may also utilise other publicly available databases and/or Registries that we feel would be of benefit for our enquiries.

All searches are Compliant and Discreet and conducted Fairly and Lawfully.

Once initial research has been completed we may also conduct local enquiries around the locations identified. 

At no stage will we divulge to a third party (not involved in tracing or research activities) any personal data relating to the Data Subject and all enquiries will be confidential and discreet.

For the avoidance of doubt the instructions are accepted on the basis that our services are conducted under the direction of the client and as such we are deemed the Data Processor and the client, and/or the principal, is deemed the Data Controller. 

If any subject of enquiry should contact us regarding any search in a "subject access request", we will refer them to the client as we will have forwarded our report to them and we will hold no additional information/data. 

We will also not hold data for longer than necessary which, in most cases will be as soon as the case is deemed closed by Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd. This is usually once all invoices relating to this matter have been fully paid and received in our bank account. There may be specific circumstances to hold on to this information for example, if we are made aware that this matter is in Court and it is possible that Court may request this information from us or to comment to the Court on a professional basis.
 

Whatever the instruction, we confirm that no part of this enquiry will be sub-contracted to any other agent without the client’s prior approval. We also confirm that no information concerning the Data Subject given to us by yourselves, or obtained during the course of this enquiry, will be used for any other purpose.
 

At all stages of enquiries, we recognise that we are acting as the client’s Data Processor, and as such we will comply totally with the Data Protection Act and the guidelines contained within the 8 Principles. In any event, by instructing us, the client confirms that they are acting in compliance with at least one of the conditions contained in Schedule 2 of the Data Protection Act.

Confirmation

Any information is provided on the understanding that it is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the data controller and/or a purpose detailed in Schedule 2 of the Data Protection Act.  We confirm that we have processed any data to perform this task as instructed as your Data Processor, and within the terms of the Data Protection Act.

We accept no liability or responsibility for the information provided and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information, which should be used as a guide only.  We accept no liability for the misuse of the information nor will we be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

Clients are advised to confirm the information provided before taking action and to obtain information from every source available, in addition to making enquiries through this office.

Legal Information
Williams & Wood Investigation Services Ltd is a company Registered in England and Wales under company number 9291881. Data Protection Act 1998 ICO registered number ZA097201. Registered Office Address: 

71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ.

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