Privacy Policy

Introduction

The Mountain Research Initiative Coordination Office (referred to as “MRI”), Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland, operates the platforms of mountainresearchinitiative.org, https://geomountains.org/, and mri-expert-database.cde.unibe.ch. MRI determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, any personal data is to be collected and processed.

If you provide us with personal data of other persons (e.g. family members, data of work colleagues), please make sure that these persons are aware of this privacy policy and only share their personal data with us if you are allowed to do so and if this personal data is correct.

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the Swiss Data Protection Act (“FADP”). However, whether and to what extent these laws are applicable depends on the individual case.

Personal data shall mean any information that relates to an identified or identifiable living natural person.

Responsible for the data processing activities we describe here is Dr Carolina Adler, Executive Director, Mountain Research Initiative, c/o University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland, +41 (0)31 684 69 01, carolina.adler(at)unibe.ch.

Categories of Data Subjects

This Privacy Notice applies to the personal data of all individuals with whom we interact through various channels, including online, in person, and through communication tools. It applies to both existing and future data collection. Our data processing may include

  • Website Visitors
  • Account users
  • Experts within the MRI Expert Database
  • Members and (Co-) Leads of active working groups
  • Branch visitors
  • Service users or contacts
  • App users
  • Correspondents
  • Newsletter recipients
  • Event attendees
  • Workshop participants
  • GEO Mountains participants
  • Science-Policy-Practice Engagement participants
  • Conéctate A+ participants
  • Adaptation at Altitude participants
  • Joint Body on the Status of Mountain Snow Cover participants
  • Principal Investigators
  • Members of the Science Leadership Council
  • Survey respondents
  • Business and institutional contacts
  • Job applicants
  • Employees

For details on processing for specific services, please refer to the specific terms and conditions (e.g. General Terms and Conditions, Terms of Use, or Conditions of Participation).

Categories of Personal Data

The categories of personal data that we collect and process is including, but not limited to:

  • Master Data: Your basic details such as name, contact information, date of birth, biography, affiliation and any information provided during account creation, event registration, or newsletter sign-up.
  • Contract Data: Details surrounding contract initiation and performance of contracts, including transactional data related to our services or applications for employment.
  • Communication Data: Information from interactions with us, such as emails, calls, and proof of identity required for verification.
  • Transactional and behavioral Data: Usage data when you engage with our services, attend events, or interact with our websites and apps.
  • Preference Data: Information on your interests to customize our services.
  • Technical Data: Technical identifiers like IP address or device ID, and usage logs, often collected via cookies.
  • Image and Sound Recordings: Recordings from events or security footage, and any related behavioral information.

Why We Collect Personal Data

Our approach to processing personal data varies depending on the purpose and is based on several legal bases. For example, we process personal data for the performance of contracts, to protect legitimate business interests, with consent and to comply with legal obligations.

At MRI, we process personal data to facilitate the effective operation of our activities. This includes bringing together researchers, practitioners and members of society involved in mountain-related research to address common research goals and knowledge needs. Data collection helps us to enable the co-production of knowledge, empower the next generation of researchers and ensure diverse participation. In addition, personal data will be used to strengthen collaborations, promote sustainable solutions and foster exchange opportunities between researchers from different mountain regions, supporting both global data needs and local capacity building. Furthermore, we process personal data to foster a robust scientific community and to deliver our services effectively, ensuring adherence to the GDPR and FADP. Our objectives for data processing may include:

  • Community Engagement: We aim to support, connect, and inform our members for a collaborative scientific environment.
  • Communication: Efficient and responsive interaction with you is key, whether it’s for inquiries, updates, or IT support.
  • Personalization: We use various types of data to ensure that messages and news are relevant to your interests and to enhance the user experience with customized content.
  • Contract Management: We use data to prepare, execute, and close contracts, ensuring smooth transactions.
  • Personalized Experience: You receive tailored messages based on your preferences, with full control to opt-out at any time.
  • Security and Prevention: We process personal information to ensure security and prevent misuse, including IT security and deterrence of theft and fraud. This includes the handling of various types of data, in particular transaction details and audiovisual recordings.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Data analytics is critical to meeting legal obligations, handling complaints, cooperating with government agencies, and protecting rights.
  • Preservation of Rights: We process personal information to establish and defend legal claims, both in and out of court, in Switzerland and internationally. This includes managing disputes, protecting against claims, clarifying legal or business issues, and participating in legal proceedings, where we may produce or disclose relevant data as required.
  • Internal Operations: We use data internally for IT, accounting, training and general administration within the framework of the University of Bern’s privacy policy.
  • Informed Services: We’re committed to keeping you informed and providing the information you request in an efficient manner.
  • Administration and Support: For the internal efficiency of MRI, we manage personal data in several areas. This includes IT administration, financial accounting, data archiving, staff training and centralized data management in collaboration with the University of Bern. We also focus on optimizing internal workflows and effectively directing requests to the appropriate departments.
  • Reporting to donors and funders and impact tracking: We collect personal data to provide detailed and transparent reports to our donors and funders, ensuring accountability and meeting funding requirements. Additionally, this data helps us track the effectiveness and impact of our programs, enabling us to improve our services and demonstrate our success to stakeholders.

More specifically, in line with applicable law, personal data may be used for the following purposes and for other purposes compatible with the purposes described above:

Flagship Activities

  • GEO Mountains: We collect personal data to improve coordination, collaboration and data sharing among researchers and practitioners in mountainous regions. This supports the creation of a comprehensive data network for better research and decision-making.
  • Science-Policy-Practice Engagement: Personal data is collected to facilitate collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and practitioners. This helps in developing and promoting sustainable solutions for mountain regions through shared knowledge and practices​.
  • Conéctate A+: We gather personal data to support educational programs and knowledge exchange in the Andes. This enhances regional cooperation and scientific capacity, contributing to sustainable development goals in mountain areas​.
  • Adaption at Altitude: Personal data collection is in line with contractual tasks as per the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) funding requirements of this program, and it aids in developing and implementing adaptation strategies for mountain regions affected by climate change. This ensures tailored solutions and monitors their effectiveness.
  • Joint Body on the Status of Mountain Snow Cover: Provides profile management and networking opportunities within the scientific community: We collect personal data to support the coordination of tasks among participants, plus the monitoring and analysis of snow cover data in mountain regions. This is essential for predicting water resources and preparing for climate impacts.

Community-Led Activities

  • Active Working Groups: MRI Working Groups collect personal data to bring together researchers to address research questions and synthesizing activities aligned with MRI’s objectives. These groups provide a platform for discussion, exchange, and research, encouraging active participation, especially from early career researchers.
  • MRI Co-PI/SLC-Led Incubators: Processing of support requests, from financial support to recognition of working groups: Personal data is gathered to support research incubators led by Co-Principal Investigators and the Science Leadership Council. These programs foster innovation and strengthen the scientific community in mountain regions.
  • Synthesis and Scoping Workshops: We process this data to check eligibility, evaluate proposals and fund synthesis workshops, facilitating collaboration among researchers to produce impactful scientific outputs and advance mountain research.

Others

  • MRI Expert Database (People Database): We process this data to track and monitor network membership, report to funders on membership status, and enable researchers to be found by other researchers in the community. In addition, the database enables users to search for and connect with other researchers.
  • MRI Publications: We process this data to feature or reference publications on our website or in other communications, ensuring accurate representation and acknowledgement of contributors.
  • Job, Funding, Publishing Opportunities: We process this data to promote job, funding, and publishing opportunities, enabling us to share relevant and beneficial information with the MRI community.
  • Financial Support (e.g. GEO Mountains Small Grants): We process this data to evaluate applications and distribute financial support, ensuring fair and efficient allocation of resources to eligible applicants.
  • Events: We organize various events and meetings, such as conferences, workshops and webinars. The information collected is used for event registration, communication and logistics.
  • Communications: We process this data to tailor and execute communications campaigns, ensuring that our messaging is relevant, effective, and reaches the appropriate audience.
  • Improved User Experience (UX): We process personal data to improve our UX design. We prioritize intuitive design, responsive interfaces, personalization, performance optimization, accessibility, and continuous feedback.

Collecting Personal Data

At MRI, we primarily obtain your personal data directly from you, such as when you create a user account, attend events, or sign up for our newsletter. While sharing this information is largely voluntary, certain essential data is required for contractual or legal purposes, ensuring our services’ effective delivery. If you’re providing data about someone else, we trust you’ve received appropriate permissions and they are aware of our privacy practices.

Beyond your direct inputs, our digital platforms, like our website or apps, automatically collect data about your interactions. We analyze these insights to tailor our offerings to your preferences, aiming to offer you a personalized experience.

Furthermore, we might receive data about you from our partners, including entities like your employer, financial institutions, and even public offices. This collaboration enriches our understanding and allows us to serve you better, always ensuring GDPR compliance.

Storing Personal Data

We store your personal data for varying durations, depending on the purpose of its processing. Generally, data is retained as long as necessary for the intended processing purpose, such as during the duration of a contractual relationship. Moreover, we keep data if we have a legitimate interest, such as for legal claims, archival reasons, or to ensure IT security. Additionally, some of our retention periods are governed by legal requirements, which can vary.

Here are specific examples of our retention durations:

  • User Accounts: Data is retained as long as the account is active and is deleted within 30 days of a deletion request.
  • Contracts: Master and contract data are typically stored for ten years, as is transaction data related to contracts.
  • Technical Data: The retention period for cookies ranges from a few days up to two years.
  • Communication Data: Communication tools like emails or written correspondence are usually kept for ten years.
  • Image and Sound Recordings: Depending on the purpose of the recording, the retention duration can range from a few days to several years.
  • Job Applications: Application data is generally deleted six months after the conclusion of the application process, unless there is consent to retain it longer.

After these periods have passed, your data is either deleted or anonymized.

Who We Share Personal Information With

We disclose your personal data within MRI to the University of Bern for administrative purposes and to support the University’s processing activities. Data may be combined with other information by the University departments as needed. Examples of such disclosures include personal data for the administration and processing of contracts and security-related information.

Outside of MRI, we share your data with service providers who process data on our behalf, like contract processors for IT and management services. Sometimes, we may share data with third parties for their own use, such as with your consent, for legal compliance, or with authorities for legal proceedings. External recipients who MRI shares personal data routinely are:

  • Service providers (e.g. IT service providers, hosting providers, suppliers, consultants, lawyers, insurance companies),
  • Data transfer to companies and associations that support research work and are co-applicants in the context of projects and activities (e.g. Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT); Center for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Bern),
  • MRI Co-Principal Investigators (MRI Co-Pls): The MRI’s Principal Investigators are established academics based in Switzerland who guide the MRI’s strategic direction as the MRI Board. They outline the objectives of the network and the features that define the functions of the MRI Coordination Office in supporting it,
  • Contractual partners for events,
  • Third parties within the scope of our legal or contractual obligations, authorities, state institutions, and courts.

We choose external recipients carefully and bind them contractually to ensure data protection, comply with this privacy notice and process personal data securely and exclusively for the purposes allowed by MRI.

The transfer of personal data is predominantly transferred within Switzerland, but may also be shared with recipients in individual cases worldwide. In instances where personal data must be sent to countries without comprehensive data protection laws, we will enact appropriate safeguards. This includes the use of standard contractual clauses and model contracts for data transfers acknowledged by the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. These measures are put in place to ensure adherence to our Privacy Notice and the applicable laws.

Automated Data Decisions

Automated data decisions are decisions affecting data subjects that are fully automated (i.e. without human influence). We typically don’t engage in automated individual decision-making, but if we decide to use it in specific cases, we’ll notify you separately.

Your Rights

Under data protection laws, you are entitled to certain rights in relation to the personal data we process to ensure that the processing is lawful. In particular, you have the right to:

  • request information about your personal data processed by us
  • request a copy of the personal data MRI holds on you in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format
  • restrict processing and/or object to the processing of personal data, in which case we may, however, no longer be able to provide related services or fulfill our contractual obligations.
  • request that your personal data be deleted if there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
  • request changes to your personal data if it is inaccurate or incomplete.

If you’ve given us permission to use your personal data, you have the right to take back that permission whenever you choose. Doing so won’t affect any data processing that was done legally before you withdrew your consent.

Please note that your rights under this section may be limited to protect the predominant interests of MRI or third parties or if there are doubts about the identity.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the applicable data protection authority. The competent data protection authority in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner.

Website Analytics

Google Analytics (Analytics)

Our website uses Google Analytics, a service provided by Google Ireland Ltd., Google Building Gordon House, Barrow St, Dublin 4, Ireland, and Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (together “Google”). Google Ireland Ltd. is responsible for processing personal data. Google uses cookies stored on your device to analyze your website usage. Information generated by these cookies is transferred to and stored on a Google server in the USA.

Google analyzes this data on our behalf to help us understand website visits and user behavior, allowing us to improve our services and website content. You can prevent cookies from being stored by adjusting your browser settings (see our cookie policy) or by disabling Google Analytics through the Google Browser-Add-On, which you can download and install.

Google Web Fonts (Analytics)

We use Google Web Fonts to ensure a consistent appearance of fonts on our website. When you visit our pages, your browser loads the required Web Fonts into its cache to display texts correctly.

Your browser connects to Google’s servers, notifying Google that our website was accessed via your IP address. If your browser doesn’t support Web Fonts, a default font from your computer is used.

Using Google Web Fonts ensures a uniform and attractive display of our online content. For more information, see the Google Web Fonts FAQ.

Matomo (Analytics)

We use the web analytics service Matomo on our Website: https://stats.mountainresearchinitiative.org. Matomo, an open-source project, uses “cookies” to enable the analysis of website usage. For this purpose, the usage information captured by these cookies (including your truncated IP address) is transmitted to our server and stored for usage analysis. Matomo does not send data to servers beyond our control. During this process, your IP address is promptly anonymized, ensuring that you remain unidentifiable as a user. The information collected about your use of this website is not shared with other third parties. Our data processing aims to optimize our website, tailor content, and enhance our offerings. User interests are sufficiently safeguarded through anonymization. We use the collected data for statistical analysis of user behaviour to optimize website functionally, stability and for marketing purposes. For more information see the Matomo Privacy Policy.

Cloudflare (Hosting)

Cloudflare is a Content Delivery Network (CDN) and web security platform used to accelerate websites, enhance performance, and protect against various attacks. It offers tools for privacy protection and performance optimization. Cloudflare improves website performance by storing web content on servers in different geographic locations, ensuring faster content delivery, reducing page load times, and enhancing overall performance. Additionally, Cloudflare uses security measures such as IP whitelisting and traffic distribution across multiple servers to protect websites from Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks.

reCAPTCHA (Widgets)

We use Google reCAPTCHA on our website, a service provided by Google Ireland Ltd., Google Building Gordon House, Barrow St, Dublin 4, Ireland, with its headquarters at Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (together “Google”).

Google reCAPTCHA is a verification service that distinguishes human users from bots. It may collect the following information: IP address; Technical information such as browser, operating system, or screen resolution; Interactions with the captcha.

The IP address is anonymized by Google reCAPTCHA, making it impossible to identify individuals. When a visitor first accesses our website, Google reCAPTCHA can generate an identifier to recognize the visitor on subsequent visits.

The IP address is processed to analyze the visitor’s approximate location and prevent suspicious activities, particularly identifying IP addresses associated with spam or other unwanted behavior. Technical information is processed to adapt the captcha to the device or browser and detect deviations from usual usage patterns. Interactions with the captcha are processed to capture behavioral patterns, distinguishing human behavior from automated bots. The aim of Google reCAPTCHA is to protect input forms from bots and spam while reliably allowing human inputs. The collected data is not used to personally identify you.

The sharing of data by us follows our data sharing policies. Since Google is a transnational company, your data may be transferred by Google worldwide, particularly to the USA, where the headquarters are located, a country that may not provide adequate data protection.

cdnjs (Hosting)

CDNJS (Content Delivery Network JavaScript) is a public CDN for JavaScript libraries. It is used on websites to improve load times by hosting commonly used JavaScript libraries on external servers and distributing them through a global network. This allows content to load faster and more efficiently from the nearest server rather than the website’s origin server. This ensures that users worldwide can access the website quickly and reliably, reducing the load on the origin server and enhancing overall performance.

JotForm

The forms used for surveys and polls, job applications, event registrations, and funding applications are created and operated via a specialised provider from the USA “Jotform” (www.jotform.com). The data sent via the integrated form is transmitted SSL-encrypted to Jotform’s servers located in the EU and stored there. You can find more information about Jotform’s data protection at https://www.jotform.com/eu-safe-forms/.

Website Links

This website may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that MRI is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information.

Use of Cookies

What are cookies and why do we use them?

Our website uses cookies. Cookies are data records that are stored on your device’s operating system with the help of your browser when you visit our website. Cookies do not harm your computer and do not contain viruses.

Why we use cookies?

We use cookies so that we can make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. The use of cookies and the processing of your data in this regard is based on our legitimate interests in the stated purposes.

Types of cookies and their purposes:

  • Essential cookies: necessary for the operation of the site.
  • Performance cookies: collect information about the use of our website in order to optimize it.
  • Functionality cookies: these allow the website to store information already provided (such as usernames, language selection) and to offer users improved, more personalized functions.
  • Targeting cookies or advertising cookies: these are used to show you relevant advertisements and to control the frequency of ads, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of promotions.

Your choices and consent:

You have full control over the use of cookies. When you first visit our website, a cookie banner will appear where you can give your consent to the different cookie categories – apart from the strictly necessary cookies required to use the site. Your consent is voluntary and can be revoked at any time via the cookie settings on our website. We will not set performance, functionality or targeting cookies without your explicit consent.

How to manage and delete cookies?

Your browser settings allow you to block or delete cookies. For more information on how to adjust these settings, please refer to your browser’s help or the official websites of the browser providers. You can change or withdraw your consent to cookie use at any time. Please note that some of our services may not function properly if you disable cookies.

Social Media

We are present on social media platforms and other online platforms in order to communicate with interested persons and to inform them about our offer. In doing so, personal data may also be processed outside of Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA).

The General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and Terms of Use as well as data protection declarations and other provisions of the individual operators of such online platforms also apply in each case. These provisions inform in particular about the rights of data subjects, which include in particular the right to information.

YouTube

If you access our YouTube presence (@mountainresearchinitiative) or access a YouTube video on our website, data will be transmitted to YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA, a company operated by Alphabet Inc. in order to show you the video. If you are logged in to YouTube, you enable YouTube to assign your surfing behaviour directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out before accessing the video.

You can find additional information on data protection at https://www.youtube.com/intl/de_be/howyoutubeworks/user-settings/privacy/.

X

X collects and processes personal data such as IP addresses, browser types, and interactions to distinguish human users from bots and enhance user experience. For more information, please refer to the X Privacy Policy.

Meta (Facebook and Instagram)

Meta processes data to provide and support services, including personal data like contact information, device details, and usage patterns. Details can be found in the Meta Privacy Policy.

Linkedin

LinkedIn collects and uses personal data such as name, email, and professional details to support networking and career services. For comprehensive information, please visit the LinkedIn Privacy Policy.

Mastodon

We use the non-commercial microblogging service Mastodon. We have set up a social media account on this service. Direct messages sent via this account are not end-to-end encrypted and can therefore always be viewed. If sensitive information is exchanged, you should switch to other communication channels.

Bluesky

For external communication, we also use the technical platform and services of Bluesky PBLLC, Seattle, WA US for the information service offered.

When you visit our Bluesky website, Bluesky collects your IP address and other information that is stored on your PC in the form of cookies. This information is used to provide us, as the operator of the Bluesky website, with statistical information about the use of the Bluesky website. Bluesky provides more detailed information on this under the Bluesky Privacy Policy.

Newsletter

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will use your e-mail address and other contact details to send you the newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter with your consent. Mandatory data for sending the newsletter are your full name and your e-mail address, which we store after your registration. The legal basis for the processing of your data in connection with our newsletter is your consent to the sending of the newsletter. You can revoke this consent at any time and unsubscribe from the newsletter.

As part of our services, we use Brevo, a tool from Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin, to efficiently organise our communication and marketing campaigns by email and SMS. Among other things, this allows us to analyse how many recipients have opened the newsletter message and how often which link in the newsletter was clicked on. All links in the email are so-called tracking links that can be used to count your clicks. Brevo enables us to process the personal data of our users for various purposes, including, but not limited to, sending newsletters, conducting marketing campaigns and analysing user interactions in order to improve our offers. Data protection information can be viewed at the Brevo Privacy Policy.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or data processing, please contact us at

MRI – Mountain Research Initiative

Mittelstrasse 43

3012 Bern, Switzerland

Email: mri(at)mountainresearchinitiative.org

Privacy Notice Updates

We may revise this notice to reflect changes in data processing or in the law. Significant updates will be communicated to those whose data we hold, where reasonably possible. The version in force at the time of data processing will apply.

version 16 July 2024