Privacy Policy

Who we are

FOCUS ("Foc-us") is a network of local, in-person collectives for founders and operators. The network, the foc-us.uk website, and all registrations and applications are operated by EE Conf Limited, a company registered in England & Wales (the "Company", "we", "us"). EE Conf Limited is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

1. What this policy covers

This policy explains how we handle personal data when you visit foc-us.uk, register interest in a collective, apply to start or host a collective, apply to become an expert partner, or otherwise contact us. It does not cover third-party websites we link to, which have their own policies.

2. What we collect

We collect only what we need to run the network and stay in touch with the people in it. Depending on how you interact with us, that includes:

• Identity and contact data: your name, email address, and (where you provide them) phone number and links such as LinkedIn.
• Firmographic data: your company, your role or seat, company size, the operating system you run on (for example EOS®), and the operational challenges you tell us about. This helps us place you in the right collective and shape what the network offers.
• Registration and attendance data: which collective you belong to and your participation over its recurring monthly meetings.
• Profile media: where you choose to add it, such as a photo.
• Application data: information you submit when applying to start or host a collective, or to become an expert partner.
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, and basic usage logs, used for security, anti-bot protection, and keeping the site working.

3. What we do not collect

FOCUS is free to attend, so we do not take or store payment card details. We do not knowingly collect special category data (such as health, political or religious information) or government identifiers, and we ask that you do not send them to us. All registrations and applications happen natively on our own platform: we do not run intake through third-party event-management tools.

4. How and why we use your data

We use your personal data for the following purposes, each with a lawful basis under UK GDPR:

• To run collectives and keep you informed about the meetings you have registered for, on the basis of our legitimate interests in operating the network (and, where you have asked us to, your consent).
• To review and respond to applications to start or host a collective, or to become a partner, on the basis of taking steps at your request and our legitimate interests.
• To understand and improve the network using firmographic segmentation, on the basis of our legitimate interests, balanced against your rights.
• To keep the platform secure, prevent abuse, and defend against bots, on the basis of our legitimate interests and our legal obligations.
• To send you optional updates about the network, where you have opted in, on the basis of your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

5. Marketing and your choices

We will only send you marketing messages where you have asked to receive them or where the law otherwise allows. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time by contacting us. Opting out of marketing does not stop essential service messages about a collective you have registered for.

6. AI usage statement

We do not use your personal data to train, fine-tune, or improve any third-party AI model. Where we use automated tools internally to help run the network, they process data solely to deliver the feature requested and are not used to make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.

7. Who we share data with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with the service providers ("subprocessors") that help us run the platform, for example hosting, database, email delivery, and first-party analytics providers. Each is bound to process data only on our instructions. Profile media is held in EE Conf Limited's own cloud account rather than with a provider we engage. The current list is set out in our Data Processing page. We may also disclose data where required by law.

8. International transfers

The application and its database currently run on a private server in the United States, so the data described in section 3 is transferred to and stored in the United States, which is outside the UK.

Profile media does not leave Europe. Photographs and files you choose to upload are stored on servers in the European Union and are not transferred to the United States.

Where we transfer personal data outside the UK, we protect it using appropriate safeguards recognised under UK GDPR: specifically the UK's International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, together with a transfer risk assessment. You can ask us for a copy of the safeguards we rely on by contacting [email protected]. If our hosting location changes, we will update this policy to match.

9. How long we keep your data

We keep your personal data for as long as you are part of the network and for a reasonable period afterwards. You can ask us to delete your account and personal data at any time, and we will complete deletion within a 30-day window, except for the limited records we are required to keep for legal, accounting, or security reasons.

10. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Have inaccurate data corrected.
• Have your data erased (the "right to be forgotten"), which we honour within 30 days.
• Restrict or object to how we process your data, including objecting to processing based on our legitimate interests.
• Receive a copy of your data in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We will respond within one month.

11. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we handle your data, please contact us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or on 0303 123 1113.

12. Cookies

We use a small number of cookies, keeping anything non-essential off by default. See our Cookie Policy for the detail.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, let you know directly.

14. Contact us

For any privacy question or to exercise your rights, email [email protected], or write to EE Conf Limited at [[ Andrew to confirm: postal contact address ]].