Privacy Policy

Accountability

Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s mission, in its simplest terms, is to be a voice for the earth. We work to protect and preserve the natural environment and to empower people to be stewards of the earth in their communities.

Sierra Club Canada Foundation is committed to protecting the privacy of all the individuals who support us in these efforts. We would not be able to carry out our work without the trust and confidence of our supporters. We strive to protect the privacy of our members and donors with secure online transaction processes, confidential membership processes, and abiding by our members’ wishes.

Collection of Personal Information

In order to fulfill our mandate, we collect the name, home address, home telephone number, and email address of our members and donors. The donors also have the option to provide us with their credit card information, fax number, gender, age, income level, and program interests. This information is collected through membership forms, telephone member/donor services and our website. Occasionally, information is also collected in person at events.

Purpose for Collecting Personal Information

We only collect personal information, by fair and lawful means, necessary to fulfill the identified purposes. Personal information is collected for the following purposes:

  • To maintain an accurate database.
  • To organize fundraising activities, including solicitations to donate by mail and email.
  • To provide charitable tax receipts for donations
  • To implement our program work.
  • To conduct internal surveys and focus groups.
  • To notify members, donors and others about Sierra Club Canada Foundation activities, through email action alerts, an email newsletter, print newsletter, brochures, reports, petitions, and website educational and awareness resources.

Demographic information may be collected to undertake targeted fundraising.

We obtain consent to use the personal information for purposes listed above at the time of collection of information. Members and donors have the option to decline use of their personal information used for any purpose listed above. To obtain a copy of the Consent Form, please contact us by email at privacy@sierraclub.ca, phone at 1-888-810-4204, or visit our website at www.sierraclub.ca.

Disclosure and Retention of Personal Information

Sierra Club Canada Foundation never trades or sells email addresses. We use them to provide members and donors with information. We do not sell or trade personal information of our members, donors and employees unless we have their consent.

We do sometimes use third party mailing house to mail our newsletter, or other mailings about Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s activities. In addition, credit card information, if provided by the member or donor, is shared with the bank or other online donor platforms. The third parties in these instances are contracted to comply with strict information privacy standards, including rules and guidelines of federal privacy legislation, and are required to destroy the information supplied after one use.

From time-to-time, we also contact members and donors for planned giving services or other third party fundraising organizations. Member or donor’s personal information will only be disclosed to a planned giving service if he or she agrees to participate in the plan and give specific consent to disclose their personal information.

The personal information of the members and donors is retained for an indefinite period and will be protected unless the member or donor requests the Sierra Club Canada Foundation to return or destroy certain or all their information.

Accuracy of Personal Information

We make every effort to accurately record all information. If you notice any errors or if your personal information has changed, please contact our Privacy Officer (coordinates are listed below) to update your file. We will take reasonable steps to amend the same information if it is in the possession of a third party.

Protection of Personal Information

Personal information is stored in our database. Electronic information stored in computers is password protected. Only a limited number of authorized Sierra Club Canada Foundation personnel have access to the secured personal information.

The donation page on the Sierra Club Canada Foundation website is encrypted, with a security certificate. The data collected on the website is transferred to a secure database, accessed only by password protection on a secure transmission line. Within this database, banking and credit card information is further encrypted and not visible to users.

All personal information contained in paper format is destroyed by shredding. Electronic information is destroyed by deletion. If the hardware is discarded, the hard drive will be cleaned and destroyed.

“Cookies” are bits of information sent to your computer from a website through your browser program. Cookies help you access pages faster and allow our server to recognize you as you move from page to page. If you choose not to accept cookies, some sections of our site may not be available to you. Sierra Club Canada Foundation reads cookies specifically written for our website and does not use cookies to track a user’s internet history on other sites.

Access to Personal Information

Sierra Club Canada’s Foundation’s Privacy Policy is available to anyone interested. It is available on the website (www.sierraclub.ca), or a hard copy can be obtained by contacting the Privacy Officer.

Members and donors are entitled to access to their personal information which is in the possession of Sierra Club Canada Foundation. If a member or donor wants to see their personal information, they are welcome to contact the Privacy Officer. We will provide access to personal information (some exceptions might apply) and provide any assistance required in understanding the nature of personal information that is in our possession. There is no cost to gain access to personal information.

We may ask that the member or donor put their request in writing. If we are unable to give access, we will inform the member or donor within 30 days, in writing, with the reasons for not giving access.

If a member or donor wishes to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, they may do so in writing to the attention of the Privacy Officer. The Privacy Officer will acknowledge receipt of the complaint, and ensure that it is investigated promptly and that the member or donor is provided with a formal decision and reasons in writing.

Google Analytics

Some Sierra Club Canada Foundation websites use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics uses cookies to help us to analyse how users use Sierra Club Canada Foundation sites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of our sites (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of our sites, compiling reports on website activity for us and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of Sierra Club Canada Foundation. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Assuring Compliance with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

CASL regulates all commercial electronic messages (CEM) sent or received in Canada. All CEM sent by SCCF will:

  1. Be sent only to recipients that meet our opt-in requirements (details below),
  2. Include an unsubscribe mechanism that works within 10 days, and
  3. Include contact for SCCF including our full name, mailing address and either phone, email or website.

SCCF communications will go only to recipients that express or imply consent, in accordance with CASL. Consent to receive communications may be collected verbally or in writing and includes activities like donating or volunteering for the organization. Implied consent ends when a person unsubscribes or requests limitations on CEM.

SCCF trains its staff and volunteers representing the organization on best practices related to requesting, maintaining and implementing consent for CEM based on the CASL standards.

Policy Updates and Changes

Due to the fast-changing nature of online technologies, Sierra Club Canada Foundation may change this policy from time to time. Changes may occur without warning and they will be reflected on this page.

Further Inquiries

Your privacy is important to us. If you have any questions about Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s Privacy Policy or concerns about the way personal information is being used, please contact our Privacy Officer at the National Office.

Privacy Officer
Sierra Club Canada Foundation,National Office
PO Box 2007 STN B Ottawa ON
K1P 5W3

Tel: (613) 241-4611
Toll free: 1-888-810-4204
Email: privacy@sierraclub.ca
Web: www.sierraclub.ca

This policy is made under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

Further information on privacy and your rights in regard to your personal information may be obtained from the Privacy Commissioner at:

Privacy Commissioner of Canada 112 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H3

Tel: (613) 995-8210
Toll-Free: 1-800-282-1376
Fax: (613) 947-6859
TTY: (613) 992-9190
Email: info@privcom.gc.ca
Web: www.privcom.gc.ca