Data protection

General
Thank you for your interest in our company. Your privacy is important to us and you should always feel safe and comfortable when visiting our website. That is why we have put both technical and organizational measures in place to ensure we observe the relevant legislation at all times. This document describes the information we may collect and how we handle it.

I. Who is responsible?
RWE Aktiengesellschaft
RWE Platz 1
D-45141 Essen
Fax: +49(0)201- 51790
Fax: +49(0)201-51795005

E-mail: RWE Aktiengesellschaft

II. How do you contact the data protection officer?
You can reach our data protection officer at:
RWE Aktiengesellschaft
Data Protection Officer
RWE Platz 6
D-45141 Essen
E-mail: dataprotection@rwe.com

III. Provision of the website and logfiles
In the following, we will inform you how we process your personal data in connection with the provision of the website and creation of log files.

1. Which of your personal data is used by us?
Every time you visit our website, our system automatically collects data and information from the system of the accessing computer. In addition to non-personal data (e. g. the domain name of the website which you came from; the websites that you visited on our domain; the names of the retrieved files (incl. date and time of the retrieval); the name of your Internet service provider; and, if applicable, the operating system and browser version of your computer; host name of the accessing computer; language settings), your IP address is processed.

2. What are the sources of the data?
The data is collected from you by being automatically transmitted by your computer to our system.

3. What do we process your data for and on what legal basis?
The data is first collected in order to make the website technically available. In this case the legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR.

In addition, we store the data - in pseudonymized form in log files - for security purposes, in particular to recognize and counteract attacks on our website, for statistical purposes and to optimize our Internet presence. In these cases the processing is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our legitimate interest is to guarantee the above mentioned purposes.

4. To whom will your data be passed on?
In certain cases, the data may be passed on to other group companies. In addition, we use external service providers who may also receive personal data in the course of their duties. In these cases, we ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with the provisions of the GDPR and the German Federal Data Protection Act.
As a matter of principle, your data will not be passed on to other third parties, unless we are obliged to do so by legal or official orders.

5. How long will your data be stored?
We store the data for a period of 30 days.

6. Is there an obligation to provide your data?
There is no legal or contractual obligation to provide the data. If you do not provide the data, it is not possible to use the website to its full extent.

IV. Web analysis and web optimization through cookies
We use cookies on our website. Cookies are text files that contain a characteristic string of signs and enable a unique identification of the computer. They are stored in the Internet browser or by the Internet browser on the user's computer system when the website is accessed. When the website is opened again, the computer system can be identified in this way and certain information can be transferred automatically.

The information that is stored via cookies fulfils various functions. We categorize them as follows:

  • Essential Cookies
  • Analytical Cookies

1. Which of your personal data is used by us?
Depending on the cookie used, we collect different personal data. You can find a list of which data is involved in individual cases here.

2. What are the sources of the data?
All data that we collect in the form of cookies originate from you.

3. What do we process your data for and on what legal basis?
Depending on the cookie used, we pursue different purposes with the use of cookies. The first time you visit our website, you will be asked to select which cookies you wish to allow. Here you have the possibility to view and change your selection.

a. Essential Cookies
Essential cookies are required for the technical operation of our website and to ensure its stability. When you visit our websites, an info banner informs you about the use of cookies and refers you to this data protection information. The legal basis for this processing is Article 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to be able to guarantee the purposes mentioned.
The data collected from you in this way is pseudonymized by technical precautions and is not stored together with other personal data of yours. Hence we can no longer assign the data to you personally.

b. Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies enable us to analyze your surfing behaviour on our website so that we can measure and improve the performance of our pages. In doing so, we create statistical profiles that are not attributable to individuals but only to groups. These profiles are used to analyze visitor and click behaviour as well as demographic characteristics of the website visitors.
When you visit our websites, our info banner informs you about the use of analysis cookies by referring to this data protection information. If you agree to the processing, you click on this cookie category and thereby give your consent, which serves as a legal basis, in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 a) GDPR.
The data collected from you in this way is pseudonymized by technical precautions and is not stored together with other personal data of yours. Hence we can no longer assign the data to you personally.

4. To whom will your data be passed on?
In certain cases, the data may be passed on to other Group companies. In addition, third-party companies that offer the respective cookie will receive your data within the scope of data processing on our behalf pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR.

5. How long will your data be stored?
We use two types of cookies: persistent cookies and session cookies. A persistent cookie lasts beyond the current session and will stay on your browser until they expire or you delete them. Session cookies last only as long as the session (usually the current visit to a website or a browser session). Third parties, such as our customers, partners and service providers may also use cookies in connection with our Services. The list will inform you in detail about the storage.

6. Is there an obligation to provide your data? 
There is no obligation to provide the data. However, the essential cookies are necessary for the website to function properly.

7. Your rights with regard to cookies
In addition to the rights mentioned under point X, you have the right:

  • to object to the use of the essential cookies at any time.
  • to revoke/withdraw your consent here regarding the analytical and convenience cookies used by us. 

V. Embedded external web service
A web service of the company Usercentrics GmbH, Sendlinger Str. 7, 80331 Munich, Germany (hereinafter: "usercentrics.com") is reloaded on our website. We use usercentrics to provide you with comprehensive information about privacy settings and an overview, also called "cookie notice". In the process, your browser may transmit personal data to usercentrics.com. Article 6, paragraph 1 lit.(f) DSGVO serves as the legal basis. Our legitimate interest consists in ensuring that our website functions as it. The data is deleted as soon as the purpose of collection has been fulfilled. Further information on the data processing of the collected data can be found in the usercentrics.com privacy policy: https://usercentrics.com/privacy-policy/.

You can block the collection and processing of your data by usercentrics.com by disabling the execution of the script code in your browser or by installing a script blocker in your browser.

VI. Links to other Websites
The RWE websites contain links to other websites. As the provider of our websites, we are solely responsible for the content of our own online presence. A distinction must be made between our own content and the content provided by other providers, for which we cannot accept any responsibility and do not adopt their content as our own. We have no influence on whether the website operators linked to us adhere to the relevant data protection regulations. This declaration on data protection therefore does not apply to the websites of other providers, even if you access them via links on our website. Please therefore observe the respective data protection regulations of the other providers. We therefore accept no liability for the content of other websites. In the event that you should notice a relevant violation, we thank you for informing us. We will then remove the link after checking it, if necessary.

VII. Does automated decision-making including profiling take place?
No automated decision-making including profiling takes place.

VIII. Is your data transferred to countries outside the European Union (so called third countries)?
We also use service providers located in third countries outside the European Union and the European Economic Area ("EEA") to process your data. To protect your personal data, we conclude standard data protection clauses provided by the EU Commission with service providers in third countries. These clauses provide appropriate safeguards for the protection of your data with service providers in the third country.
You have the opportunity to request further information and to receive copies of the relevant agreements at any time. You can reach us at the contact details mentioned under point I or II.

IX. What rights do you have in connection with the processing of your data?

1. Right of access
You may request confirmation from the data controller as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed by us.

You also have the right to request information as to whether the personal data concerning you is transferred to a third country or to an international organization. In this context, you may request to be informed of the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR in connection with the transfer.

2. Right to rectification
You have the right to ask the data controller to rectify and/or complete the data, if the personal data processed concerning you is incorrect or incomplete. The data controller shall make the correction without delay.

3. Right to restriction of processing
Under the conditions laid down in the GDPR, you may request that the processing of personal data concerning you be restricted.

4. Right to erasure
You may request the controller to delete the personal data concerning you and the controller is obliged to delete such data immediately, unless an exception is provided for by law.

5. Right to data portability
You have the right to obtain your personal data, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, which you have provided to the controller and the processing of which is based on consent or on a contract with you.

In exercising this right, you also have the right to obtain that the personal data concerning you be transferred directly from one data controller to another, as far as this is technically feasible. The freedoms and rights of other persons must not be affected by this.

6. Right to withdraw your consent
You have the right to revoke your data protection declaration of consent at any time. Revocation of your consent does not affect the lawfulness of the processing that has taken place on the basis of your consent until revocation. This also applies to the revocation of declarations of consent that were issued to us prior to the validity of the GDPR, i. e. prior to 25 May 2018. In this case, all personal data stored on the basis of the consent will be deleted, unless the law provides another legal basis for further storage.

7. How to excercise your rights
To exercise your above rights, please contact us using the contact details given under point I or II.
If you want to revoke your consent regarding the Google services, you can change this setting here.
If you wish to revoke your consent to receive the newsletter, please use the unsubscribe link at the end of each newsletter.
Revocation of consent shall not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until revocation.

8. Right to object
You have the right to object at any time, for reasons arising from your particular situation, to the processing of personal data relating to you which is carried out pursuant to Article 6 paragraph 1 letter e) or f) GDPR, including profiling based on these provisions.
If the personal data concerning you are processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time, including profiling, insofar as it relates to such direct marketing. In the event of an objection, the personal data concerning you will no longer be processed for these purposes.
In order to declare your revocation, please contact us using the contact details given under point 1 or 2.

9. Right to complain to a supervisory authority
Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the member state in which you are resident, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you is in breach of the GDPR. The supervisory authority which the complaint has been lodged with shall inform the complainant of the status and outcome of the complaint, including the possibility of a judicial remedy under Art. 78 GDPR. To make it easier for you to assert your rights, you will find below the address of the supervisory authority responsible for us:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information North Rhine-Westphalia
PO Box 20 04 44
40102 Düsseldorf 
T: +49 211 38424 – 0
F: +49 211 38424 – 10
E-Mail: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

For an overview and contacts of all state data protection authorities and European Data Protection Commissioners, please visit here.