Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Ember360 ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and all applicable South African data protection legislation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our venture readiness and pipeline platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register on the platform, including but not limited to:

• Business details (company name, registration number, address, industry)
• Contact information (name, email, phone number)
• Ownership information (ownership percentages, ownership level)
• Director/shareholder information (names, ID numbers, shareholding)
• Financial and operational information (turnover, employee count, compliance status)
• Compliance document availability indicators

3. Purpose of Processing

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

• To assess your venture's readiness for corporate procurement and funding opportunities
• To generate your readiness scores and gap analysis report
• To include your venture in our pipeline for matching with corporate procurement opportunities and funding partners
• To communicate with you about opportunities, updates, and platform features
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• To improve our platform and services

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on your explicit consent provided during registration. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at the details provided below, though this may affect your ability to use the platform and access opportunities.

5. Sharing of Information

We may share your business information (not personal identification documents) with:

• Corporate partners seeking verified ventures for their supply chains
• Funding partners and development finance institutions
• Government agencies for compliance and enterprise development reporting

We will never sell your personal information to third parties. Sensitive information such as ID numbers will only be shared with your explicit additional consent.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption of data in transit and at rest, secure access controls, and regular security assessments.

7. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. We will also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Object to the processing of your personal information
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

9. Contact Information

For any privacy-related queries or to exercise your rights, please contact our Information Officer at:

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ember360.org