PRIVACY POLICY
Revised August 26, 2023
Privacy of personal information is an important principle at the Sound Wellness Institute. We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide. We strive to be open and transparent regarding how we handle personal information. This document describes our privacy policies.
What is Personal Information?
Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Personal information includes information that relates to: an individual’s personal characteristics (e.g., gender, age, home address or phone number). Personal information is different from business information (e.g., an individual’s business address and telephone number) which isn’t protected by privacy legislation. However, we treat business information with the same level of security as we do personal information.
Who We Are
Our organization includes the production and sale of audio and sound therapy products, presentation of seminars on sound therapy, and ourSound Wellness Institute membership site.
We Collect Personal Information: Primary Purposes
We collect contact information electronically from on-line submissions, and in written or oral form (name, address or email address) for our email or snail-mail newsletter. In addition to the newsletters, we will occasionally send notices for reminders of special events, promotions, discounts and messages.
We also collect information from our customers requesting information about products or services (e.g., name, email, address) and financial information (account or credit card numbers) when making a purchase. Contact information from order forms is used to send orders, and information relating to those orders. New customers are also added to our email lists.
We collect testimonials from our customers (with their consent) to use in promotional materials.
Withdrawal of Consent
A person may withdraw consent from the Sound Wellness Institute at any time if reasonable notice is given.
Removal from email lists
Every email sent to our mailing lists contains an ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of the email. There is also an option to edit your preferences where you can select which, if any of our mailings you wish to receive.
Protecting Personal Information
We understand the importance of protecting personal information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:
- Information is never sold, rented, or otherwise made available to any third party, except as required by law.
- Credit card information is not stored on our systems when making a purchase on-line. Credit card information supplied when placing a phone order is destroyed by shredding immediately after the transaction is completed.
- Paper information is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area.
- Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area at all times. In addition, passwords are used on computers. All of our cell phones are digital as these signals are more difficult to intercept.
- Paper information is transmitted through sealed, addressed envelopes or boxes by reputable companies.
- Electronic information is transmitted either through a direct line or has identifiers removed or is encrypted.
- Staff are trained to collect, use and disclose personal information only as necessary to fulfill their duties and in accordance with our privacy policy.
- External consultants with access to personal information must enter into privacy agreements with us.
Retention and Destruction of Personal Information
While we do not want to keep personal information too long in order to protect your privacy, we need to retain personal information for some time to ensure that we can answer any questions you might have about the services provided and for our own accountability to external regulatory bodies such as Canada Revenue Agency. We remove client and contact information from our directories when it does not appear that we will be contacting you again. However, if you ask, we will remove such contact information right away.
Unless an order is placed by phone, we never see your credit card information. It is passed and stored by our payment gateway, who maintains the highest levels of security possible.
We destroy paper files and electronic backup media such as CDs and DVDs containing personal information by shredding. We destroy electronic information by deleting it and, when the hardware is discarded, we ensure that the hard drive is erased and reformatted.
You Can Look at Your Information
With only a few exceptions, you have the right to see what personal information we hold about you. Often all you have to do is ask. We can help you identify what records we might have about you. We will also try to help you understand any information you do not understand (e.g., short forms, technical language, etc.). We will need to confirm your identity, if we do not know you, before providing you with this access. As we may need to pull files from archives, we reserve the right to charge a nominal fee to cover our costs for such requests.
If there is a problem, we may ask you to put your request in writing. If we cannot give you access, we will tell you within 30 days if at all possible and tell you the reason, as best we can, as to why we cannot give you access.
If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected. This applies to factual information and not to any professional opinions we may have formed. We may ask you to provide documentation that our files are wrong. Where we agree that we made a mistake, we will make the correction and, where appropriate, notify anyone to whom we sent this information. If we do not agree that we have made a mistake, we will agree to include in our file a brief statement from you on the point and, as appropriate, we will forward that statement to anyone else who received the earlier information.
How can I Correct or Update Personal Information?
To make any changes in your personal information please call us at 1-800-748-4082 or send us your information in writing to Sound Wellness Institute, Suite 343, 305-4625 Varsity Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. T3A 0Z9.
What About Other Web Sites Linked to Our Web Site?
We are not responsible for the practices employed by Web sites linked to or from our Web site nor the information or content contained therein. Typically links to other Web sites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of our Web site. We do not pass personal information when linking to another site.
Do You Have a Concern?
Our Information Officer can be reached by email at: [email protected]
If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to our Information Officer. She will acknowledge receipt of your complaint, ensure that it is investigated promptly and that you are provided with a formal written decision with reasons.
For more general inquiries, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada oversees the administration of the privacy legislation in the private sector. The Information and Privacy Commissioner can be reached at:
- 112 Kent Street Place de Ville Tower B, 3rd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H3
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Phone: (613) 995-8210
Fax: (613) 947-6850
www.privcom.gc.ca
