About this Policy
The Facility Management Association of Australia Limited (FMA) respects privacy and is committed to complying with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ('Privacy Act'). This Privacy Policy sets out the information handling practices for the Association, including our websites. Where possible, these are aligned to best practice while allowing the Association to serve both members and the industry. This Policy deals with the collection, use and handling of personal information. This means information in document or electronic formats that can be used to identify or reasonably identify an individual.
About the Association
FMA is the peak industry body representing and supporting the interests of the individuals, teams and organisations that operate within the facilities management industry
The Association aims to be the pre-eminent voice of the facilities management industry.
Overview
The Association delivers a range of products and services to its members and the wider industry for which personal information is collected, handled and used.
These products and services include:
• Managing member and non-member participation
• Conducting professional development and training courses
• Providing events including conferences and briefings on current issues
• Providing information to the industry through a range of media channels such as newsletters, online journals, digital media and the Association’s website
• Advocating and making submissions to government and others parties representing the interest of the membership base and where appropriate the industry
• Undertaking research and analytic activities related to various topics, including member satisfaction and the development of improved products and services for members
• Developing relationships with sponsors and other partners to financially support the aims and objectives of the association
Collection of personal information
Membership
FMA collects and holds information from members or prospective members through membership related applications. This information includes name and contact details, date of birth, gender and relevant qualifications. This information enables the Association to uniquely identify members and to assess what products and services may be most suitable and of interest to members. Date of birth and qualification information can only be accessed by Association staff.
Information on prospective members collected through website forms, registrations and participation in events and professional development activities enable contact about becoming a member.
For ongoing membership management, information regarding reasons for reducing the level of membership is collected, as are reasons for membership upgrades. Members are able to login, verify and update this information. This is one of the steps that we take to keep this information accurate, up-to-date and complete.
Education/Professional development
The Association collects and holds enrolment information from members and non-members. These records are kept for verification of participation. Ongoing information about participation in education and professional development is kept in a secure environment only accessible to FMA staff.
Events
The Association collects and holds information about members and non-members provided through registration to attend events, briefings and conferences. This includes, if applicable:
• Personal information such as dietary or mobility requirements
• Travel bookings
• Image (video or photographs) or sound recordings (where the opt-out option has not been selected)
FMA does keep a record of the events and workshops a member or non-member has attended.
FMA will not adopt, use or disclose government related identifiers such as ABNs and TFNs except in situations permitted under the Act.
Indirect collection
Members
The Association does collect information indirectly about members, but only in circumstances where a member would reasonably expect it, or where the member has consented. Examples include industry sector, areas of interest, etc.
Non-members
In order to expand our membership the Association collects information indirectly about prospective members through methods that include word of mouth referral, publicly available sources and through our records of attendance at FMA events and activities.
Research
Market research is undertaken (potentially through third parties) about members and non-members. The Association only collects and holds the information gained from the research in aggregate form and does not connect it with any records held about individual members or non-members.
Notice where you give us information about third parties
On occasion FMA members and non-members will you give National office staff personal information about other individuals (for example: guests attending a conference or other events) FMA asks that you tell the individual that you have done so and make them aware of this Privacy Policy, for example, by giving them the link to it. FMA will only obtain an individual’s consent when required to comply with laws or regulations.
Use of personal information
FMA uses personal information collected and held through membership application, education and event registration or attendance to:
• Administer member and non-member requirements relating to the the respective program
• Assist in improving services to members and non-members
• Track and record professional development attendance
• Analyse attendees interests to better meet their needs
• Enable furthering of the objectives of the Association
FMA will not use your personal information for any purpose that you would not reasonably expect unless it is consistent with the Privacy Act. If the Association thinks a member or non-member may not expect a particular use for information held about that person, consent will be sought before it is used for that purpose.
Sound and image recordings of events
FMA uses sound and image recordings of our events to enable us to improve our events, and for promotional purposes.
Participants can contact FMA to express preferences or advise of any sensitivities relating to the use of your image or intellectual property by emailing [email protected] or calling on +61 3 8641 6666.
Marketing communications
FMA may use your personal information for the purposes of direct marketing to members and non-members. Such marketing may include, but is not limited to, the products and services that FMA provide for both personal and professional development. At times these products and services may include special offers from third parties.
FMA complies with obligations under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 (Cth) and the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).
The Association provides the opportunity to opt-out of receiving marketing material in communications provided from the Association to you, such as forms, letters or emails, or you can contact us using the details below or log-in to our website at www.fma.com.au
Unless you have opted out, marketing communications to members and non-members will continue until you advise us you no longer wish to receive such information.
Disclosure (sharing) of personal information
Sensitive information
FMA only discloses sensitive personal information such as health information, including dietary requirements, employment history or membership status for the purposes for which you gave it to the Association or for directly related purposes you would reasonably expect.
Events
FMA discloses the name, title and post nominal of event participants to speakers, organisers, hosts or facilitators under strict conditions to enable them to carry out a their role in relation to an event, for example, to organise table lists or facilitate introductions. This information is also disclosed to sponsors and potential sponsors to enable them to assess whether or not to sponsor an event. In addition, this information may be disclosed to providers of special member offers from time to time under strict conditions.
Publications
We disclose information about members and non-members to other members via FMA publications, for example, about new members, interesting news about members or the completion of a course.
Contractors and partners
Personal information is disclosed to contracted service providers to assist the FMA with a number of our functions and services including providers of technology, data processing, contact centre, legal, accounting, business consulting, auditing, archival, delivery, banking, payments, market research, content production and mailing but only for the purpose of fulfilling those services. FMA also discloses information about members and non-members for the assessment of the Awards Program under strict guidelines.
Disclosure with consent
The Association, with your consent, discloses personal information in a number of circumstances including to Australian and overseas regulatory authorities or other organisations to assist them with business due diligence purposes. This could include the fact that you are a FMA member, the nature of your membership, the Professional Development courses you have completed, the extent of your participation in Association activities and any assessment results.
FMA may disclose personal information to overseas recipients only where it has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the individual’s personal information will only be used/disclosed in accordance with this Policy.
Where authorised or required by law
As authorised by the Privacy Act we disclose personal information in connection with law enforcement activities by enforcement bodies.
Under the Corporations Act 2001, FMA is required to allow an individual to inspect the FMA member register and view current and past members’ names and addresses. However, the Corporation Act prohibits the individual from using the information gained to contact or send material to members or from using it for other prescribed purposes.
Website, emails and digital media
Email
Emails received will be recorded automatically by the e-mail messaging system for the purpose of replying to your e-mail. For normal communication with members FMA will use the e-mail address provided in your membership application/renewal or for non-members the website access form, unless you ask us to use a different e-mail address.
Emails or other electronic messages sent to you will record information about your interactions with the email including when and where you open the message and click on particular links.
This assists the Association to better understand what information is of interest to you and to improve the content and services to you.
Website
This section applies to the FMA website under the domain name fma.com.au. The FMA uses Google Analytics to collect a range of information about your interactions with our website and FMA in general. Google Analytics is also used to collect information from the browsers.
The information collected includes IP address, domain name, date and time of visit, the pages visited and time spent on each page, whether you have visited the site before and what site referred the visitor to the web page. We use this information to evaluate the effectiveness of our website and the level of interest in particular pages or PIA campaigns.
Information about how Google handles personal information is available at http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/policies/privacy/.
You can opt out of the collection of information via Google Analytics by downloading the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
The website may contain links to other sites. FMA is not responsible for the privacy practices or policies of those sites and we suggest that you review their privacy policies.
FMA implements a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of personal information when submitting a request or placing an order. These security measures include: password protected directories and databases to safeguard your information or SSL (Secure Sockets Layered) technology to ensure that information is fully encrypted and sent across the Internet securely.
FMA utilises a third party payment gateway that does not store your sensitive information.
Cookie/tracking technology
The FMA website may utilise cookie and tracking technology depending on the features offered. Cookie and tracking technology are useful for gathering information such as browser type and operating system, tracking the number of visitors to the site, and understanding how visitors use the site. Cookies can also help customise the site for visitors. Personal information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if personally identifiable information has previously been provided, cookies may be tied to such information. Aggregate cookie and tracking information may be shared with third parties to achieve an aforementioned purpose.
Distribution of Information
FMA may share information with government agencies or companies assisting us in fraud prevention or investigation. This occurs when:
• permitted or required by law
• trying to protect against or prevent actual or potential fraud or unauthorised transactions
• investigating fraud that has already taken place.
The information is not provided to these companies for marketing purposes.
Mobile applications
As individuals access the FMA online or mobile applications via their mobile device, the Association and or the development firm collects username details in order to authenticate access to member-only content. The Association does not review or use this information for any purpose beyond authenticating access to our membership database. We also do not collect or track information about the pages individual members view. App usage statistics (e.g. page views and time on page) are analysed on an aggregate basis only using online analytics made available by our App’s software provider.
Digital media
FMA participates in digital media platforms such as LinkedIn groups, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Flickr. If FMA think it is relevant to the quality of service provided to its members or to achieving its objectives, at times the Association will record the nature of the topic discussed with a particular individual and their name and follow up with further conversation offline, about which notes are taken.
Digital media services also handle your personal information for their own purposes. These sites have their own privacy policies and it is recommended that members and non-members engaging in social media through FMA links to digital media platforms are familiar with such policies.
Security of personal information
FMA assess the risks of misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure of personal information periodically to ensure that adequate measures exist to support the security of personal information, this includes policies, procedures and technology to address such risks. For example, we limit staff access to personal information to only what is needed to carry out their role.
Retention of information
Subject to the proper use and disclosure, all of the personal information about you is held on password protected databases and may also be stored in hard copy in secure storage premises in facilities that FMA occupies, or is operated by the Association’s service providers.
Only authorised FMA personnel may access your personal information and even then, only for the purposes set out in this Policy.
Once FMA no longer has a need for your personal information it will either be destroyed or de-identified, unless:
• the personal information is part of a Commonwealth record
• 7 years has lapsed since FMA last provided you with services
Access to and the accuracy of personal information
Individuals have a right to ask for access to the personal information that is held by FMA. Unless there is a lawful reason not to, the Association will provide access to it and allow you to correct any wrong information. This can be done via our website www.fma.com.au with your personal login details or by contacting FMA National office in writing, by email or telephone.
Your identity will need to be verified prior to information being provided. If access is not provided to your personal information or refusal to correct it occurs, you will be provided the reasons for this situation. In this case your requested changed can be added as a note alongside the information that has not been agreed to be corrected. FMA contact details are at the end of this Policy.
Requests for access and complaint resolution mechanism
In the event of any questions, concerns or complaints regarding the way in which personal information is handled, you should contact the privacy officer at:
Facility Management Association of Australia
GPO Box 178, Melbourne. 3001
Ph: +61 3 8641 6606
Email: [email protected]
FMA takes your privacy very seriously. Where concerns are expressed that interference has occurred with your privacy, or you are seeking access to information about you that we hold, the Association will respond within 48 hours to let you know who will be handling your matter and when you can expect a further response. If you are dissatisfied with our response you may direct your concerns or complaints to:
Office of the Information Commissioner
Ph: 1300 363 992
Email: [email protected]
Suggestions for improving this Policy
This Policy will be amended from time to time. Notification of changes or any amendments will be made through our publications and the updated version will be posted on this FMA website page. Suggestions for improving this Policy are welcome. Please contact us on +61 3 8641 6666.