We take protecting the confidentiality and privacy of personal information seriously. Personal information we often collect includes name and contact details or recordings of interviews and focus groups. Here’s some answers to common questions.
Why are you asking for information from me?
• An organisation such as a government agency or charity sees you as part of a group they need to hear from. This is often so that they can improve services or make better decisions. They have contracted us to ask for information.
How did you get my contact details?
• Usually from the client organisation who contracted us to ask for information. The Privacy Act 2020, in Principle 11(h)(ii), allows our clients to provide contact details for statistical or research purposes when the information will not be published in a form that could reasonably be expected to identify individuals.
• Occasionally from an independent database such as FlyBuys or a research panel you have joined such as the ConsumerLink online panel.
Do I have to take part?
• No. Participating is voluntary. You can stop at any time.
How do you protect my privacy and keep my responses confidential?
• We do not identify that you participated or did not participate to the client (unless you give us permission). We report combined results from groups of respondents and remove information that might identify individuals (unless you explicitly give us permission to).
• We aim to ensure that access to your personal data is limited only to those who need to access it. For example, by using passwords and encrypting data.
• We may use pseudonyms or de-identify data. Note that anonymised responses could be publicly released on request under the Official Information Act 1982.
• We follow codes of practice for professional organisations we belong to, such as the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (click here for their Standards).
Can you guarantee security of information sent using the Internet?
• No. Sending information via the internet, in emails or responses to web forms, is not completely secure. So sending information using the internet is at your own risk.
• If you answer a web survey, your answers will usually go overseas. We only use web survey suppliers that we understand to be subject to privacy safeguards similar to those operating in New Zealand.
How can I change or delete my responses?
• During data collection you are welcome to ask us to correct or delete any responses you have already given us.
• After we have completed data collection with you, you are welcome to ask us to correct or withdraw responses you have given us up to 2 days later. After that time your responses (usually combined results or de-identified) as mentioned above may already be in reports sent to our client and so we may be unable to correct or delete.
How long do you keep personal information about me?
• We usually delete your name and contact details that are linked to any of your answers at the end of the project (at latest). If we wish to store that linked personal information longer, we would inform you explicitly.
• De-identified survey data we delete after 7 years (unless the client contracts us to delete at a different time).
What about photos and recordings?
• If we make those, we will inform you in advance about their use for that particular project and ask for your consent.
Who do I get in touch with if I have concerns or complaints?
• You’re welcome to ring or email us. We aim to respond within 14 days to privacy-related communications.
• You may contact the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner’s Office at https://www.privacy.org.nz/ to report concerns.