This document sets out full information about data the Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS) holds about individuals.  If you would like to know about data GGCS may be holding about you, please read this document.

Who we are and how to contact us

The GGCS tracks green gas, primarily biomethane, through the supply chain to provide certainty for those that buy it. The GGCS issues a Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin (RGGO) for each kWh of green gas injected which can then be traded and sold to a gas consumer.
You can find full details about the GGCS on this website.  
The GGCS is administered by Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Renewable Energy Association Ltd (www.r-e-a.net).  
The GGCS Data Protection Officer is Jesse Scharf. He can be contacted at privacy@greengas.org.uk.  
Please note that all data about individuals will be processed in accordance with the requirements of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The data we hold about individuals

In certain circumstances we hold data about individuals during the course of carrying out our role administering the GGCS.  We hold this data to assist us in managing your participation in the Scheme, dealing with your inquiries and requests, and administering our records.
All the data about individuals we hold, such as your name, address, telephone number and email address, has been submitted to us by you in one of the following ways:

• by email, telephone or post, as part of the information we require from organisations wishing to participate in the Scheme (held on the CRM database, on file and on our central server);
• by email, telephone or post, during enquiries we receive from parties interested in joining the scheme or learning more about Green Gas (held on the CRM database, on file and on our central server);

We occasionally issue session cookies when strictly necessary for the operation of the website. You can find out more about what cookies are, how to control them and delete them
here:www.aboutcookies.org.  You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website. (Third party services such as Google Maps, Twitter and Facebook may also issue cookies.)
We use Google Analytics, which will issue cookies to help track how visitors use our website, this helps us monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not, and help us provide a better website. These do not hold any personal information. Further information on Google Analytics and Privacy can be found here:www.google.co.uk/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html
We may employ a tracking function within any newsletters we send so that we can monitor at an individual level whether a recipient has opened the email and what content they have clicked on. We only send our newsletter to recipients who have signed up to receive it. Recipients are able to easily unsubscribe from the newsletter if they no longer wish to receive it.
The GGCS website may contain links to other websites of interest. Once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over the other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

The purpose for which we hold data about individuals

All the data we hold about individuals has been provided to us by you. We hold this data in order to deliver the services you have requested from us. We do not use your data for any purpose other than that for which you have provided it to us. We will never use the data you have provided us with for marketing purposes, nor will we pass it on to any third parties for marketing purposes.
For the most part the data we hold relates to individuals who are our points of contact at organisations participating in the Scheme. We also hold information on individuals who have expressed an interest in participating in the Scheme, have requested information about the Green Gas sector, who provide services to the Scheme or are partners we work with.

The rights of individuals (data subjects) about whom we hold data

As an individual you have the right to ask us:

• whether we are holding any data about you and if so what data we are holding
• for a copy of any data we are holding about you
• to rectify any incorrect data we are holding about you
• to delete the data we are holding about you if you no longer want us to hold it
• not to use your data other than for the purpose you provided it to us for
• to change the details of any consent you may have given at any time in writing for us to share your data with a specified third party.

To ask us any of these things you should send an email to privacy@greengas.org.uk. We will respond to your email within 14 days of receiving it.
Finally, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office should you have reason to consider that GGCS has breached the policy set out in this statement or the regulations which underpin it in any way, here: www.ico.org.uk.

The circumstances in which we share and transfer the data we hold about individuals

Scheme Participants have the opportunity to share their contact details with other Scheme
Participants via the GGCS Registration Database. It will always be your choice whether you consent to us sharing your data, with whom and for what purpose. You will be obliged to opt-in in writing or online in order to give any consent. We may disclose your data if we are required to do so by law, or in order to enforce our own legal rights.
All Scheme Participants will have signed a letter agreement which includes clauses relating to confidentially. If you are a Scheme Participants (a Gas Producer or a Gas Supplier) or an Associate Member and are unsure of what is included in those clauses please send an email to privacy@greengas.org.uk.
We will not under any circumstances transfer your data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Given that, holding data about individuals on the internet, which is a global environment, means that it may be processed outside the EEA. If this were to be the case, the data will always be held securely and in line with the requirements of UK data protection legislation. 

The basis on which we hold and protect data about individuals

Where we process personal data from individuals who are employees or representatives of Scheme Participants the lawful basis for that processing is contractual. This processing is necessary for us to administer the Scheme in an efficient manner, ensuring that participants are able to access the Registration Database and are kept informed about Scheme developments. 
We may process some personal data on the basis that individual has consented to receive communication from the Scheme. Such persons may withdraw their consent at any time.
We will delete any data we hold about individuals after 10 years unless you request in writing within that time to continue to hold your data.
The GGCS website, the Registration Database and the GGCS CRM database are all protected and have a high level of security. We are committed to ensuring that your data is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we hold.

How individuals will know if we decide to change this Privacy Policy

Should we decide to change this Privacy Policy statement in any way we will put a notice on our website to inform you of the changes and what their significance could be for you. We will also make this information available in any emails we send out to individuals who could be affected.
This Privacy Policy statement was adopted on February 21st 2024. There is a version control number at the start of the document so that you can easily trace any amendments which have been made to it and when.

Previous Versions

Version 1.1 of our privacy policy was in force from 2011 until May 2018. It can be found here.
Version 1.2 of our privacy policy was in force from 2018 until February 2024. It can be found here.