Privacy Policy Statement

SME ReachOut is committed to fully complying with the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. To this end, we ensure that all our staff implement the strictest security and confidentiality standards.

We understand your concerns regarding security and personal privacy. Therefore, we attach great importance to protecting the privacy of our website users so that you can browse our website with peace of mind. This Privacy Policy Statement is intended to explain what information we collect from you, how this information will be used, and our related security policies.

Collection and Use of Personal Data

In general, we do not collect your personal data, and you are not required to register to obtain any information from the SME ReachOut website.

Like many other websites, we automatically record your visit information through “cookies.” A cookie is a small data structure sent to your computer to record that you have visited our website and to identify you upon future visits. These cookies may be stored permanently on your computer, but they are harmless. You can disable these cookies, though doing so may affect your browsing experience on our website. The information we collect through cookies includes the type and version of the web browser you use, your computer’s operating system, Internet Protocol (IP) address, and server domain name. This collected information is used by SME ReachOut solely for compiling general statistics on website traffic and usage. We do not collect your personal data unless you explicitly provide it to us.

However, when applying for certain services on this website, we may request that you voluntarily provide certain personal data, including your name, phone number, residential address, email address, fax number, credit card number, issuing bank name, and credit card expiration date. The purpose of collecting this personal data will be detailed on each webpage requesting your information. Refusal to provide personal data may result in SME ReachOut being unable to process your request.

From time to time, we may use the personal data you provide to send you promotional materials regarding our services. If you do not wish to receive these promotional materials, please click the unsubscribe link in the email or write to SME ReachOut, HKPC Building, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon, to notify us to stop sending promotional information.

When you make inquiries, complaints, or provide feedback to us via email, we will record your personal data to take appropriate action or for future follow-up.

Personal Data Security

We take personal data security very seriously. Our general policy is never to disclose any personal data to any third party unless required by law or with your prior consent. Once personal data is stored on the SME ReachOut website, it can only be accessed by authorized employees. Our online ordering process uses SET and SSL+ encryption standards for data transmission to ensure your personal data is properly protected. We also provide guidance on this Privacy Policy to employees who handle personal data from time to time to ensure strict compliance.

Disclosure and Distribution of Personal Data

Our general policy is to keep all personal data strictly confidential unless permitted or required by law.

Personal data collected by SME ReachOut will only be used for the specific purposes stated at the time of collection. These purposes include, but are not limited to, registration applications, compilation of statistical data, and other related matters. We may also provide such data to authorized persons who process the data for these specified purposes.

We will never distribute any of your personal data to other companies or organizations without your consent. However, in the course of operations, we may sometimes need to disclose relevant data to the following parties:

1. Any person, agent, consultant, auditor, contractor, or service provider who provides services or advice to SME ReachOut in connection with our business operations;
2. Technical personnel who assist us in designing the website;
3. Persons to whom SME ReachOut is required to make disclosure under applicable laws within or outside Hong Kong.

You should also note that since we have no binding authority over the actions of third parties, the privacy protection practices described in this Privacy Policy Statement do not apply to data that has been transferred to third parties in the course of providing services, and SME ReachOut assumes no responsibility for whether such third parties protect privacy.

Data Retention

SME ReachOut may retain personal data for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy Statement.

Access to and Correction of Personal Data

Under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, you have the right to check whether SME ReachOut holds your personal data and to access such data, or to request that we correct any inaccuracies in your data.

Any such requests can be made in writing to: Senior Manager, SME ReachOut, HKPC Building, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon, or by sending an email to sme_reachout@hkpc.org.

SME ReachOut may charge a reasonable fee for processing any data inquiries.

Hypertext Links

This Privacy Policy Statement applies only to this website. If you click on any advertisement or a hypertext link to another website, you will leave this website and connect to another URL. SME ReachOut is not responsible for the privacy, security policies, or content of such websites, and you should refer to the relevant privacy policies of those websites.

Updates

SME ReachOut reserves the right to make amendments, changes, or modifications to this Privacy Policy Statement. This includes, at our sole discretion, updating this Privacy Policy Statement from time to time or posting or inserting notices on specific pages of this website. Please remember to visit our website periodically to review any amendments to the Privacy Policy Statement and to understand the impact of these amendments on your use of the website. Your continued use of the website constitutes your acceptance of such amendments.

Governing Law

This Privacy Policy Statement is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

English and Chinese Versions

This Privacy Policy Statement is established in English with a Chinese translation. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the English and Chinese versions, the English version shall prevail.