Privacy

1. Your privacy is important

Your privacy is important to us. We want to process your personal data in a sound, legal, correct and transparent manner. This document, our privacy policy, explains which personal data are concerned and how we process them. The term “processing” includes collecting, recording, managing, saving, updating, changing, retrieving, consulting, using, spreading, assembling, combining, archiving, deleting or eventually destroying data.

This concerns you as a (future) client or supplier of our company, or as someone who is involved in an organisation with which we have contact.

1.1 Introduction

We advise you to read this document carefully, so you know why and for what purpose we process your personal data. The document also contains an overview of your rights and how you can assert them.

We will also explain which personal data we process when you:

  • make use of our services
  • ask questions via our website
  • visit our company, fairs and events
  • leave your business card

Whenever reference is made in this privacy statement to “Titeca”, “we”, “us” or “our”, reference is made to nv Titeca Accountancy, with registered office at 8800 Roeselare, Heirweg 198, and with company number RLE Gent division Kortrijk 0882 371 584, as well as to any company affiliated with Titeca in accordance with the provisions of article 1:20 of the Code of Companies and Associations.

1.2 Who processes your data? Who are we?

Titeca is active in Belgium. Its registered office is located in 8800 Roeselare, Heirweg 198. The company is entered in the register of legal entities of Ghent, division Kortrijk, under company number 0882.371.584. It is responsible for the processing of your personal data.

1.3 How can you reach us?

If you have questions about your privacy or if you want to adjust your privacy settings or assert your rights, you can reach us in our offices at 8800 Roeselare, Heirweg 198 or by e-mail at jurka.vanthournout@titeca.be.

1.4 The principal supervisory authority of Titeca

For Titeca, the Belgian supervisory authority is the principal authority: Data Protection Authority (Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussel +32 (0)2 274 48 00 / contact@apd-gba.be).

2. Your right to privacy

You have a lot of rights relating to the processing of your personal data.

The exercise of your rights in our systems and procedures takes place at the latest 30 days after having received your request. If this deadline cannot be met for any reason, we will inform you before the expiration of the original period.

2.1 You have the right to access your personal data

You have the right to have access to the personal data we process about you and to information about the purpose of the processing, the origin of the data and the recipient of the data.

You can also obtain information about how long we retain the data, whether the data are used for automatic decision-making purposes and whether we intend to transmit the data to a country outside the European Union.

We will send you the requested information either in writing or electronically.

2.2 You can have your data rectified/completed

The data we process about you may not or no longer be accurate. You can always request us to rectify the inaccurate data or to supplement them with missing data.

2.3 Right of erasure

If you are of the opinion that we process the personal data unlawfully, you can request us to erase these personal data.

We can refuse the request for erasure of personal data if a refusal is justified. Examples are the exercise or substantiation of a claim or the legal obligation to retain certain data.

2.4 Right to restriction of processing of personal data

You can request us to restrict the processing of your personal data if you suspect that the data are inaccurate or the processing is unlawful or if you do not agree with our processing the data under our legitimate interest (see article 4). We will grant this request unless there are imperative grounds for not doing so, for instance to prevent fraud or non-payments.

2.5 Right to object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. In that case the processing is stopped, unless it is required for the purpose of compliance with the social and tax legislation, to defend the interests of a third party or with a view to the initiation, exercise or substantiation of a legal claim.

2.6 Right to data portability

You can contact us to request the transmission of the personal data you provided to us to a third party.

2.7 Right to file a complaint

If you do not agree with our viewpoint, you can contact the Belgian Data Protection Authority. You can also file a complaint with this authority. The contact details are stated in article 1.4 above.

2.8 Identification of the requester

You can exercise your rights relating to the processing of your personal data by means of a written request.

  • by post to the address: 8800 Roeselare, Heirweg 198
  • by e-mail to the e-mail address jurka.vanthournout@titeca.be.

Always be as specific as possible if you want to exercise your rights, so as to enable us to comply with the request correctly.

In order to prevent someone else from exercising your rights, we want to check your identity as thoroughly as possible. Therefore the request should always be accompanied by a document that proves that the identity of the requester corresponds to your identity. You can for instance add a copy of your identity card to the request. However, you should blacken the photo and the identity card number in order to protect your privacy.

Should we be of the opinion that the document you delivered provides insufficient proof, we will inform you. We reserve the right not to comply with your request until adequate proof is provided.

3. What are the data we collect?

3.1 Of our clients

Your information is primarily collected to obtain basic information (such as your name, address and the language you speak) as well as more complex things (such as the companies you are involved in, the positions you hold within these companies etc.) which we need in order to provide the services for which you rely on us.

Titeca collects information in the following ways:

  • Information provided to Titeca when you are included in Titeca’s client base for the first time in accordance with national and European anti-money laundering legislation.

For virtually all services of Titeca, you have to provide Titeca in advance with your main identification details (e.g. your name, address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, VAT number, copy of your identity card). This is done through the order letter and the E-ID reader. This information is stored in Titeca's databases.

  • Information Titeca receives within the scope of a specific event after you have been registered as a client in Titeca's database.

This information include:

  • family composition, family issues
  • immovable or major movable property purchases on your own behalf or on behalf of one of the companies you are affiliated with, bank details
  • accounting information for the years not covered by Titeca
  • information collected by Titeca through the website titeca.be

Most information is available on or via the website without the need to provide personal information.

In certain cases you may nevertheless be asked to provide personal information.

However, Titeca does not collect personal information with regard to sensitive categories, such as categories based on race, religion, sexual orientation or health.

3.2 Of our suppliers

In order to be able to contact and identify you within the context of our supplier management, we process the following data: your name, first name, address, telephone number, mobile phone number, language, e-mail address.

3.3 Cookies

Titeca uses cookies on the website www.titeca.be. Cookies are small information files that are saved on the device you use to visit our website, e.g. a computer, tablet or smartphone. When we refer to “cookies” below, we also refer to similar techniques. Cookies make it possible to recognise your web browser. By using them, we can make our website work better and get an insight into the visitors’ behaviour on the website. Furthermore, cookies enable other parties to gain an insight into your surfing behaviour, so that they can display personalised ads on multiple websites and omit ads that are not relevant.

Cookies do not jeopardise the security of your computer.

We use functional, analytical, marketing and social media cookies.

With the exception of the functional cookies (that are necessary for the proper operation of our website) we ask your permission before posting these small information files. More information about the cookies we use, how long we retain them and how you can deal with them is available in our cookie policy.

3.4. From our applicants

This section applies to the collection and processing of your personal data when you apply for a position at Titeca through our jobs page on our website.

We will only process relevant personal data necessary to assess your application and communicate with you: your name, your first name, address, telephone number , email address, date of birth, place of birth, age and gender, your resume and information about your education and your professional and other experience. Personality tests and references are processed if relevant to the job opening. We do not process sensitive information. Your resume, cover letter and notes made during our contacts, as well as tests, trials and questionnaires, are processed as part of the application and recruitment and selection process. Your data is only accessible to our own employees and any external persons (e.g. assessors) who are directly involved in the recruitment and selection process. If there is no positive response to your application, we will keep your personal data for 3 years after the procedure has ended.

4. Why do we want to process your personal data?

4.1 With your permission

When subscribing to our newsletter, you give us your implicit permission to send you information about our services. Every newsletter gives you the possibility to unsubscribe.

Titeca has extensive knowledge on a variety of topics that we are happy to share with our customers through brochures and emails. We do this only with your permission.

When you visit our website for the first time, we ask your permission to post our statistical, marketing and social media cookies via our cookie banner. More information about our cookie policy is available here.

You can at any time revoke your permission. You can find our contact details in article 2.8.

4.2 Titeca has to comply with legal obligations

In some cases we are required by law to process your personal data. Below are a few of the most important legal obligations:

  • taw law
  • commercial law
  • ani-money laundering legislation
  • verification of your identity. This can be done by requesting a clear recent copy of your identity or via the e-ID.
  • we may be compelled to forward your personal data to public authorities or other third parties, for instance if this is required in the context of a legal obligation or for the performance of a public service task.

4.3 We have to be able to perform the contract we concluded with you

Being our client, you make use of our services. In order to guarantee a correct execution of our contract, we have to process and manage the contract on an administrative, accounting and operational level.

When you register for our events and trainings we commit ourselves for a smooth organization. The execution of this agreement requires the processing of your personal data.

This is also the case if you are our supplier. In that case we also have to respect the contract and process and manage the supplier contracts on an administrative, accounting and operational level.

4.4 Titeca must be able to function as a business regarding Direct Marketing and communications

As a commercial company, we have a number of legitimate interests that are the basis for the processing of the personal data. In this context we ensure a proper balance between your right to privacy and the legitimate interests of Titeca. If you have objections to the processing of your data on this basis, you can file a complaint against this processing.

We want to communicate with you as our existing client or active prospect via direct marketing. This communication can take place at your specific request or if we suspect you may be interested in our new services. As our purpose is to offer you an increasingly better service and to communicate this to you, we process your personal data for direct marketing within the context of our company’s legitimate interest of doing business. This information can be provided to you in several ways: by e-mail, post, phone and at events. We choose the most appropriate channel that causes you the least possible inconvenience. If you prefer not to receive our commercial communications, just let us know and we will no longer bother you.

4.5 Whistleblower policy within Titeca

Integrity, transparency, respect, ethics. These are not hollow concepts within Titeca. Not only is this expected of us as accountants and consultants, but this is simply embedded in our DNA.

However, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That's why we count on you to uphold these values and to raise the alarm when they are flouted. Within Titeca, we have therefore established a whistleblower policy that you can find on our website and Tipedia (our intranet). In the context of this policy, "raising the alarm" is called "whistleblowing." Individuals who raise the alarm are then the "whistleblowers." In this policy, we want to provide our whistleblowers with the necessary guidance. It provides guidance for reporting violations of certain internal guidelines and procedures, laws and regulations.

Rest assured. This can be done in a confidential manner, with the necessary protection and without reprisals. With this policy, Titeca also immediately conforms to the Act of November 28, 2022 on the protection of reporters of violations of Union or national law established within a legal entity in the private sector and the Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 23, 2019 on the protection of persons reporting violations of Union law with respect to legal entities in the private sector in the light of federal powers.

Titeca processes personal data provided under this policy in a confidential manner and solely for the purpose of implementing this policy and applicable legal obligations. Specifically, Titeca processes these personal data in order to comply with the purposes resulting from the above legislation and its whistleblower policy, and in order to handle, assess and, where necessary, further investigate the whistleblower's complaint (anonymous or otherwise).

The full whistleblower policy of Titeca pro accountants & experts can you here reading.

5. About the sharing and retention of your personal data

5.1 With whom do we share your personal data?

We share your data only with people who are explicitly authorised by us and only if they need these data to perform their tasks. They will process your data on the same basis as the basis on which we collected the data.

We call upon the services of several data processors for the processing of personal data. They are subcontractors who process personal data in accordance with out instructions. Titeca only works with processors who guarantee the same security at technical and operational level.

Your data may be transmitted to countries outside the European Union, in particular when we work with Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Instagram. In that case we will ensure that the processing of the personal data is adequately protected in accordance with specific contractual obligations and the obligations included in the privacy legislation.

We furthermore only share your data if we are compelled to do so by law or pursuant to a government order.

For legal reasons, Titeca may share your personal data with companies, organisations or individuals outside Titeca if Titeca believes in good faith that access to and the use, retention or disclosure of the data is reasonably required to:

  • meet the applicable laws and regulations, legal procedures or enforceable requests of government institutions
  • enforce the applicable conditions, including investigations into possible infringements.
  • detect, prevent or tackle fraud and technical or security problems.
  • protect the rights, property or safety of Titeca, their clients or the general public, as required or permitted by law.

If Titeca is involved in a merger, takeover or sale of assets, Titeca will continue to guarantee the confidentiality of personal data and will inform their clients before personal data are transferred or become subject to another privacy policy.

5.2 We do not share your personal data

We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties for their own use.

5.3 We do not retain your data infinitely

Titeca uses your personal data for a clear purpose. Once this purpose has been attained, the data are erased.

The basis for the retention of your personal data is the legal retention period.

6. We make every possible effort for the technical protection of your data

Titeca makes every possible effort to protect themselves and their clients against unauthorised access to or unauthorised adjustment, disclosure or destruction of data in their possession. The following principles in particular apply:

Titeca periodically and systematically assesses their approach towards the collection, storage and processing of data, including physical security measures, by way of protection against unauthorised access to systems.

Titeca restricts access to personal data to employees of Titeca, contractors and agents who need to have knowledge of these data in order to process them on behalf of Titeca. These individuals are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations and can be penalised or dismissed if they fail to comply with these obligations.

7. How are changes to this privacy statement communicated?

This privacy statement may be changed from time to time. The most recent version can be found on our website www.titeca.be. We recommend that you regularly consult our privacy statement in order to keep up to date with possible changes.

For more information about the Belgian privacy legislation, consult the website www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be.