Privacy Policy

The privacy and security of information you provide to the HSMG is of utmost importance. This policy clarifies what information the HSMG keeps and how it may be utilized.

Website Visitors

When you visit our website and view pages, no personal information is collected of any kind is automatically collected about you.

Statistical Information

We do keep statistics of how many people visit our site, where they came from, and other such data, but nothing in that data uniquely identifies you. The statistical information gathered in used to review and improve our website.

Handcrafted Soap Mailing List

If you sign up to be on our Handcrafted Soap mailing list, we will need your email address and give you the option to provide additional information if you choose. The information you provide will be kept confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than the one(s) you have authorized. (See more about mailing lists and security of information, below).

Find A Soapmaker - Make a Special Request.

If you make a special request using the form on the Find A Soapmaker page, the information you provide will be kept in the HSMG database. Your request will be made available to members so they can answer, your contact information will NOT be given out (we use an internal mailer so the members never actually see your contact information). If you choose to respond to any member who answers your request, you can then send him/her your contact information.

Resources For Soapmakers Section

Registration

If you register as a Soapmaker or Vendor, we will collect enough personal information about you to provide you with the service(s) you request. The information you provide will be kept confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than the one(s) you have authorized. (See more about mailing lists and security of information, below).

Once registered, you will have the ability to update your contact information, change your log-in information or unregister.

Members

All personal information supplied by current, past or potential members is considered confidential and may not be released or used for any purpose other than to contact the member and/or fulfill the HSMG's obligations to provide services to the member. Such services may include mail, email or phone contact, forwarding information to Stratus Insurance, generating lists of Conference attendees, etc. In no case may contact information be given to any person for any non-HSMG related activity.

Members may opt to include some or all of their contact information in an online Soapmaker or Vendor roster. The information so provided is public information (since it is displayed on the HSMG website) and may be given out to others if requested. However, the HSMG will never give or sell lists of published Vendors or Soapmakers for non-HSMG activities (even through the names are publicly displayed). The HSMG actively discourages anyone who attempts to compile or use such lists.

Sensitive business or financial information may be collected when a member signs up. Such information is absolutely confidential and is stored securely with limited access. Identifiable information is never be disclosed to anyone except the insurance company, if requested. This information may be used to compile statistical analyses and reports, but never with the names of any individuals or any otherwise identifiable information published in any way. However, anyone compiling such reports may, in the course of doing so, become aware of details about a specific person on business, but is obligated under HSMG policy not to write, note or copy the information or discuss any such details with any person for any reason (see below).

Shopping Cart Purchases

Credit card information is collected is the HSMG shopping cart when an order is placed, and occasionally by phone or fax. All credit card information is stored securely. Credit card information stored in the shopping cart online is encrypted and deleted as soon as the transaction is complete. Paper documents are destroyed (shredded or burned) unless there is a legitimate need to keep the information, in which case it is stored securely with limited access.

Mailing Lists

We use Constant Contact email services to maintain our mailing lists and send send email. Every email you receive from us will give you the option view your subscription inforamtion and to "unsubscribe". Constant Contact has a privacy policy concerning the information stored by them on our behalf.

Security of Information

In the course of performing duties for the HSMG, some individuals may have access to sensitive information. Therefore, any HSMG Board Member, sub-contractor, consultant or volunteer must comply with the following guidelines:

• No paper documents with sensitive information should be kept any longer than absolutely needed, and when kept, should be stored securely.
• All paper documents containing sensitive information should be shredded or burned (not tossed in the trash) once they are no longer needed.
• No credit card information should ever be sent by email, under any circumstances.
• When viewing sensitive information online, appropriate security precautions should be taken, including an up-to-date firewall, especially when viewing documents through a public network (as in a hotel or library).
• Reasonable precautions should be taken to protect any sensitive information on a personal computer, including password protecting access to the area, making the computer files inaccessible to others (file sharing), etc.
• Any electronic files on a local computer containing sensitive or personal information should be deleted after work is complete and the recycle bin emptied on a regular basis.
• No private or sensitive information may be discussed with any other person for any reason.

Privacy Violations

In the event a Board Member, sub-contractor or volunteer discovers that any sensitive information in their control has fallen into unauthorized hands, the matter must be reported to the President immediately.

Any current, past or potential member who feels their privacy has been violated in some way by the HSMG should report the matter to the HSMG Ethics Committee.