1. Introduction
At Equity, we're committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") explains our approach to any personal information that we might collect from you or which we have obtained about you from a third party and the purposes for which we process your personal information. This Privacy Policy also sets out your rights in respect of our processing of your personal information.
This Privacy Policy will inform you of the nature of the personal information about you that is processed by us and how you can request that we delete, update, transfer it and/or provide you with access to it.
This Privacy Policy is intended to assist you in making informed decisions when using the Site and our Services. Please take a moment to read and understand it. Please note that it should be read in conjunction with our Website Terms of Use.
Please also note that this Privacy Policy only applies to the use of your personal information obtained by us, it does not apply to your personal information collected during your communications with third parties.
It's likely that we'll need to update this Privacy Notice from time to time. We'll notify you of any significant changes, but you're welcome to come back and check it whenever you wish. By using our website, you're agreeing to be bound by this Policy.
2. Who we are
Equity is the independent UK trade union for professional performers and creative practitioners.
We are registered with the Certification Office in the UK. The registered address is Guild House, Upper St Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9EG. We have offices in London, Glasgow, Cardiff and Manchester.
Equity is the data controller responsible for your personal information and is registered at the UK Information Commissioner's Office with registration number: Z5318369
3. How to contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your rights set out in this Privacy Policy, please contact us by:
- sending an e-mail to dpo@equity.org.uk; or
- calling us on: 44 (0) 20 7370 6000
4. What personal information do we collect and how do we use it?
Our primary goal in collecting personal information from you is to:
- verify your identity;
- provide the services and benefits of Equity membership;
- organise workers in the entertainment and associated industries;
- carry out requests made by you;
- investigate or settle inquiries or disputes;
- comply with any applicable law, court order, other judicial process, or the requirements of a regulator;
- enforce our agreements with you;
- protect the rights, property or safety of us or third parties, including other members;
- provide support for the provision of our services; and
- use as otherwise required or permitted by law. In particular, we use your personal information for the following purposes:
To issue subscription reminders and to process payments
We collect and maintain personal information that you voluntarily submit to us. We use the contact and payment details you have provided to us so that we can remind you when your subscription is due for renewal, when your subscription changes and to issue you with a membership card and receipt. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose?
We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To verify card payments and process refunds — credit card companies and other payment providers;
- To take payments via Direct Debit — BACS and members' banks
- To deduct subscriptions payments from your payroll through check off — employers registered with the check off scheme
- To deliver membership reminders, membership cards and receipts — delivery and courier companies;
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union.
To provide the services and benefits of Equity membership
We provide the following benefits to Equity members
- contractual or legal advice;
- tax and benefits advice;
- insurance;
- information on jobs;
- pensions;
- workplace representation. We use your contact details, Equity membership status and employment and income history in order to provide these benefits and services. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data. Where necessary we may also process other special category data including health data with your consent
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose?
We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide insurance services: insurance brokers and insurance companies;
- To provide legal protect: retained firms of solicitors;
- To provide pensions services: pension scheme providers;
- To provide workplace representation: employers during formal proceedings
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union.
To organise members in the workplace to advance terms and conditions
Equity organises members engaged under union and non-union contracts in order to seek better terms and conditions of their engagement as governed by Trades Union legislation. This includes appointing deputies and reporting on Equity membership status and ballots under the union's Rules and the law. We use your contact details, Equity membership status and details of your employment to facilitate our organising work including the work of our deputies. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose?
We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide industrial ballots: balloting companies and mailing providers;
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union.
To provide democratic structures to provide members with a voice in their union
Members contribute to the running of their union through an elected governing Council, an Annual Representative Conference and a number of committees, networks, working parties and branches. Members are elected to Council, Conference, and committees. Participation is recorded and minuted. We may make audio recordings of your contribution. Your contact details and Equity membership status are used to maintain branch membership records and to afford members access to local Equity Branches. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide ballots for election: balloting companies and mailing providers;
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union. Members may withdraw their consent to be registered with a local Equity branch at any time.
To pay royalties, residuals or other contractual payments to individuals, agencies or the beneficiaries of deceased individuals
Equity distributes monies owed to performers and others arising from our collective agreements. To do so we use your contact details, financial details including bank accounts and VAT registration information, details of any agency or accountancy firm you have engaged. For certain payments where a commission is deducted by Equity your Equity membership status will also be taken into account. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide payments: BACS and members' banks in the EEA and outside;
- To allocate payments to correct individuals: producers, broadcasters and agents.
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you.
To communicate with members regarding their membership
Equity will contact members and former members regarding union activities and campaigns, the benefits and services of membership and changes to our service by email newsletter, the Equity magazine or other printed correspondence, or by SMS. This includes contacting you about meetings and events or opportunities in your local area or branch. To do so we will use the contact details you have provided. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide email or SMS correspondence: e-communications service providers;
- To provide printed correspondence: print mailing houses.
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union. Members may control the channels of communication through their online account, by telephone or in writing and may opt out of receiving correspondence. This does not apply to information we must send you under Trades Union law.
To communicate with non-members regarding Equity membership by mail
Equity will contact non-members regarding union activities and campaigns, and the benefits and services of membership, through marketing communications by post. To do so we will use the contact details you have provided, or which are available in the public domain, or which have been provided to Equity through your engagement on an Equity contract. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide printed correspondence: print mailing houses.
What is our legal basis?
This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union.
To communicate with non-members regarding Equity membership by email or SMS
Equity will contact non-members regarding union activities and campaigns, and the benefits and services of membership, through marketing communications by email or SMS. To do so we will use the contact details you have provided, or which are available in the public domain, or which have been provided to Equity through your engagement on an Equity contract. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide printed correspondence: e-communications service providers.
What is our legal basis?
This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union. We will only send you marketing communications via email or SMS where you have consented to receive such marketing communications, or where we have a lawful right to do so.
To pay expenses, honoraria or funeral benefit to members and non-members
Equity pays expenses, honoraria, funeral benefit and other payments to members arising from our agreement with you. To do so we use your contact details and financial details including bank accounts. This includes trade union membership information which is classed as Special Category data.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
- To provide payments: BACS and members' banks in the EEA and outside.
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you.
To monitor the ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or socioeconomic status of our membership
Equity members can supply details of their self-identified protected characteristics which are classed as Special Category data. This enables the union to compare the diversity of our membership with similar figures for the engaged workforce and wider society.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will not share your personal information with third parties.
What is our legal basis?
This information is only collected with members' consent.
To maintain an archive of Equity members
Equity maintains a list of all current and former members in order to maintain an accurate historical record and in order to allow former members to rejoin the union.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will not share your personal information with third parties.
What is our legal basis?
This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union and is kept for archiving purposes.
To maintain an archive of Equity members and non-members working on professional productions in the UK and elsewhere
Equity maintains a list of all performers and other creative personnel in order to maintain an accurate historical record and in order to distribute any future contractual payments arising from the contract.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We will not share your personal information with third parties.
What is our legal basis?
It is necessary for us to use your personal information to perform our obligations in accordance with any contract that we may have with you. This forms part of the legitimate interest of a trade union.
To maintain a list of judgments obtained by members
Equity keeps a list of court and employment tribunal judgments that its members have obtained with the assistance of the union's legal services. These judgments are typically against employers, engagers, agents or individuals who owe members money and have not paid it ('judgment debtor'). The judgment debtors' names are kept on the list ('Equity Court Judgment List') and are accessible to members. This allows them to check whether a person or company they are considering contracting with has an outstanding judgment registered against them by another member. If a judgment is paid off the judgment debtor's name is removed from the list. If it is not paid off, it is removed 6 years after the judgment was made. The name of the member who has obtained the judgment does not appear in the list, only the judgment debtor's name does. The list refers to the Register of Judgments which is an official list of judgments where the full judgment can be accessed.
What is our legal basis?
The legal basis for keeping the list is the legitimate interest of protecting our members for the reason given above
Queries and enquiries
You may request information about Equity membership benefits and services: these include printed and electronic enquiry forms and a telephone enquiry service. Contact information may be requested in each case, together with details of other personal information that is relevant to your enquiry. This information is used in order to enable us to respond to your requests.
Who do we share your personal information with for this purpose? We do not share your personal information for this purpose.
What is our legal basis?
It is in our legitimate interest to use your personal information in such a way to ensure that we provide the very best service to members that we can.
Administration and legal compliance
We use your personal information for the following business administration and legal compliance purposes:
- to comply with our legal obligations;
- to enforce our legal rights;
- protect rights of third parties.
Who do we share your personal information with for these purposes? We will share your personal information with professional advisers such as lawyers and accountants and/or governmental or regulatory authorities.
What is our legal basis?
Where we use your personal information in connection with a business transition, enforce our legal rights, or to protect the rights of third parties it is in our legitimate interest to do so. For all other purposes described in this section, it is our legal obligation to use your personal information to comply with any legal obligations imposed upon us such as a court order. Where we share your sensitive personal information, we shall obtain your consent to do so.
Insight and analysis
We analyse your contact details with other personal information that we observe about you from your interactions with our website or our email communications to you. Where you have given your consent (where lawfully required), we use cookies, log files and other technologies to collect personal information from the computer hardware and software you use to access the Sites, or from your mobile. This includes the following:
- an IP address to monitor Sites traffic and volume;
- a session ID to track usage statistics on our Sites;
- information regarding your personal or professional interests, demographics, buying habits, experiences with our products and contact preferences.
Our web pages and e-mails contain "cookies" "web beacons" or "pixel tags." ("Tags"). Tags allow us to track receipt of an e-mail to you, to count users that have visited a web page or opened an e-mail and collect other types of aggregate information. Once you click on an e-mail that contains a Tag, your contact information may subsequently be crossreferenced to the source e-mail and the relevant Tag.
In some of our e-mail messages, we use a "click-through URL" linked to certain websites administered by us or on our behalf. We may track clickthrough data to assist in determining interest in particular topics and measure the effectiveness of these communications.
Please see our cookie policy for further information.
This information is used to create profiles and insights about your shopping habits and the shopping habits of our other customers. Where we have your consent to do so, we will also use your location data for insight purposes.
By using this information, we are able to measure the effectiveness of our content and how visitors use our website and our services. This allows us to learn what pages of our site are most attractive to our visitors, which parts of our site are the most interesting and what members users like to see.
Who do we share your personal information with for these purposes?
We share your personal information with a variety of third party service providers to assist us with customer insight analytics. These providers include those described in our Cookie Policy.
What is our legal basis?
Where your personal information is completely anonymised, we do not require a legal basis to use it as the information will no longer constitute personal information that is regulated under data protection laws. However, our collection and use of such anonymised personal information may be subject to other laws where your consent is required. Please see our Cookie Policy for further details.
Where your personal information is not in an anonymous form, it is in our legitimate interest to use your personal information in such a way to ensure that we provide the very best products and services to you and our other customers.
We will only use your location data for customer insight purposes where we have your consent to do so.
5. When do we collect your personal data?
- When you apply to join Equity as a member.
- When you update your contact or personal details with us.
- When you register to attend an Equity event.
- When you appear on a cast list for a professional job in:
- Theatre
- Film
- Television
- Radio
- Festivals
- Modelling
- Dance
- Recorded or Live Singing
- Variety, Circus and Light Entertainment
- When you engage an agent for professional work in the areas above.
- When you enrol on a professional training course in one of the areas above.
- When you use our website.
- When you are owed royalties, residuals or other monies from the sale or broadcast of work undertaken on an Equity contract, and where Equity is appointed as the distributor.
- When you engage, employ or represent an Equity member in a professional capacity.
- When you contact us by any means with queries, complaints etc.
- When you've given a third party permission to share with us the information they hold about you.
- We collect data from publicly available and industry-facing sources (such as IMDb, Spotlight, theatre websites and programmes).
6. What sort of personal data do we collect?
- Your professional name(s)
- Your legal name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Contact addresses
- Telephone number
- Social media accounts
- Agent/Personal Manager/Accountant and other professional representatives
- Nationality
- Training details
- National Insurance Number
- VAT Number
- Employment and income history
- Family relationships or estate details of deceased members
- Legal guardians of child members and other minors
- Equity membership & payment history
- Bank account details
- Communications preferences
- Disability
- Caring responsibilities
- Ethnic origin, Religion and Sexual Orientation
- Socio-Economic Status
- Illness
- Facial image
- Directorships, trusteeships and board memberships
- Case work details for legal or contractual disputes, employment or tax tribunals
- For your security, we'll also keep an encrypted record of your login password.
- Copies of contracts or other documents you provide to prove your professional status or in order to pursue a claim.
- Details of your visits to our website or apps, and which site you came from to ours.
- Information gathered by the use of cookies in your web browser. Learn more about how we use cookies and similar technologies.
- To deliver the best possible web experience, we collect technical information about your internet connection and browser as well as the country and telephone code where your computer is located, the web pages viewed during your visit, the advertisements you clicked on, and any search terms you entered.
- If you make a payment online your card information is not held by us, it is collected by our third party payment processors, who specialise in the secure online capture and processing of credit/debit card transactions, as explained below.
7. How do we obtain your consent?
Where our use of your personal information requires your consent, you can provide such consent:
- at the time we collect your personal information following the instructions provided; or
- by informing us by e-mail, post or phone using the contact details set out in this Privacy Policy.
8. How we protect your personal data
We are committed to keeping the personal information you provide to us secure and we will take reasonable precautions to protect your personal information from loss, misuse or alteration. For more information click here. We have implemented information security policies, rules and technical measures to protect the personal information that we have under our control from:
- unauthorised access;
- improper use or disclosure;
- unauthorised modification; and
- unlawful destruction or accidental loss.
All of our employees and data processors (i.e. those who process your personal information on our behalf, for the purposes listed above), who have access to, and are associated with the processing of personal information, are obliged to respect the confidentiality of the personal information of all users of our Services.
We secure access to all transactional areas of our websites and apps using 'https' technology.
Access to your personal data is password-protected, and financial data such as payment card information is secured and tokenized to ensure it is protected.
We regularly monitor our system for possible vulnerabilities and attacks, and we carry out penetration testing to identify ways to further strengthen security.
All Equity offices are secure and access by the public is restricted, and staff working with personal data adhere to the union's data security policy. No information about your membership, or non-membership, of Equity will be disclosed to a third party without your consent.
Full details of our information security policy can be found here [LINK].
9. How long do we keep your personal data?
Whenever we collect or process your personal data, we will keep it as set out below.
At the end of that retention period, your data will be deleted completely or in part.
Members and ex-members
Equity maintains a record of all those who are or have been Equity members in order to:
- maintain a complete archive of members and of professional cast lists;
- enable lapsed members to rejoin the union;
- pay royalties, residuals and other contractual payments arising from their professional work, including after their death
Non-members working professionally in our industry Equity maintains a record of all those who have never been Equity members in order to:
- maintain an archive of professional cast lists;
- enable non-members to rejoin the union;
- pay royalties, residuals and other contractual payments arising from their professional work, including after their death Any non-member records that do not contain professional work details or who are not actively seeking work will be deleted annually.
Non-members working as professional representatives, employers & engagers
Equity will maintain a record of active professional representatives, employers & engagers whilst they are working in such a capacity in our industry, except:
County Court Judgement list
Equity will maintain a record of active professional representatives, employers & engagers against whom a judgement has been issued in a county court for up to 7 years after the proceedings, or until the full payment of any penalty issued
10. Where your personal data may be processed
Sometimes we will need to share your personal data with third parties and suppliers outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
We may transfer personal data that we collect from you to third-party data processors in countries that are outside the EEA.
For example, our IT support supplier might use developers based in Vietnam. If we do this, we have procedures in place to ensure your data receives the same protection as if it were being processed inside the EEA. For example, our contracts with third parties stipulate the standards they must follow at all times. If you wish for more information about these contracts please contact our Data Protection Officer.
Any transfer of your personal data will follow applicable laws and we will treat the information under the guiding principles of this Privacy Notice.
11. How to access your information and other rights
Your right of access.
If you ask us, we'll confirm whether we're processing your personal information and, if so, provide you with a copy of that personal information (along with certain other details). If you require additional copies, we may need to charge a reasonable fee.
Your right to rectification.
If the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you're entitled to have it rectified. If we've shared your personal information with others, we'll let them know about the rectification where possible. If you ask us, where possible and lawful to do so, we'll also tell you who we've shared your personal information with so that you can contact them directly.
Your right to erasure.
You can ask us to delete or remove your personal information in some circumstances such as where we no longer need it or if you withdraw your consent (where applicable). If we've shared your personal information with others, we'll let them know about the erasure where possible. If you ask us, where it is possible and lawful for us to do so, we'll also tell you who we've shared your personal information with so that you can contact them directly.
Your right to restrict processing.
You can ask us to 'block' or suppress the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances such as where you contest the accuracy of that personal information or you object to us processing it. It won't stop us from storing your personal information though. We'll tell you before we lift any restriction. If we've shared your personal information with others, we'll let them know about the restriction where it is possible for us to do so. If you ask us, where it is possible and lawful for us to do so, we'll also tell you who we've shared your personal information with so that you can contact them directly.
Your right to data portability.
With effect from 25 May 2018, you have the right, in certain circumstances, to obtain personal information you've provided us with (in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format) and to reuse it elsewhere or to ask us to transfer this to a third party of your choice.
Your right to object.
You can ask us to stop processing your personal information, and we will do so, if we are:
- relying on our own or someone else's legitimate interests to process your personal information, except if we can demonstrate compelling legal grounds for the processing; or
- processing your personal information for direct marketing.
Your rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling. You have the right not to be subject to a decision when it's based on automatic processing, including profiling, if it produces a legal effect or similarly significantly affects you, unless such profiling is necessary for entering into, or the performance of, a contract between you and us.
Your right to withdraw consent. If we rely on your consent (or explicit consent) as our legal basis for processing your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
Your right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority. If you have a concern about any aspect of our privacy practices, including the way we've handled your personal information, you can report it to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). You can find details about how to do this on the ICO website or by calling their helpline on 0303 123 1113.
12. How can you stop the use of personal data for direct marketing?
There are several ways you can stop direct marketing communications from us:
- Click the 'unsubscribe' link in any email communication that we send you. We will then stop any further emails from that branch or the global newsletter.
- Login into your Equity account, visit the 'My Account' area and change your preferences.
- Write to Membership, Equity, Upper St Martin's Lane, London, WC2H 9EG.
Please note that you may continue to receive communications for a short period after changing your preferences while our systems are fully updated.
13. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may make changes to this Privacy Policy from time to time.
To ensure that you are always aware of how we use your personal information we will update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect any changes to our use of your personal information. We may also make changes as required to comply with changes in applicable law or regulatory requirements. We will notify you by e-mail of any significant changes. However, we encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to be informed of how we use your personal information.