Online Privacy Statement

Privacy policy for the website

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you about data protection in our company and on this website. SGS Austria Controll-Co. Ges.m.b.H., together with its subsidiaries and group companies of the SGS Austria Group (hereinafter collectively referred to as "the company", "we" or "us"), to which we also belong, take the protection of your personal data seriously.

Within the scope of data protection responsibility resulting from the entry into force of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679; hereinafter: "GDPR"), there are specific obligations to ensure the protection of personal data of the data subject (we also refer to you as the data subject as "customer", "user", "you" or "data subject") affected by processing.

Insofar as we decide, either alone or jointly with others, on the purposes and means of data processing, this includes, in particular, the obligation to inform you transparently about the nature, scope, purpose, duration and legal basis of the processing (cf. Articles 13 and 14 GDPR). With this declaration (hereinafter: "data protection information"), we inform you about how we process your personal data.

Our data protection information consists of a general section covering all processing of personal data and processing situations that arise each time a website is accessed (A. General information) and a specific section whose content relates only to the processing situation specified there with the name of the respective offer or product, in particular the visit to websites as described in more detail here (B. Visiting websites).

A. General

(1) Definitions

Based on Art. 4 GDPR, this privacy policy is based on the following definitions:

• "Personal data" (Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR) is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ("data subject"). A person is identifiable if they can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by association with an identifier such as a name, an identification number, an online identifier, location data or by reference to their physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity characteristics. Identifiability may also be given by linking such information or other additional knowledge ( ). The origin, form or embodiment of the information is irrelevant (photos, video or audio recordings may also contain personal data).
• "Processing" (Art. 4 No. 2 GDPR) is any operation involving personal data, whether or not with the aid of automated (i.e. technology-based) procedures. This includes, in particular, the collection (i.e. procurement), recording, organising, structuring, storing, adapting or altering, retrieving, consulting, using, disclosing by transmission, disseminating or otherwise making available, aligning, combining, restricting, erasing or destroying personal data, as well as changing the original purpose or purpose for which the data was processed.
• "Controller" (Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR) is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
• "Third party" (Art. 4 No. 10 GDPR) is any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body other than the data subject, the controller, the processor and the persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or processor, are authorised to process personal data; this also includes other legal entities belonging to the group.
• A "processor" (Art. 4 No. 8 GDPR) is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body that processes personal data on behalf of the controller, in particular in accordance with the controller's instructions (e.g. IT service providers). In terms of data protection law, a processor is not a third party.
• "Consent" (Art. 4 No. 11 GDPR) of the data subject means any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her.

(2) Name and address of the controller

The controller responsible for the processing of your personal data within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR is:

SGS Austria Controll-Co. Ges.m.b.H.
Grünbergstrasse 15
Vienna, 1120 Austria
Email: sgs.austria@sgs.com
Contact form

For further information about our company, please refer to the legal notice on our website.

(3) Contact details of the data protection officer

You can send enquiries about data protection to the following email address: privacy.de@sgs.com. Our data protection information can be found at https://www.sgs.com/de-de/datenschutz-bei-sgs

(4) Legal basis for data processing

By law, any processing of personal data is prohibited in principle and is only permitted if the data processing falls under one of the following justifications:

• Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR ("Consent"): Where the data subject has given his or her consent freely, in an informed manner and unambiguously by means of a statement or other unequivocal affirmative action to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes;
• Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract;
• Art. 6 (1)(c) GDPR: If processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject (e.g. a statutory retention obligation);
• Art. 6 (1)(d) GDPR: If processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person;
• Art. 6 (1)(e) GDPR: If processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller; or
• Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR ("legitimate interests"): If processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which are likely to result in the protection of personal data (especially where the data subject is a child).

The storage of information in the end user's terminal equipment or access to information already stored in the terminal equipment is only permitted if it is covered by one of the following justifications:

• Section 25 (1) of the Act on Data Protection and Privacy in Telecommunications and Digital Services (Telecommunications-Digital Services-Data Protection Act – TDDDG): If the end user has given their consent on the basis of clear and comprehensive information. Consent must be given in accordance with Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR;
• Section 25 (2) No. 1 TDDDG: If the sole purpose is to carry out the transmission of a message via a public telecommunications network, or
• Section 25 (2) No. 2 TDDDG: If storage or access is absolutely necessary for the provider of a telemedia service to be able to provide a telemedia service expressly requested by the user.
• We specify the applicable legal basis for each of the processing operations we carry out below. Processing may also be based on several legal bases.

(5) Data deletion and storage period

For the processing operations we carry out, we specify below how long the data is stored by us and when it is deleted or blocked. Unless an explicit storage period is specified below, your personal data will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose or legal basis for storage no longer applies. Your data will only be stored on our servers in Germany, subject to any transfer in accordance with the provisions in A. (7) and A. (8).

However, storage may continue beyond the specified period in the event of an (imminent) legal dispute with you or other legal proceedings, or if storage is required by legal regulations to which we are subject as the controller (e.g. Section 257 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), Section 147 of the German Fiscal Code (AO)). When the storage period prescribed by law expires, the personal data will be blocked or deleted, unless further storage by us is necessary and there is a legal basis for this.

(6) Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your data against accidental or intentional manipulation, partial or complete loss, destruction or unauthorised access by third parties (e.g. TLS encryption for our website), taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, context and purpose of the processing as well as the existing risks of a data breach (including its likelihood and impact) for the data subject. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.

We will be happy to provide you with further information on request. Please contact our data protection officer (see A.(3)).

(7) Cooperation with processors

As with any large company, we also use external domestic and foreign service providers to conduct our business transactions (e.g. in the areas of IT, logistics, telecommunications, sales and marketing). These service providers only act on our instructions and are contractually obliged to comply with data protection regulations within the meaning of Art. 28 GDPR.

If your personal data is passed on by us to our subsidiaries or by our subsidiaries to us (e.g. for advertising purposes), this is done on the basis of existing data processing agreements.

(8) Conditions for the transfer of personal data to third countries

Within the scope of our business relationships, your personal data may be transferred to or disclosed to third-party companies. These may also be located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. in third countries. Such processing is carried out exclusively for the purpose of fulfilling contractual and business obligations and maintaining your business relationship with us (the legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (b) or (f) in conjunction with Art. 44 ff. GDPR). We will inform you about the respective details of the transfer below in the relevant sections.

The European Commission certifies that some third countries have data protection standards comparable to those of the EEA through so-called adequacy decisions (a list of these countries and a copy of the adequacy decisions can be found here. In other third countries to which personal data may be transferred, however, there may not be a consistently high level of data protection due to a lack of legal provisions. Where this is the case, we ensure that data protection is adequately guaranteed. This is possible through binding corporate rules, standard contractual clauses of the European Commission for the protection of personal data in accordance with Art. 46 (1), (2) (c) GDPR (the standard contractual clauses of 2021 are available here), certificates or recognised codes of conduct. Please contact our data protection officer (see A. (3)) if you would like more information on this.

(9) No automated decision-making (including profiling)

We do not intend to use personal data collected from you for automated decision-making (including profiling).

(10) No obligation to provide personal data

We do not make the conclusion of contracts with us dependent on you providing us with personal data in advance. As a customer, you are generally not under any legal or contractual obligation to provide us with your personal data; however, we may only be able to provide certain offers to a limited extent or not at all if you do not provide the necessary data. If this should exceptionally be the case in relation to the products we offer, as presented below, you will be notified separately.

(11) Legal obligation to transfer certain data

We may be subject to a specific legal or regulatory obligation to provide lawfully processed personal data to third parties, in particular public authorities (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR).

(12) Your rights

You can assert your rights as a data subject with regard to your processed personal data at any time by contacting us using the contact details provided in A. (2) above. As a data subject, you have the right to:

• request information about your data processed by us in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR. In particular, you can request information about the purposes of processing, the category of data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, deletion, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right of appeal, the origin of your data if it was not collected by us, and the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling and, where applicable, meaningful information about its details;
• to request the immediate rectification of inaccurate data or the completion of your data stored by us in accordance with Art. 16 GDPR;
• to request the erasure of your data stored by us in accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
• to request the restriction of the processing of your data in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR, unless the accuracy of the data is disputed by you or the processing is unlawful;
• pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR, to receive the data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to request its transfer to another controller ("data portability");
• to object to the processing in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR, provided that the processing is based on Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR. This is particularly the case if the processing is not necessary for the performance of a contract with you. Unless it is an objection to direct marketing, we ask you to explain the reasons why we should not process your data as we have done when exercising such an objection. In the event of your justified objection, we will examine the situation and either stop or adjust the data processing or point out to you our compelling legitimate grounds on the basis of which we will continue the processing;
• in accordance with Art. 7 (3) GDPR, your consent once given (even before the GDPR came into force, i.e. before 25 May 2018) – i.e. your voluntary, informed and unambiguous declaration of intent, made clear by a statement or other unequivocal affirmative action, that you consent to the processing of the personal data concerned for one or more specific purposes – at any time, if you have given such consent. As a result, we will no longer be permitted to continue processing data based on this consent in the future and
• in accordance with Art. 77 GDPR, to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority about the processing of your personal data in our company, for example with the data protection supervisory authority responsible for us.
• A list of supervisory authorities (for the non-public sector) with addresses can be found here.

(13) Changes to the data protection information

As part of the ongoing development of data protection law and technological or organisational changes, our data protection information is regularly reviewed for the need for adjustments or additions. You will be informed of any changes in particular on our German website. This data protection information is current as of February 2026.

B. Visiting websites

(1) Explanation of function

Information about our companies and the services we offer can be found in particular here and the associated subpages (hereinafter collectively referred to as "websites"). When you visit our websites, your personal data may be processed.

(2) Processed personal data

When you use the websites for informational purposes, we collect, store and process the following categories of personal data:

"Log data": When you visit our websites, a so-called log data record (so-called server log files) is stored temporarily and anonymously on our web server. This consists of: 

• the page from which the page was requested (so-called referrer URL)
• the name and URL of the requested page
• the date and time of the request
• the description of the type, language and version of the web browser used
• the IP address of the requesting computer, which is shortened so that it can no longer be traced back to a specific person
• the amount of data transferred
• the operating system
• the notification of whether the call was successful (access status/HTTP status code)
• the GMT time zone difference

"Contact form data": When contact forms are used, the data transmitted via these forms is processed (e.g. gender, surname and first name, address, company, email address and the time of transmission).

In addition to the purely informational use of our website, we offer a subscription to our newsletter, which informs you about current developments in commercial law and events. If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect, store and process the following "newsletter data":

• the page from which the page was requested (so-called referrer URL)
• the date and time of the request
• the description of the type of web browser used
• the IP address of the requesting computer, which is shortened so that it can no longer be traced back to a specific person
• the e-mail address
• the date and time of registration and confirmation

Please note that we evaluate your user behaviour when sending the newsletter. For this evaluation, the emails sent contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, which are single-pixel image files stored on our website. For the evaluations, we link the above-mentioned data and the web beacons to your email address and an individual ID. Links contained in the newsletter also contain this ID. The data is collected exclusively in pseudonymised form, i.e. the IDs are not linked to your other personal data, and direct personal references are excluded.

(3) Purpose and legal basis of data processing

We process the personal data specified above in accordance with the provisions of the GDPR, other relevant data protection regulations and only to the extent necessary. Insofar as the processing of personal data is based on Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR, the purposes mentioned also represent our legitimate interests.

The processing of log data serves statistical purposes and the improvement of the quality of our website, in particular the stability and security of the connection (the legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (a) or (f) GDPR).

Contact form data is processed for the purpose of handling customer enquiries (legal basis is Art. 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR).

Newsletter data is processed for the purpose of sending the newsletter. By subscribing to our newsletter, you consent to the processing of your personal data (legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). We use the double opt-in procedure for registration for our newsletter. This means that after you register, we will send an email to the email address you provided, asking you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter. The purpose of this procedure is to verify your registration and, if necessary, to clarify any possible misuse of your personal data. You can revoke your consent to receive the newsletter at any time and unsubscribe from the newsletter. You can revoke your consent by clicking on the link provided in every newsletter email or by sending a message to the contact details provided in the legal notice.

If the processing of the data requires the storage of information in your terminal equipment or access to information already stored in the terminal equipment, EU Directive 2009/136/EC provides the legal basis for this.

(4) Duration of data processing

Your data will only be processed for as long as is necessary to achieve the above-mentioned processing purposes; the legal bases specified in the context of the processing purposes apply accordingly. With regard to the use and storage period of cookies, please refer to point A.(5) and the cookie policy.

Third parties employed by us will store your data on their systems for as long as is necessary in connection with the provision of services for us in accordance with the respective order.

Further details on the storage period can be found under A.(5) and in the cookie policy.

(5) Transfer of personal data to third parties; legal basis

The following categories of recipients, which are usually processors (see A.(7)), may have access to your personal data:

• Service providers for the operation of our website and the processing of data stored or transmitted by the systems (e.g. for data centre services, payment processing, IT security). The legal basis for the transfer is then Art. 6 (1) (b) or (f) GDPR, unless they are processors;
• Government agencies/authorities, insofar as this is necessary to fulfil a legal obligation. The legal basis for the transfer is then Art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR;
• Persons employed to carry out our business operations (e.g. auditors, banks, insurance companies, legal advisors, supervisory authorities, parties involved in company acquisitions or the establishment of joint ventures). The legal basis for the transfer is then Art. 6 (1) (b) or (f) GDPR.

For information on ensuring an adequate level of data protection when transferring data to third countries, see A.(8).

Furthermore, we only transfer your personal data to third parties if you have given your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR.

(6) Use of cookies, plugins and other services on our website

a) Cookies

We use cookies on our websites. Cookies are small text files that are assigned to and stored on your hard drive by the browser you are using via a characteristic string of characters and through which certain information flows to the entity that sets the cookie. Cookies cannot execute programmes or transfer viruses to your computer and therefore cannot cause any damage. They serve to make the Internet offering more user-friendly and effective overall, i.e. more pleasant for you.

Cookies may contain data that enables the device used to be recognised. In some cases, however, cookies only contain information about certain settings that cannot be traced back to a specific person. Cookies cannot directly identify a user.

A distinction is made between session cookies, which are deleted as soon as you close your browser, and permanent cookies, which are stored beyond the individual session. In terms of their function, cookies are divided into:

• Technical cookies: These are essential for navigating the website, using basic functions and ensuring the security of the website; they do not collect information about you for marketing purposes or store which websites you have visited.
• Performance cookies: These collect information about how you use our website, which pages you visit and, for example, whether errors occur when using the website; they do not collect any information that could identify you – all information collected is anonymous and is only used to improve our website and find out what interests our users;
• Advertising cookies, targeting cookies: These are used to offer website users tailored advertising on the website or offers from third parties and to measure the effectiveness of these offers; advertising and targeting cookies are stored for a maximum of 13 months;
• Sharing cookies: These are used to improve the interactivity of our website with other services (e.g. social networks); sharing cookies are stored for a maximum of 13 months.

The legal basis for cookies that are strictly necessary to provide you with the service you have expressly requested is EU Directive 2009/136/EC. Any use of cookies that is not technically necessary for this purpose constitutes data processing that is only permitted with your express and active consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR in conjunction with EU Directive 2009/136/EC. This applies in particular to the use of performance, advertising, targeting or sharing cookies. Furthermore, we only pass on your personal data processed by cookies to third parties if you have given your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR.

b) Cookie policy

For more information about which cookies we use and how you can manage your cookie settings and disable certain types of tracking, please see our cookie policy.

c) Social media plugins

If our websites contain icons from social media providers (e.g. from LinkedIn), we use these solely for passive linking to the pages of the respective providers.