Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Trusted Business Awards (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website at trustedbusinessawards.com (the “Platform”), submit an application, or otherwise engage with our services. By accessing or using our Platform, you consent to the practices described herein.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information: When you register, apply for an award, or contact us, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, business name, business address, website URL, job title, and professional credentials.

Application Data: Information submitted as part of your award application including business descriptions, achievements, testimonials, certifications, supporting evidence, and uploaded documents (logos, PDFs, images).

Payment Information: When you claim a verified credential, payment is processed through PayPal. We do not directly store your credit card or financial account details on our servers. PayPal’s handling of your payment data is governed by their own privacy policy.

Usage Data: We automatically collect certain technical information including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data.

Cookies & Tracking: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for detailed information.

3. How We Use Your Information

4. Public Information & Verification

If your application is approved and you claim your verified credential, certain information will be made publicly accessible, including: your business name, award category, year of distinction, and verification status. This information is displayed on your public verification page and in our winners directory. The purpose of this public disclosure is to enable third parties to authenticate and verify your credential. By claiming your credential, you expressly consent to this public display.

5. Data Sharing & Disclosure

6. Data Security

We implement robust, industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, secure server infrastructure, access controls, and regular security assessments. Credential records are additionally secured via blockchain technology for tamper-proof integrity. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active, your credential remains valid, or as needed to provide our services. We may also retain certain data as required by law, to resolve disputes, enforce agreements, or for legitimate business purposes. Application data for declined applications is retained for up to 24 months before being anonymized or deleted.

8. Your Rights

9. International Data Transfers

As a globally operating platform, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including standard contractual clauses where required.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Platform is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.

11. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated by posting the revised policy on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the Platform following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.