Privacy Policy

Last updated on 27 June 2023

What data we collect

General personal data

We process your general personal data. Personal data is any information relating to an identifiable natural person. A natural person is identifiable if conclusions about the identity of that person can be drawn from the available information.

Example: Your name, IP address and home address are personal data.

Data provided

You often provide us with your personal data yourself. Whenever you enter your personal data and transmit it to us, it is deemed to have been provided to us. The transmission of data to us is generally voluntary, but in some cases it is strictly necessary in order to be able to use our services.

Example: You enter your data in a contact form or sign up for a newsletter.

Data collected

When you use our services, we collect some of your data without your active involvement being required. This data is generally data about your device and data about user behaviour.

Example: We collect data about the operating system of the device with which you accessed our website.

Product development

We strive to improve our services continuously. For this purpose, we use your personal data to develop and improve our products and services.

Example: We collect data about visitor behaviour on the website in order to improve its user-friendliness continuously.

Data disclosure

We pass on your personal data to companies that can decide for themselves how they use the data. This is usually done because it is necessary to comply with statutory provisions, when an outstanding claim is transferred to a debt collection agency, or in order to detect fraudulent activities.

Example: A statutory provision obliges us to pass on your data to a public authority.

Worldwide

We work with providers from all over the world to process your personal data. This allows us to benefit from the worldwide range of services and to rely on the best and most reliable services. In certain circumstances, the country to which the data is exported may not have the same level of data protection as Switzerland.

Example: We use the services of a cloud provider such as Google, which has its registered office in the USA.

Which services we use

Google Analytics

How does Google Analytics work?
Our website uses Google Analytics, a service provided by Google Ireland Ltd., Google Building Gordon House, Barrow St, Dublin 4, Ireland, and Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; together “Google”, whereby Google Ireland Ltd. is responsible for the processing of personal data. Google uses cookies, which are stored on your device and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. We have supplemented Google Analytics with the code «anonymizeIP». This ensures that all data is collected anonymously. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

Why are we permitted to use Google Analytics?
Google evaluates the collected data on our behalf so that we can gain an overview of the visits and user behaviour on our website. This enables us to improve our services and the content of the website as well as its design.

How can you prevent the collection of your data via Google Analytics?
You can prevent cookies from being stored by adjusting the settings in your browser accordingly (see our explanations on cookies). You can deactivate Google Analytics by downloading and installing the Google browser add-on.

Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager on our website. It collects data about user behaviour on our website and forwards it to our analysis tools. Google Tag Manager itself has no access to the data; it merely collects the data.

Since Google Tag Manager therefore does not in itself process any personal data, reference is made to the explanations on the respective tracking services and to the Google Tag Manager usage policy. Usage policy: https://www.google.com/intl/de/tagmanager/use-policy.html.

Blog2Social

Blog2Social is used to optimise the content of a blog for publication on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest. It offers a range of functions, including automated posting, customisation of images and links, embedded social media icons, automated notifications to networks and much more. With these functions, website owners can share their content more efficiently and drive more traffic to their site.

US Privacy User Signal Mechanism

The US Privacy User Signal Mechanism is used on a website to give users the option of granting or refusing their consent to the processing of their personal data. This mechanism can be implemented in various ways, e.g. through an opt-in or opt-out system that allows users to choose which data may be processed and which may not.

Global Site Tag

Global Site Tag (gtag.js) is a tag management system developed by Google. It is used to track and manage data such as traffic, revenue, conversions and more via a single line of code. It enables companies to implement tracking tags for various purposes, e.g. Google Ads, Google Analytics and more.

1. What do we do?

4Balance, Neue Bahnhofstrasse 160, 4132 Muttenz, operates the website 4balance.ch (hereinafter referred to as «we»). On this website you can find out about our organisation, use our online services and get in touch with us.
The protection of your personal data is very important to us. In this privacy policy, we inform you transparently and comprehensibly about which data we collect via our website and how we handle it. For this reason, we use the icons of the PRIVACY ICONS association. They are intended to help you quickly gain an overview of how we process your data.

2. What do we inform you about?

  • Which data is collected on 4balance.ch;
  • Under which conditions we process your data and for which purpose;
  • How long we retain your data;
  • When disclosure to third parties is permitted;
  • How we process your data («individual data processing operations»);
  • When and how you can object to data processing;
  • Which rights you have and how you can assert them.

3. Definitions

3.1 What is personal data?
Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes, for example, name, address, date of birth, e-mail address or telephone number. Data about personal preferences such as leisure activities or memberships is also personal data.
3.2 What is sensitive personal data?
Data on religious, ideological, political or trade union-related views or activities; data on health and, where applicable, information on administrative or criminal proceedings and sanctions, as well as data on social assistance measures, are deemed to be sensitive personal data. Where necessary and appropriate, we may request and process sensitive personal data. In this case, its processing is subject to stricter confidentiality.
3.3 What is the processing of personal data?
Processing is any handling of personal data, irrespective of the means and procedures used, in particular the collection, storage, retention, use, modification, disclosure, archiving, deletion or destruction of data.
3.4 What is the disclosure of personal data?
This is the transmission of personal data or making it accessible, e.g. publication or disclosure to a third party.

4. How can you contact us?

If you have any questions or concerns about how we protect your data, you can contact us at any time by e-mail at info@4balance.ch. The controller responsible for the data processing carried out via this website is:
4Balance
Neue Bahnhofstrasse 160
4132 Muttenz

5. Does our privacy policy always stay the same?

We may amend this privacy policy at any time. The changes will be published on 4balance.ch; you will not be notified separately.

6. General principles

6.1 What data do we collect from you and from whom do we receive this data?
First and foremost, we process personal data that you transmit to us or that we collect when operating our website. In certain circumstances, we may also receive personal data about you from third parties. This may include the following categories:
  • Personal master data (name, address, date of birth, etc.);
  • Contact data (mobile phone number, e-mail address, etc.);
  • Financial data (e.g. account details);
  • Online identifiers (e.g. cookie ID, IP addresses);
  • Location and traffic data;
  • Audio and video recordings;
  • Sensitive personal data (e.g. biometric data or information about your health).
6.2 Under which conditions do we process your data?
We process your data in good faith and for the purposes set out in this privacy policy. In doing so, we ensure that processing is transparent and proportionate.
Should we exceptionally be unable to comply with these principles, the data processing may nevertheless be lawful because there is a legal justification. Possible justifications include, in particular:
  • Your consent;
  • The performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures;
  • Our legitimate interests, provided that your interests do not prevail.
6.3 How can you withdraw your consent?
If you have given us your consent to process your personal data for specific purposes, we process your data within the scope of this consent, unless we have another legal justification.
You can withdraw your consent at any time by sending an e-mail to the address stated in the legal notice. Data processing that has already taken place is not affected by this.
6.4 Transfer abroad
In certain circumstances, your personal data may be transferred to companies abroad in the context of commissioned data processing. These companies are obliged to protect data to the same extent as we are. The transfer may take place worldwide.
If the level of data protection does not correspond to that of the EEA, we carry out a prior risk assessment and ensure contractually that the same protection as in the EEA is guaranteed (e.g. by means of the new standard contractual clauses of the European Commission or other measures prescribed by law). Should our risk assessment be negative, we take additional technical measures to protect your data. You can access the standard contractual clauses of the European Commission here.
6.5 How long do we retain your data?
We store personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the individual purposes for which the data was collected.
Data that we store when you visit our website is retained for twelve months. An exception applies to analysis and tracking data, which may be retained for longer.
We store contract data for longer, as we are obliged to do so by statutory provisions. In particular, we must retain business correspondence, concluded contracts and accounting records for up to 10 years. Where we no longer need such data from you to provide the services, the data will be blocked and we will use it only for accounting and tax purposes.
6.6 How do we protect your data?
We will store your data securely and take all reasonable measures to protect your data against loss, access, misuse or alteration.
Our contractual partners and employees who have access to your data are obliged to comply with the provisions of data protection law. In some cases, it will be necessary for us to forward your enquiries to companies affiliated with us. In these cases, too, your data will be treated confidentially.
Within our website, we use the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) procedure in conjunction with the highest level of encryption supported by your browser.
6.7 What rights do you have?
a. Right of access
You can request information at any time about the data we hold about you. We ask you to send your request for access together with proof of identity to info@4balance.ch.
You also have the right to receive your data in a common file format if we process your data by automated means and if
  • you have given your consent to the processing of this data; or
  • you have disclosed data in connection with the conclusion or performance of a contract.
We may restrict or refuse the provision of information or the handover of data if this conflicts with our statutory obligations, our own legitimate or public interests, or the interests of a third party.
The processing of your request is subject to the statutory processing period of 30 days. However, we may extend this period due to a high volume of requests, for legal or technical reasons, or because we require further information from you. You will be informed of the extension in good time, at least in text form.
b. Erasure and rectification
You may request the erasure or rectification of your data at any time. We may reject the request if statutory provisions oblige us to retain the data for longer or unaltered, or if a legal basis for processing conflicts with your request.
Please note that exercising your rights may, in certain circumstances, conflict with contractual agreements and may have corresponding effects on the performance of the contract (e.g. early termination of the contract or cost consequences).
c. Legal recourse
If you are affected by the processing of personal data, you have the right to enforce your rights in court or to file a report with the competent supervisory authority. The competent supervisory authority in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC): http://www.edoeb.admin.ch.

7. Individual data processing operations

7.1 Provision of the website and creation of log files
What information do we receive and how do we use it?
When you visit 4balance.ch, certain data is automatically stored on our servers or on servers of services and products that we obtain and/or have installed, for system administration, statistical, backup or tracking purposes. This data comprises:
  • the name of your internet service provider;
  • your IP address (in certain circumstances);
  • the version of your browser software;
  • the operating system of the computer used to access the URL;
  • the date and time of access;
  • the website from which you visit the URL;
  • the search terms you used to find the URL.
Why are we permitted to process this data?
This data cannot be assigned to any specific person, and this data is not combined with other data sources. The log files are stored in order to guarantee the functionality of the website and to ensure the security of our information technology systems. This constitutes our legitimate interest.
How can you prevent the data collection?
The data is stored only for as long as is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. Accordingly, the data is deleted at the end of each session. The storage of log files is strictly necessary for the operation of the website; you therefore have no possibility of objecting to it.
7.2 Tracking pixels
How do tracking pixels work?
We may use tracking pixels on our website. Tracking pixels are also referred to as web beacons. Tracking pixels – including those of third parties whose services we use – are small, usually invisible images that are automatically retrieved when you visit our website. Tracking pixels can be used to collect the same information as server log files. We use them for the same purposes as log files – you cannot prevent this data collection.
7.3 Evaluations
Some of your personal data is processed automatically in order to evaluate certain personal aspects.
We use such evaluations in particular to be able to inform and advise you in a targeted manner about certain of our services or products. For this purpose, we use evaluation tools that enable us to communicate in line with your needs and to take appropriate advertising measures, including market and opinion research.
7.4 Contact
E-mail
What information do we receive and how do we use it?
You have the option of contacting us by e-mail. If you contact us by e-mail, the following data is processed:
  • e-mail address;
  • content, subject and date of your e-mail;
  • contact details provided by you (e.g. name, telephone number and address, if applicable).
Why are we permitted to process this data?
Your details are stored by us for the purpose of processing the enquiry and in case of follow-up questions. The legal justification is pre-contractual measures or our legitimate interest in dealing with the enquiry.
Security notice
Please note that e-mails may be read or altered without authorisation and unnoticed during transmission. E-mails may be rejected by the spam filter if they have been identified as spam on the basis of certain characteristics.
7.5 Performance and reach measurement
How does performance and reach measurement work?
Our notifications and communications may contain web links or tracking pixels that record whether an individual communication has been opened and which web links were clicked. Such web links and tracking pixels may also record the use of notifications and communications on a personal basis.
Why are we permitted to process this data?
We need this statistical recording of usage for performance and reach measurement in order to be able to offer notifications and communications effectively and in a user-friendly manner, as well as permanently, securely and reliably, based on the needs and reading habits of the recipients.
7.6 Cookies
How do cookies work?
Our website uses cookies. Cookies are data records that are stored on the operating system of your device by means of your browser when you access our website. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses.
What information do we receive and how do we use it?
Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies”. They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognise your browser on your next visit. This allows us to save certain settings (such as language settings or location information) so that you do not have to enter them again when you revisit the website.
Why are we permitted to use cookies?
We use cookies to make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. The use of cookies and the related processing of your data are based on our legitimate interests in the purposes stated
How can you prevent data collection via cookies?
Cookies are stored on your computer. You therefore have full control over the use of cookies. You can delete them completely or deactivate or restrict their transmission by changing the settings in your browser. If cookies are deactivated for our website, it may no longer be possible to use all functions of the website to their full extent.
7.7 Google Tag Manager
We use Google Tag Manager on our website. It collects data about user behaviour on our website and forwards it to our analysis tools. Google Tag Manager itself has no access to the data; it merely collects the data.

Since Google Tag Manager therefore does not in itself process any personal data, reference is made to the explanations on the respective tracking services and to the Google Tag Manager usage policy. Usage policy: https://www.google.com/intl/de/tagmanager/use-policy.html.

7.8 Blog2Social
Blog2Social is used to optimise the content of a blog for publication on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest. It offers a range of functions, including automated posting, customisation of images and links, embedded social media icons, automated notifications to networks and much more. With these functions, website owners can share their content more efficiently and drive more traffic to their site.
7.9 US Privacy User Signal Mechanism
The US Privacy User Signal Mechanism is used on a website to give users the option of granting or refusing their consent to the processing of their personal data. This mechanism can be implemented in various ways, e.g. through an opt-in or opt-out system that allows users to choose which data may be processed and which may not.
7.10 Global Site Tag
Global Site Tag (gtag.js) is a tag management system developed by Google. It is used to track and manage data such as traffic, revenue, conversions and more via a single line of code. It enables companies to implement tracking tags for various purposes, e.g. Google Ads, Google Analytics and more.
7.11 PrivacyBee
PrivacyBee is used on websites to detect all privacy-relevant services and to generate an individual privacy policy from them.