Privacy Policy & Cookies

1.1 Introduction

1.2 What information do we collect about you and what do we use it for?

The types of personal data about you which we collect, store, and use are set out in the table below and in each case, we have specified the purpose and our “lawful basis” for processing it. The law specifies certain “lawful bases” for which we are allowed to use your personal data. Most commonly, we will rely on one or more of the following lawful bases for processing your personal data:

• where you give your consent;
• where it is necessary for the performance of the contract;
• where it is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject; and/or
• where it is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of our staff, which require their protection.

It is also possible, although likely to be in very rare situations that we are required to process your personal data:

• to protect your vital interests or those of a third party; or
• for a task carried out in the public interest.

1.3 How do we collect this information?

We typically collect personal data about you when you share them with us through the website and other services offered through the website.

We may also collect certain information automatically from your device. Specifically, the information we collect automatically may include information like your IP address, device type, unique device identification numbers, browser-type, broad geographic location (e.g., country or city-level location) and other technical information. We may also collect information about how your device has interacted with our website, including the pages accessed and links clicked.

Collecting this information enables us to better understand the visitors who come to our website, where they come from, and what content on our website is of interest to them. We use this information for our internal analytics purposes and to improve the quality and relevance of our website to our visitors.

Some of this information may be collected using cookies and similar tracking technology, as explained further in our Cookie Notice which is available below.

1.4 With whom will we share your information?

If you provide personal data to us through this website or other means, we will use that information for the purpose for which it was collected and for other reasonably related purposes which are not incompatible with those allowed under applicable data protection laws.

Information Shared with Our Service Providers: We may provide your information to third parties for the processing of that information solely for our benefit, but we will not provide your information to any third party for marketing purposes, except in connection with information requests that you make that involve third parties or in connection with events that involve presentations or sponsorships by third parties. We do not provide your personal data to any third party for its own marketing purposes.

We use iCIMS, a third-party software provider, to run our recruitment platform. This software allows you to search for open job positions, apply for jobs online, send job listings via email to others, and create an account so that you can keep up to date with all of our recruitment activities and keep track of your applications. For more information about iCIMS, please see its privacy notice: https://www.icims.com/legal/privacy-policy-website.

We may use third-party web analytics services on the site, such as those of Google Analytics. We may also disclose certain information about you and the device you use to access the services in order to deliver tailored advertising. These service providers use the technology described in the Cookie Statement to help us analyze how users use the site. The information collected by the technology (including your IP address) will be disclosed to or collected directly by these services providers, who use the information to evaluate your use of the site. You can read more about how Google uses your information via Google Analytics here: www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/. Learn about opting out of Google Analytics.

Information Disclosed for Our Protection or the Protection of Others: Cornerstone Research will disclose your personal data, without notice, if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Cornerstone Research; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Cornerstone Research; or (c) act under urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of the website or the public.

Information Disclosed in Connection with Business Transactions: Cornerstone Research may also disclose your personal data to a successor in title of our business.

Data Retention and International Transfer: Your information will be stored in the USA. Where personal data is transferred outside of the EU or the UK, we have taken appropriate safeguards to require that your personal data will remain protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws and this Notice. You can obtain a copy of such safeguards by contacting us as indicated in the “Your Rights” section below.

We retain personal data we collect from you for as long as necessary to administer any services you have requested from us or to comply with our legal obligations.

We have not sold and will not sell your personal data.

1.5 How long will we retain your information?

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements.

We will retain the majority of the categories of personal data set out above where we have an ongoing legitimate business need to do so (for example, to provide you with a service you have requested or to comply with applicable legal, tax or accounting requirements).

When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal data, we will either delete or anonymize it or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal data has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal data and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.

1.6 Security

This website uses reasonable technical and organizational procedures and practices that Cornerstone Research believes are appropriate to secure the personal data we collect, but we cannot and do not assure you that these measures will be sufficient to protect against all efforts to gain unauthorized access to the information.

1.7 Accuracy of information

It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please let us know if your personal data changes during your relationship with us and check and update your personal data when requested to do so.

1.8 Opt Out and Unsubscribe

We allow you to opt out of future electronic marketing communications at any time by emailing us at privacy@cornerstone.com and writing “remove” in the subject line, or by clicking the “unsubscribe” link found at the bottom of our emails and newsletters.

1.9 Your rights in relation to your information

You have rights as an individual which you can exercise in relation to the information we hold about you under certain circumstances. These rights are to:

• request access to your personal data (commonly known as a “data subject access request”) and request certain information in relation to its processing;
• withdraw your consent at any time;
• request rectification of your personal data;
• request the erasure of your personal data;
• request the restriction of processing of your personal data;
• object to the processing of your personal data; and
• request the transfer of your personal data to another party.

If you want to exercise one of these rights, please contact us at privacy@cornerstone.com.

You have the right to complain to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your personal data.

In the UK, in relation to Cornerstone Research UK Ltd., please contact the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office.

In the EU, in relation to Cornerstone Research Belgium SRL, please contact the Belgian Data Protection Authority, the Belgian supervisory authority for data protection issues.
Autorité de protection des données / Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit
Rue de la Presse, 35
1000 Bruxelles
+32 (0)2 274 48 00
+32 (0)2 274 48 35
contact@apd-gba.be

1.10 Fees

You will not usually have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is manifestly unfounded or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances.

1.11 What we may need from you

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it.

1.12 Changes to this privacy notice

This Notice is effective as of the date above. Any material changes to this Notice will be published on this website. By your continued use of the website, you consent to the terms of the revised Notice.

1.13 Further information

This Privacy Notice was written with brevity and clarity in mind and is not an exhaustive account of all aspects of our collection and use of personal data. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact privacy@cornerstone.com.

1.14 Links to Other Websites

This website may link to websites maintained by third parties, including our clients. If you use these links, you will leave our website. This Notice does not apply to third-party websites. Cornerstone Research is not responsible for the content or policies maintained by these websites. If you decide to visit a third-party website, you do so at your own risk.

1.15 Cloudflare Turnstile

Our website uses Cloudflare Turnstile, an alternative to traditional CAPTCHAs, to protect our forms from spam and abuse without tracking user data. For more information concerning Turnstile, please visit https://www.cloudflare.com/products/turnstile/.

California Consumer Privacy Act Compliance

Because we value your privacy, we have taken steps to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the “CCPA”).

This Notice describes the personal data we collect or process about California residents in connection with the website, how we use, disclose, and protect that personal information, and what your rights are concerning personal information that we collect or process.

In this Notice, “personal information” has the same meaning as under the CCPA California Civil Code Section 1798.83: information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household. Personal information does not include information that has been de-identified or aggregated.

Personal Information We Collect and Share, and For What Purpose

In the past 12 months, we have collected and disclosed personal information from visitors in the following circumstances when they interact with our website, as described in detail above:

• Contact information
• Information collected using cookies and web technologies
• Information related to use of the website
• Information disclosed to our service providers
• Information disclosed in connection with business transactions
• Information disclosed for our protection and the protection of others

As described in detail above, we use your personal information for a variety of purposes to operate, assess activity on, and improve the performance of our website, including the following:

• To administer and provide the website
• For research and development
• To communicate with you about our website
• To market, promote, and drive engagement with our website
• For customer support
• For safety and security
• To protect our legitimate business interests and legal rights

In the past 12 months, we have disclosed the following personal information for a business purpose:

Except as described in detail above, we will not disclose your personal information with third parties without your consent.

Additionally, while certain information associated with your IP address (geolocation information) may constitute sensitive personal information for the purposes of the CCPA, we do not use such information for purposes other than those set forth in Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11 §7027(m).

Your Rights as a California Resident

Under California law, users who are California residents have specific rights regarding their personal information. These rights are subject to certain exceptions described below. When required, we will respond to most requests within 45 days unless it is reasonably necessary to extend the response time.

Right to Disclosure of Information

You have the right to request that we disclose certain information regarding our practices with respect to personal information. If you submit a valid and verifiable request and we confirm your identity and/or authority to make the request, we will disclose to you any of the following at your direction:

• The categories of personal information we have collected about you in the last 12 months.
• The categories of sources for the personal information we have collected about you in the last 12 months.
• Our business or commercial purpose for collecting that personal information.
• The categories of third parties to whom we disclose that personal information.
• The specific pieces of personal information we collected about you.
• If we disclosed your personal information to a third party for a business purpose, a list of the personal information types that each category of recipient received.

Right to Correct

You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate personal information that we maintain about you. To do so, please submit a valid and verifiable request to enable us to confirm your identity and/or authority to make the request.

Right to Delete Personal Information

You have the right to request that we delete any of your personal information collected from you and retained, subject to certain exceptions. Upon receiving a verified request to delete your personal information, we will do so unless otherwise authorized by law.

How to Exercise these Rights

To submit a verifiable consumer request to us for disclosure or deletion of personal information by please call us at 888-223-2536, privacy@cornerstone.com, or visit our webform at https://www.cornerstone.com/privacy-policy-cookies/privacy-information-request/.

We will respond to verifiable requests for disclosure or deletion of personal information free of charge, within 10 days of receipt.

In order to protect your privacy and the security of your information, we verify consumer requests by matching personal information that you provide with information in our possession, in order to confirm your identity. Any additional information you provide will be used only to verify your identity and not for any other purpose.

You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf. You must provide an authorized agent written permission to submit a request on your behalf, and we may require that you verify your identity directly with us. Alternatively, an authorized agent that has been provided power of attorney under Probate Code sections 4000-4465 may submit a request on your behalf.

Right to Opt Out of Sales of Your Personal Information

We do not sell or share personal information as such terms are defined in the CCPA and we therefore do not provide any mechanism for you to exercise the right to opt out.

Right to Non-Discrimination

You have the right not to be discriminated against for the exercise of your California privacy rights described above including, but not limited to, by:

• denying you goods or services;
• charging you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through the use of discounts or other benefits or imposing penalties;
• providing you with a different level or quality of goods or services; or
• suggesting that you will receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

Access

If you have questions or wish to access your information, please call us at 888-223-2536 or e-mail us at privacy@cornerstone.com.

Our Policy Regarding Children

We do not direct our website or services toward children under the age of 16. As such we neither sell nor share information belonging to children under 16. In particular, if we learn that we have collected the personal information of children under the age of 13, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.

Global Privacy Controls

We treat Global Privacy Control signals as opt-out of sale and sharing of your Personal Information as required under CCPA. If your browser or browser extension has GPC enabled, our websites will automatically recognize that signal and opt you out of the sale or sharing of the personal information we collect via our websites.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

Cookies set by Cornerstone Research are called “first-party cookies.” Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called “third-party cookies.” Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., like advertising, interactive content, and analytics). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.

Why do we use cookies?

We use first-party and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our website to operate, and we refer to these as “essential” or “strictly necessary” cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our website. Third parties serve cookies through our website for advertising, analytics, and other purposes. This is described in more detail below.

How can I control cookies?

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie preferences by clicking on cookie control panel in the footer of our website.

You can also set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website though your access to some functionality and areas of our website may be restricted. As the means by which you can refuse cookies through your web browser controls vary from browser to browser, you should visit your browser’s help menu for more information.

In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or https://www.youronlinechoices.com.

Please note that Cornerstone Research does not respond to a browser’s do-not-track signal regarding the collection of information about online activities over time and across third-party online services.

How often will you update this Cookie Statement?

We may update this Cookie Statement from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please therefore re-visit this Cookie Statement regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies. The date at the top of this Cookie Statement indicates when it was last updated.

Where can I get further information?

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please e-mail us at privacy@cornerstone.com.

The specific types of first- and third-party cookies served through our website and the purposes they perform are described below:

Necessary Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website to you, you cannot refuse them.

Functional cookies

These cookies are used to enhance the functionality of our website but are non-essential to its use. However, without these cookies, certain functionality may become unavailable.

Please note that you can withdraw your consent for or disable this type of cookie at any time by re-opening our cookie preference banner, which can be found at the bottom of the screen by clicking the “Manage Consent” button.

Performance cookies

These cookies are used to enhance the performance of our website but are non-essential to its use. However, without these cookies, the website may not work as efficiently as it should be, and this could impact the user experience.

Please note that you can withdraw your consent for or disable this type of cookie at any time by re-opening our cookie preference banner, which can be found at the bottom of the screen by clicking the “Manage Consent” button.

Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective are marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website for you.

We will only place these cookies if you expressly accept them when you first visit our website via our cookie preference banner.

Please note that you can withdraw your consent for or disable this type of cookie at any time by re-opening our cookie preference banner, which can be found at the bottom of the screen by clicking the “Manage Consent” button.