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Last updated: September 2025
The Honest Truth About Your Data
We’re not lawyers, and we don’t want to sound like them.
This privacy policy explains how we handle your personal information in plain English.
No corporate jargon, no hidden surprises – just the facts about what we do with your data and why.
The bottom line:
We only collect information we actually need, we protect it properly, and we never sell it to anyone. Ever.
Who We Are
HFBAC (Hiring For and Building Awesome Companies) helps startups and scale-ups build amazing teams. We’re based in the UK but work with companies and candidates globally.
Our contact details:
- Email: hello@hfbac.com
- Website: https://hfbac.com
- Address: Henleaze House Business Centre, 13 Harbury Road, Bristol, BS9 4PN
Data Protection Officer: Helen Sanders
What Information We Collect
If You’re a Company Looking to Hire
Basic contact information:
- Your name, email, phone number
- Company name and your role
- Company size and stage (seed, Series A, etc.)
- Industry and location
Hiring needs information:
- Roles you need to fill
- Team structure and culture
- Salary budgets and equity details
- Timeline and urgency
- Previous hiring challenges
Why we need this: To understand your needs and find the right people for your company. We can’t help you hire without knowing what you’re looking for.
If You’re a Candidate Looking for Work
Professional information:
- Your CV/resume and work history
- Skills, qualifications, and experience
- Salary expectations and availability
- Career goals and preferences
- References and contact details
Personal information:
- Name, email, phone number
- Location and willingness to relocate
- Right to work status
- LinkedIn and portfolio links
Assessment information:
- Interview notes and feedback
- Skills assessments and test results
- Cultural fit evaluations
- Reference check outcomes
Why we need this: To match you with the right opportunities and present you effectively to potential employers.
If You Just Visit Our Website
Automatically collected:
- IP address and location (city/country level)
- Browser type and device information
- Pages you visit and time spent
- How you found our website
- Cookies (see our Cookie Policy)
Why we collect this: To improve our website, understand what content is helpful, and ensure everything works properly.
How We Use Your Information
For Companies
Finding the right candidates:
- Searching our database for suitable matches
- Reaching out to potential candidates
- Presenting your opportunity to qualified people
- Coordinating interviews and assessments
Providing our service:
- Understanding your company culture and needs
- Advising on hiring strategy and market conditions
- Managing the recruitment process
- Supporting successful placements
For Candidates
Finding you opportunities:
- Matching you with suitable roles
- Presenting your profile to relevant companies
- Coordinating interviews and feedback
- Negotiating offers and terms
Career support:
- Providing market insights and advice
- Helping improve your CV and interview skills
- Keeping you informed about relevant opportunities
- Building long-term career relationships
For Everyone
Communication:
- Responding to your enquiries
- Sending relevant updates and opportunities
- Providing industry insights and content
- Improving our services based on feedback
Legal and business purposes:
- Complying with legal requirements
- Protecting against fraud and misuse
- Maintaining accurate records
- Resolving disputes if they arise
Who We Share Your Information With
We Share Information When Necessary
For candidates: We share your information with companies when presenting you for roles (with your permission)
For companies: We share your requirements with our team and trusted partners to find the best candidates
Service providers: We use trusted third parties for:
- Email marketing (SendFox)
- Customer relationship management
- Video calls and assessments (Zoom and Google Meet)
- Background checks and references (when authorised)
- Website analytics (Google Analytics)
Legal requirements: We’ll share information if required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights
We Never Share Information For
❌ Selling to marketing companies
❌ Spam or unsolicited marketing
❌ Unrelated business purposes
❌ Personal gain or profit
Your Rights and Choices
You Have Control
Access: Ask for a copy of all information we hold about you
Correction: Update or correct any inaccurate information
Deletion: Request we delete your information (with some exceptions)
Portability: Get your data in a format you can use elsewhere
Objection: Object to certain uses of your information
Restriction: Limit how we use your information
How to Exercise Your Rights
Email us: hello@hfbac.co.uk with your request
Be specific: Tell us exactly what you want us to do
Verify identity: We may need to confirm it’s really you
Response time: We’ll respond within 30 days (UK) or as required by local law
Special Rights for Candidates
Withdraw consent: You can stop us marketing your profile at any time
Update preferences: Change what types of roles you’re interested in
Pause your profile: Temporarily stop us presenting you for roles
Reference control: Choose who we can contact for references
Social Media Sharing Features
Plugin Provider: Heateor
Purpose: Enable sharing of our content to social media platforms
How It Works
When you use our social sharing buttons to share content:
- No Personal Data Tracking: The Heateor plugins we use do NOT track, collect, or store your personal information
- No Cookies: These plugins do not set any cookies on your device
- Direct Sharing: When you click a share button, you’re taken directly to the social media platform where you’re already logged in
- Your Control: Sharing is entirely optional and initiated by you
What Gets Shared
When you choose to share our content:
- The page URL and title you’re sharing
- Any public information visible on your chosen social media platform (controlled by your settings on that platform)
Social Media Platforms
We offer sharing options for platforms including:
Each platform has its own privacy policy governing how they handle shared content. We recommend reviewing their policies:
Your Rights
- You’re never required to use social sharing features
- We don’t receive any personal data from your use of these buttons
- You can share our content without creating an account or providing information to us
Questions?
If you have questions about our social sharing features, contact us at helen@hfbac.com
How We Protect Your Information
Security Measures
Technical protection:
- Encrypted data transmission (SSL certificates)
- Secure cloud storage with reputable providers
- Regular security updates and monitoring
- Access controls and authentication
- Regular backups and disaster recovery
Organisational protection:
- Staff training on data protection
- Clear policies and procedures
- Limited access on a need-to-know basis
- Regular review of security practices
- Incident response procedures
What We Can’t Guarantee
No system is 100% secure.
While we take reasonable precautions, we can’t guarantee absolute security.
We’ll notify you promptly if we discover any security breach affecting your information.
International Data Transfers
Global Recruitment
We work internationally, which means your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK/EU, including the United States.
Safeguards we use:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for EU transfers
- Adequacy decisions where available
- Privacy Shield successors for US transfers
- Contractual protections with all service providers
Your consent: By using our services, you consent to these transfers under appropriate safeguards.
How Long We Keep Your Information
Retention Periods
- Active candidates: While you’re actively looking for roles, plus 2 years
- Placed candidates: 7 years after placement (for reference and legal purposes)
- Unsuccessful candidates: 2 years after last contact (unless you ask us to delete sooner)
- Client companies: 7 years after last engagement (for business and legal purposes)
- Website visitors: Analytics data for 26 months
Why We Keep Information
- Legal requirements: Employment law requires certain records
- Reference purposes: Future employers may need references
- Relationship building: Long-term career and business relationships
- Service improvement: Understanding what works and what doesn’t
Deletion Process
- Automatic deletion: We regularly review and delete old information
- Manual requests: You can ask us to delete your information sooner
- Legal exceptions: Some information must be kept for legal compliance
- Anonymisation: We may keep anonymised data for analysis
Cookies and Website Tracking
What Cookies We Use
- Essential cookies: Make the website work properly
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how people use our site
- Marketing cookies: Remember your preferences and interests
- Social media cookies: Enable sharing and social features
- For full details: See our separate Cookie Policy
Your Cookie Choices
- Accept all: Get the full website experience
- Essential only: Basic functionality without tracking
- Custom settings: Choose which types you’re comfortable with
- Change anytime: Update your preferences in our cookie banner
Children’s Privacy
We don’t knowingly collect information from children under 16 (or 13 in the US). Our services are designed for working professionals and business owners.
If you’re under 16: Please don’t provide personal information without parental consent
If you’re a parent: Contact us if you believe we’ve collected your child’s information
Changes to This Policy
When We Update
We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings.
How we’ll notify you:
- Email notification for significant changes
- Website banner for minor updates
- Updated “last modified” date at the top
- Archive of previous versions available on request
Your continued use of our services after changes means you accept the updated policy.
US-Specific Privacy Rights
California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)
Additional rights under California law:
- Right to know what personal information we collect
- Right to delete personal information (with exceptions)
- Right to opt-out of sale (we don’t sell information)
- Right to non-discrimination for exercising rights
- Right to correct inaccurate information
- Right to limit use of sensitive personal information
How to exercise California rights: Email hello@hfbac.com with “California Privacy Request” in the subject line
Other US States
We comply with applicable state privacy laws including Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), and others as they take effect.
Your rights may include:
- Access to personal information
- Correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion of personal information
- Opt-out of targeted advertising
- Opt-out of profiling for decisions
Contact Us About Privacy
Get in Touch
- General privacy questions: hello@hfbac.com
- Data protection requests: Include “Privacy Request” in the subject line
- Complaints: We’ll investigate and respond promptly
- Response time: We aim to respond within 48 hours for urgent matters, 5 business days for general enquiries
Regulatory Complaints
- UK residents: You can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk
- EU residents: Contact your local data protection authority
- US residents: Contact relevant state attorney general or consumer protection agency
The HFBAC Promise
- We’re not perfect, but we’re honest. We’ll always tell you the truth about how we handle your information, and we’ll fix any mistakes quickly and transparently.
- Your trust matters more than our convenience. If you’re not comfortable with how we handle your data, tell us. We’d rather lose a process than lose your trust.
- Questions are welcome. If anything in this policy is unclear, confusing, or concerning, please ask. We’re here to help, not hide behind legal language.
This policy is written in plain English because we believe privacy shouldn’t be complicated. If you need clarification on anything, just ask.
