We are The Protein Diversification Academy (PDA), an educational association dedicated to bridging the knowledge gap in the areas of protein diversification and future food systems. This Privacy Policy sets out the types of personal information we collect about you when you use our website and learning platform, how we use and store that personal information, who we share it with, and what rights you may have regarding that information.
It is important that you read this Privacy Policy together with any other detailed privacy notices we may provide when collecting or processing personal data about you, so that you fully understand our practices in relation to your data.
PDA is the controller and responsible for your personal information (we refer to PDA as “we” in this Privacy Policy). Where we instruct third-party suppliers or partners to use your personal information, these data processors will process your information only on our instructions and for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.
PDA is the controller and responsible for your personal information (we refer to PDA as “we” in this Privacy Policy). Where we instruct third-party suppliers or partners to use your personal information, these data processors will process your information only on our instructions and for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our practices, please contact us at team@proteinacademy.org
We keep this document under regular review and any changes we make will, where appropriate, be notified to you by email.
Information We Collect
Personal data means any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. We may collect, use, store, and disclose different kinds of personal data, including:
- Identity Data – first name, last name, date of birth, and gender.
- Contact Data – billing address, email address, telephone numbers.
- Financial Data – payment details processed securely by our payment providers (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).
- Transaction Data – details about purchases of courses or services.
- Technical & Usage Data – IP address, login data, browser type, device information, browsing behavior, cookies, analytics, and interactions with our website.
- Interaction Data – participation in events, surveys, competitions, or interactive features of our services.
- Marketing & Communication Data – preferences for receiving marketing communications.
We do not actively collect sensitive personal data (such as race, religion, political views, or health information) unless legally required and with your explicit consent.
How We Use Your Data
We process your personal data only where legally permitted. Common uses include:
- To provide access to courses, resources, and learning pathways.
- To manage payments, billing, and transactions.
- To send important updates about courses, new programs, or platform changes.
- To improve our platform through analytics and user feedback.
- To provide access to courses, resources, and learning pathways.
- To protect your data according to GDPR.
Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data. However, no online transmission is 100% secure, and you acknowledge that sharing information online is at your own risk.
Only members authorized by the General Secretariat of PDA may have access to the personal data stored, which will be kept confidential.
Cookies
We may use cookies on our website to improve functionality and create a more personalized experience for you. Cookies help us remember your preferences and deliver more relevant content. By themselves, cookies do not reveal your email address or other personal information, but they allow us to recognize you when you return to the site.
Sometimes, third-party services (such as Google or LinkedIn) may use cookies to show you our advertisements on external websites and social media platforms. If you provide us with personal information (for example, during registration), this data may be linked to cookie data. Where required by law, we will always ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. For more details about the types of cookies we use and how to update your preferences, please see our Cookie Policy (via the CookieYes popup on our site).
Your Rights and Control of Your Personal Data
Under applicable data protection laws, you have a number of important rights regarding your personal data. These include:
- Right of Access – You may request confirmation that we hold personal data about you and obtain a copy of the information we have.
- Right to Correction – If any of the personal information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you can ask us to update or correct it.
- Right to Deletion (“Right to Be Forgotten”) – In certain cases, you may ask us to permanently delete your personal information.
- Right to Restrict Processing – You can ask us to limit the way we use your personal data in specific situations, for example if:
- you want us to verify the accuracy of the information,
- our use of the data is unlawful but you prefer restriction over deletion
- you need the data for legal claims, or
- you have objected to our processing and we are considering whether our legitimate reasons override your rights.
- Right to Data Portability – You can request that we provide the personal information you gave us in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format, or ask us to transfer it directly to another organization.
- Right to Object – You may object to the processing of your personal data if it is being used:
- for direct marketing purposes at any time, or
- based on our legitimate interests, if there is something about your situation that makes you feel the processing impacts your rights and freedoms.
- Right Against Automated Decisions – You have the right not to be subject to decisions made solely by automated systems (including profiling) that have legal or significant effects on you.
- Right to Withdraw Consent – Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect any processing already carried out while consent was valid.
- Right to Lodge a Complaint – If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, you may contact us using the details in this Privacy Policy. If we are unable to resolve your concern, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices and encourage you to review their privacy policies.
Storage and Security
The Protein Diversification Academy takes data security seriously. We use appropriate physical, electronic, and administrative measures to protect your personal data from misuse, loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure.However, while we make every effort to safeguard your information, please note that no method of online transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. Any transfer of information over the internet is at your own risk.