Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Privacy

Design Nordic respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you interact with our website and educational services. We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Finnish data protection laws. By using our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you interact with our services, we may collect:

• • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
• • Account Information: Username, password, and profile details when you register for courses
• • Communication Data: Messages sent through contact forms, emails, or chat features
• • Payment Information: Billing details and transaction history for course enrollment
• • Educational Data: Course progress, assignments, portfolio work, and feedback

Automatically Collected Information

• • Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and time spent on site
• • Cookie Data: Preferences and session information as detailed in our Cookie Policy
• • Analytics Data: Behavioral patterns, navigation paths, and feature usage metrics

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

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  Service Delivery: Providing educational courses, processing enrollments, managing your account, and delivering course materials
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  Communication: Responding to inquiries, sending course updates, sharing educational resources, and providing customer support
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  Improvement: Analyzing website usage, enhancing user experience, developing new features, and improving course content
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  Marketing: Sending promotional materials about courses and events (with your consent, which you can withdraw anytime)
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  Legal Compliance: Meeting tax obligations, maintaining business records, and complying with regulatory requirements

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we process your personal data based on:

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  Consent: For marketing communications and optional cookies
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  Contract: To provide educational services you've enrolled in
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  Legitimate Interest: For business operations, analytics, and service improvement
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  Legal Obligation: For tax compliance and regulatory requirements

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with:

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  Service Providers: Payment processors, email services, hosting providers, and analytics platforms that help us operate our business
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  Partner Companies: When you participate in collaborative projects, limited information may be shared with partner organizations
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  Legal Authorities: When required by law or to protect our rights and safety

All third parties are required to maintain data security and use information only for specified purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:

• • Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols
• • Secure storage on protected servers with access controls
• • Regular security assessments and updates
• • Staff training on data protection practices
• • Breach notification procedures within 72 hours if required

While we take security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data for different periods depending on the purpose:

• • Contact Form Data: 3 years from submission
• • Student Records: 5 years from course completion
• • Financial Records: 7 years as required by Finnish law
• • Marketing Data: Until consent is withdrawn
• • Analytics Data: Typically 24 months

After retention periods expire, data is securely deleted or anonymized.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

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  Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal data we hold
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  Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
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  Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations)
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  Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
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  Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
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  Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing or optional data processing at any time
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  Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with the Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman or other supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below. We will respond within one month.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored and processed within the European Economic Area (EEA). When we use service providers outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions recognized by the European Commission. We ensure all international transfers comply with GDPR requirements.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the "Last Updated" date and, for material changes, by email or prominent website notice. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.