1. Controller
The controller of personal data processed via this website is:
European Society of Dermatopathology (ESDP)
ESDP Secretariat
rue Jean-Petitot 7
1204 Geneva
Switzerland
Email: office@esdp.net
This website is hosted and technically operated by MDPI AG, Grosspeteranlage 5, 4052 Basel, Switzerland (“MDPI”), acting as a processor on behalf of ESDP.
This Privacy Policy explains how ESDP collects and processes personal data in connection with its website and related society activities, in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, revised version in force since 1 September 2023) and the Ordinance on Data Protection (DPO).
2. Scope
This policy applies to personal data processed when you:
- visit or use the ESDP website;
- contact ESDP (including by email or via online forms);
- register for membership, events, or other society activities offered through the website;
- subscribe to communications, where offered.
3. Categories of personal data
Depending on how you interact with us, we may process:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identity & contact data | Name, title, organisation/affiliation, postal address, email address, telephone number |
| Membership / registration data | Membership status, event registration details, payment-related information where applicable |
| Communication content | Messages and attachments you send to us |
| Technical & usage data | IP address, browser and device information, date/time of access, pages viewed, referring URL, and similar log data |
| Cookie / analytics data | Information collected via cookies or similar technologies (see section 8) |
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data (as defined under Swiss law) via the website. Please do not include health or other sensitive information in free-text fields unless we expressly request it for a specific purpose.
4. Purposes of processing
We process personal data for the following purposes:
- Operating the website : providing access, ensuring security, troubleshooting, and improving performance
- Communication : responding to enquiries and corresponding with you
- Society administration : managing membership, events, and related ESDP activities
- Information & newsletters : sending society-related information where permitted (e.g. with your consent or where otherwise lawful)
- Legal & organisational compliance : meeting statutory obligations, asserting or defending legal claims, and keeping appropriate records
5. Legal bases under Swiss law
Under the FADP, processing of personal data must be lawful. ESDP processes personal data in particular where:
- processing is connected with the conclusion or performance of a contract with you (e.g. membership or event registration);
- you have given consent (e.g. for certain newsletters or non-essential cookies), which you may withdraw at any time with effect for the future;
- processing is justified by an overriding private or public interest, including ESDP’s legitimate interest in operating a secure website, communicating with interested persons, and administering the society; or
- processing is required to comply with a legal obligation.
Where consent is required, we will ask for it separately and clearly.
6. Disclosure to third parties and processors
6.1 Website hosting (MDPI)
ESDP uses MDPI to host and maintain this website. In that role, MDPI may process personal data collected or generated through the website — including contact-form submissions, membership or event data entered on the site, and technical server logs, solely to provide hosting and related technical services to ESDP, in accordance with ESDP’s instructions and applicable Swiss data protection law.
MDPI does not determine the purposes of processing for ESDP’s society activities and does not use ESDP website personal data for its own unrelated purposes, except where required by law or with ESDP’s authorisation.
The relationship between ESDP (controller) and MDPI (processor) is governed by appropriate contractual arrangements under Art. 9 FADP.
6.2 Other recipients
We may also disclose personal data to:
- other service providers assisting ESDP or MDPI (e.g. email delivery, IT security, payment or event platforms), under appropriate contracts;
- professional advisers (e.g. lawyers, auditors) where necessary;
- authorities or courts where required by law or to protect our rights;
- event or cooperation partners, only to the extent necessary for an activity you have registered for.
We do not sell personal data.
7. Cross-border disclosure
Personal data processed in connection with this website are primarily handled in Switzerland, including by ESDP and MDPI.
If MDPI or another provider uses subprocessors or infrastructure outside Switzerland, disclosure abroad occurs only in accordance with Arts. 16–17 FADP, in particular where:
- the recipient country provides an adequate level of data protection as recognised by the Swiss Federal Council; or
- appropriate safeguards are in place (e.g. standard contractual clauses); or
- another statutory exception applies.
8. Cookies and similar technologies
Our website may use:
- Essential cookies : necessary for the website to function and for security
- Analytics / preference cookies : only if used, and where required only after consent
You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may limit website functionality. Details of any analytics tools used (provider, purpose, retention) will be described in our cookie notice or banner where applicable.
9. Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes stated above, or as required by law. Typical periods:
| Data | Typical retention |
|---|---|
| Website server logs | Short operational period (usually weeks to a few months), unless needed longer for security investigations |
| Contact enquiries | Generally up to 12 months after the last exchange, unless a longer retention is needed |
| Membership records | For the duration of membership and a reasonable period thereafter for administration and legal claims |
| Event registrations | For the event lifecycle and a reasonable follow-up / accounting period |
| Consent records | For as long as needed to demonstrate compliance |
Data that are no longer required are deleted or anonymised.
10. Your rights
Subject to the conditions of the FADP, you have the right to:
- Access information about whether we process your personal data and receive related information (Art. 25 FADP);
- Rectification of inaccurate personal data;
- Deletion or restriction of processing, where applicable;
- Object to processing based on overriding interests, in particular for direct marketing;
- Data portability, where the legal conditions are met;
- Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
To exercise these rights, contact: office@esdp.net.
You may also lodge a complaint with the Swiss supervisory authority:
Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC)
Feldeggweg 1
3003 Bern
Switzerland
Website: https://www.edoeb.admin.ch
11. Data security
ESDP and its processors (including MDPI) take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration, taking into account the nature of the data, the risks involved, and the state of the art. Absolute security cannot be guaranteed.
12. Children
The website is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors for society services. If you believe we have collected such data, please contact us so we can delete it.
13. Third-party websites
Our website may contain links to third-party sites (e.g. journals, partners, social networks). Those sites have their own privacy policies; ESDP is not responsible for their content or data processing.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, in particular to reflect changes in law, our website, or our processing practices. The current version is always published on this page with the “Last updated” date.
15. Contact
For questions about this Privacy Policy or ESDP’s data processing:
ESDP Secretariat
rue Jean-Petitot 7
1204 Geneva
Switzerland
Email: office@esdp.net