PBN Privacy Policy

At Porto Business Network (PBN), your trust is the foundation of our community. Our mission is to put you "just one connection away from your next breakthrough," and that starts with respecting your privacy.

This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the rights you have. We are committed to handling your data with Integrity & Transparency, in full compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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1. What Information We Collect

To provide our services and foster a thriving community, we collect the following types of information:

• Personal Identification Data: Your full name, email address, and phone number.
• Professional Data: Your company name, job title, industry, professional interests, and LinkedIn profile URL. This helps us make relevant connections for you.
• Membership & Financial Data: Your membership plan details and payment history. All payments are handled by a secure third-party processor (like Stripe), so we do not store your credit card details.
• Engagement Data: Information about your participation, such as events you RSVP to, masterclasses you attend, feedback you provide, and your activity within our online community hub.
• Technical Data: When you visit our website, we may collect standard technical information like your IP address, browser type, and device information to ensure our platform works correctly.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to deliver on our promise to help you Learn, Connect, and Grow.

• To Manage Your Membership: We use your information to process your membership, send you important account updates, and provide access to member-only resources.
• To Foster Connections: Your professional data is used to populate our internal member directory (with your consent) and to help us facilitate meaningful introductions and create effective mastermind pods.
• To Organize Events: We use your data to manage RSVPs, send event reminders, share follow-up materials, and gather feedback to improve future events.
• To Improve the PBN Experience: By understanding which events and resources are most valuable, we can continuously refine our offerings to better serve the community.
• To Communicate With You: We send newsletters, event announcements, and community updates to keep you informed. You can manage your communication preferences at any time.

3. Our Legal Basis for Using Your Data

Under GDPR, we process your data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contract: To fulfill our membership agreement with you.
• Consent: For specific actions, like including you in the public member directory or sending you marketing communications. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
• Legitimate Interest: To operate, maintain, and improve our community, provided our interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.

4. How We Share Your Information

Your privacy is paramount. We will never sell your personal data.

We only share information in the following limited circumstances:

• With Trusted Service Providers: We use third-party companies for payment processing (e.g., Stripe) and email communication (e.g., Mailchimp). These partners are carefully vetted and are also GDPR-compliant.
• With Other PBN Members: To facilitate networking, your professional profile (Name, Company, Title) is visible to other members within our secure online hub. You have full control over what you share and can opt-out of the directory. We will never share your email or phone number without your explicit permission.
• With Event Partners: For co-hosted events, we may need to share a basic attendee list (Name, Company) for registration purposes. We will always ask for your consent for this during the RSVP process.

5. Your Rights Over Your Data

As a member of our community based in the EU, you have clear rights under GDPR:

• The Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• The Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• The Right to Erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data ("the right to be forgotten").
• The Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data.
• The Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format to transfer to another service.
• The Right to Object: You can object to us processing your data for certain purposes (like direct marketing).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@portobusiness.network.

6. Data Security & Retention

We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access or loss.

We retain your information for as long as you are an active PBN member. If you decide to cancel your membership, we will permanently delete your personal data within 90 days, unless we are required by law to retain it for a longer period (for example, for tax and accounting purposes).

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. If we make any significant changes, we will notify you by email and post the updated policy on our website.

8. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please get in touch.

Data Controller: Porto Business Network (PBN)
Email: privacy@portobusiness.network