Candidate Privacy Information Statement 

Welcome to The Adecco Group.

This Candidate Privacy Information Statement (“Statement”) explains how Personal Data is collected, used, shared, retained and protected specifically in connection with our Executive Search activities.

Our Executive Search process may include proactive identification and sourcing, talent mapping, candidate approach and relationship management, assessment, shortlisting, reference activity and engagement for executive and leadership opportunities within The Adecco Group . Candidate information may be collected directly from you, from publicly available professional sources, through referrals, or during recruitment and assessment processes.

The Adecco Group uses Invenias as its Executive Search and candidate relationship management platform (“Platform”) to support candidate records, search assignments, talent pools, workflows and communications.

This Platform is operated by Adecco Group AG, a company registered under the laws of Switzerland with registered address at Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland. Access rights are strictly limited to an authorized group of Executive Search Team Members and the relevant Group Hiring Team Members with a legitimate business or hiring need

The Adecco Group is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Statement describes your privacy rights in relation to the information about you that we process, as well as the steps we take to protect your privacy.

Executive Search - privacy at a glance

This summary is intended to make the key points easy to find. The detailed sections that follow provide the full information.

Who this Statement covers	Individuals considered or engaged as candidate in connection with Executive Search and leadership recruitment activities.
What we collect	Professional identity and contact details; CV/profile information; employment, education and credentials; interview, assessment and reference information; communications; preferences; public professional information; and where lawful, limited sensitive information.
Where information comes from	From you directly; recruitment and assessment processes; referrals and professional contacts; and publicly available professional sources such as LinkedIn, company websites, biographies, industry publications and conference materials.
Why we use it	To identify, assess, approach and recruit candidates; manage Executive Search assignments and talent pools; communicate about relevant opportunities; conduct assessments and references; support talent mapping and succession planning; improve processes; and meet legal, security and business requirements.
Executive Search platform	Invenias (a Bullhorn, Inc. solution) is used to manage candidate data, search assignments, talent pools, workflows and communications.
How long we keep it	Only as long as necessary for the purposes described and applicable requirements. Where consent is required for ongoing talent pooling, it is typically requested for 12 months and up to a maximum of 24 months, subject to local requirements.
Your rights	Depending on applicable law, rights may include access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability and withdrawal of consent. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection authority.
Contact	globalprivacy@adeccogroup.com | Adecco Group AG, Executive Search, Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.

1. Scope and Executive Search context

This Statement applies to the processing of Personal Data in connection with The Adecco Group’s Executive Search activities. It is intended for individuals who are identified, approached, assessed, considered or engaged as candidates for executive and leadership opportunities.

Candidate / you. The individual whose Personal Data is processed in connection with Executive Search activities.

We / us / the Company. Adecco Group AG, with registered office at Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland, unless a different Adecco Group entity is identified as responsible under applicable law for a specific processing activity.

The Adecco Group. Adecco Group AG and its affiliated companies and business lines, which provide talent, HR and related services in multiple countries.

Personal Data. Any information relating, directly or indirectly, to an identified or identifiable individual (a natural person, also referred to as a data subject). In some jurisdictions, this concept is referred to as “personal information”. Personal Data may include factual information, as well as opinions, evaluations and assessments about an individual whether in a personal or professional context.

2. What Personal Data do we use in Executive Search?

We collect and use personal data to properly handle the relationship between you and us, which we have grouped together as follows (without limitation):

• Identity and professional contact information. Name, professional title, employer, business contact details and other identifying information.
• Candidate materials. Information contained in your CV or résumé, biography, executive profile and other materials provided or obtained for recruitment purposes.
• Career and qualification information. Employment history, education, qualifications, professional credentials, achievements, skills, sector expertise, leadership experience and career progression.
• Recruitment and assessment information. Information obtained during interviews, assessments, reference checks and executive evaluation processes,including assessment results and candidate evaluation data.
• Feedback and professional opinions. Feedback and evaluations provided by interviewers, assessors, references and relevant hiring stakeholders.
• Correspondence and communications exchanged with you in connection with Executive Search activities.
• Opportunity and preference information. Information about relevant search assignments, location and mobility preferences, availability and, where voluntarily provided and permitted by law, compensation expectations.
• Referral and networking information. Information received through referrals, recommendations, networking activities and professional contacts.
• Public professional information. Information from publicly available professional sources, including LinkedIn, company websites, corporate biographies, industry publications, conference materials and similar sources.
• Recruitment accommodations. Information about accommodations required during the recruitment process, where permitted by applicable law.
• Technical Data means internet protocol (IP) addresses from which you access our or others’ products and services, cookies (as set out in our Cookies Policy), your login data (such as the time, date and duration), the browser type and version you use to access our websites, Platform, apps, and products and services, weblogs, traffic data, the time zone setting of your device and your device location, browser plug-in types and versions that you used, other communication data, the resources that you access on our websites, apps and products and services, the operating system and platform type of the device you use, and details of other technology on the devices you use to access this website.

Sensitive Personal Data. In limited circumstances, we may ask for information that is considered sensitive or special-category data under applicable law, for example information relating to disability and required accommodations, or demographic information such as gender, race or ethnic origin. We will only collect and use such information where permitted by law and will handle it in accordance with this Statement and any additional notice provided at the point of collection.

3. Where does Executive Search information come from?

We may obtain Personal Data from one or more of the following sources:

• Directly from you, including through your CV, executive profile, correspondence, (video) interviews, assessments and other interactions with the Executive Search team.
• Referrals, recommendations, networking activities and professional contacts.
• Publicly available professional sources, such as LinkedIn, company websites, corporate biographies, industry publications, conference materials and publicly accessible similar sources.
• Interviewers, assessors, references and relevant hiring stakeholders involved in a recruitment or assessment process.
• Other entities of The Adecco Group where sharing is necessary and lawful in connection with Executive Search or talent activities.

Information collected from public professional sources, including professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn and other publicly accessible sources, is used for Executive Search for candidate identification, assessment, engagement and related talent-management activities. Where personal information is obtained from third-party platforms, its collection and use by those platforms remain subject to their respective privacy notices.

4. How do we use your Personal Data in Executive Search?

We may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

1. Identify, assess, approach, recruit and engage candidates for executive and leadership opportunities.
2. Evaluate qualifications, experience, professional competencies and leadership capabilities.
3. Manage Executive Search assignments and recruitment processes.
4. Conduct talent mapping, succession planning, market intelligence and executive benchmarking activities.
5. Maintain executive talent pools and candidate relationship management records for current and future opportunities.
6. Communicate with candidates about relevant opportunities and recruitment processes.
7. Conduct (video) interviews, assessments and reference checks where appropriate.
8. Improve Executive Search methodologies, recruitment processes, systems and related operational practices.
9. Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

5. What legal bases do we rely on?

The legal basis for processing depends on the specific activity and applicable law. Where required, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

Legal basis	How it may apply
Performance of a contract or steps before entering a contract	Where processing is necessary to evaluate your suitability for a role or to take steps relating to a potential employment or engagement opportunity.
Legitimate interests	Where we have a legitimate business interest in conducting Executive Search and leadership recruitment; identifying and approaching potential candidates; maintaining talent pools; conducting market mapping and succession planning; and protecting or improving recruitment and business operations. When we rely on legitimate interests, we consider and balance those interests against your rights and freedoms.
Consent	Where consent is required by applicable law or where we choose to rely on consent for a particular activity. You may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

To withdraw consent use the relevant consent or privacy communication made available to you, including where applicable communications sent through Invenias, or you may contact us at globalprivacy@adeccogroup.com.

6. Do you have to provide Personal Data?

You are not generally required to provide Personal Data to us. However, if you choose not to provide information that is necessary for a particular Executive Search or recruitment process, we may be unable to assess your suitability for an opportunity, progress that process, or continue our engagement with you for that purpose.

7. Do we use automated decision-making?

We do not make decisions based on automated processing, including profiling, where those decisions would produce legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affect you.

8. How long do we keep Executive Search information?

We retain Personal Data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Statement and to meet applicable legal, regulatory and business requirements.

As part of Executive Search activities, candidate information may be maintained in our Executive Search platform and talent pools so that you can be considered for current and future executive or leadership opportunities.

Where applicable law requires consent for ongoing Executive Search or talent-pooling purposes, consent is typically requested for a period of 24 months and up to a maximum of 36 months (leadership searches are infrequent and may arise over multiple years; senior executives generally have longer career cycles than mass-market recruitment candidates) and, where appropriate, may be renewed periodically.

If consent is not renewed, or when retention is no longer necessary for the purposes described in this Statement, Personal Data will be deleted, anonymised or otherwise managed in accordance with applicable legal requirements and The Adecco Group’s records-retention policies. Retention periods may vary by country and according to legitimate business and legal requirements.

9. Who do we share your Personal Data with?

Where necessary and lawful for the purposes described in this Statement, Personal Data may be shared with the following categories of recipients:

• Service providers. Providers supporting Executive Search technologies and recruitment platforms, candidate relationship management, assessments and evaluations, IT infrastructure and hosting, cybersecurity, support, and administrative or operational services.
• The Adecco Group uses Invenias (a Bullhorn solution) as its Executive Search and candidate relationship management platform to store and manage candidate information, search assignments, talent pools, recruitment activities and communications.
• Adecco Group companies. Relevant entities within The Adecco Group where sharing is necessary to support executive recruitment, talent-management activities or operational support functions. This could be within or outside the European Union. A list of the countries in which we operate is available on our website at adeccogroup.com/worldwide-locations.
• Government, regulatory and judicial authorities. We will share your data with government, police, regulators or law enforcement agencies or authorities if, at our sole discretion, we consider that we are legally obliged or authorised to do so or it would be prudent to do so.
• Parties involved in corporate transactions. Where legally permissible, in connection with mergers, acquisitions, reorganisations or similar business transactions your data may also be disclosed to a prospective seller or buyer and their advisors. The legal basis for such processing is legitimate interest in evaluating and completing the corporate transaction.

10. Do we transfer your Personal Data internationally?

Because The Adecco Group operates internationally, your Personal Data can be transferred and processed in one or more other countries, in- or outside the European Union or Switzerland. A full list of the countries in which we operate is available on our website at www.adeccogroup.com/worldwide-locations.

We shall only transfer data to those parties set out in section 5 above who are outside the European Economic Area, or UK or Switzerland:

• to countries which the European Commission, or the UK Information Commissioner or the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner believes offers an adequate level of protection to you pursuant to Art 45 of the UK and EU GDPR or Art 6 of the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (Art 16 revised Act) (a list of those countries is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/adequacy-decisions_en) and here: https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/en/cross-border-transfer-of-personal-data (Switzerland), or;
• where the Adecco Group has put in place appropriate safeguards to seek to preserve the privacy of your information (for which we usually use one of the forms of data transfer contracts approved by the European Commission, or the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for the UK or the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, copies of which are available here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/standard-contractual-clauses-scc_en and here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/international-transfers/international-transfers-a-guide/) and here:https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/en/cross-border-transfer-of-personal-data (Switzerland). These are approved by the European Commission, the UK Information Commissioner and the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner under Art 46 of the EU and UK’s GDPR and Art 6 of the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (Art 16 revised Act).

Those countries include the Members States of the European Union, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

You may request additional information in this respect and obtain a copy of the relevant safeguard by contacting us using the details set out below.

11. What are your rights?

Depending on applicable law and the circumstances of the processing, you may have some or all of the following rights in relation to your Personal Data:

• Right to access and obtain a copy of your Personal Data - You are entitled to request confirmation of whether we process any of your Personal Data. Where this is the case, you may have access to your Personal Data and to certain information about how it is processed. In some cases, you can ask us to provide you with an electronic copy of your Personal Data. In some limited circumstances, you also have the right to request that we transfer (“port”) your Personal Data direct to another third-party provider.
• Right to correct your Personal Data- If you can demonstrate that the Personal Data we hold about you is not correct, you can ask that this Personal Data is updated or otherwise corrected.
• Right to be forgotten or to delete Personal Data - In certain circumstances you have the right to have your Personal Data deleted. You may make such a request at any time and we will evaluate if your request should be granted, however this right is subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain data. For situations where in accordance with the law, we determine that your request to have your Personal Data deleted must be granted, we will do so without undue delay.
• Right to restrict or object to the processing of your Personal Data - In certain circumstances you have the right to obtain restriction of the processing of your Personal Data, or to object to certain processing thereof on grounds relating to your particular situation.
• Right to withdraw consent - You have the right to withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your Personal Data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide certain products or services to you. We will advise you if this is the case at the time you withdraw your consent.

If you want to exercise any of your rights, please use our form by clicking here.

Finally, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority or other applicable privacy regulator in the jurisdiction where you reside or work, or where you believe a violation of applicable data protection law has occurred.

12. Will Executive Search contact you about opportunities?

We may contact you in connection with:

• Current executive leadership opportunities.
• Future executive leadership opportunities that may be relevant to your experience, qualifications and interests.
• Leadership talent and succession-planning initiatives.
• Executive talent-pool and candidate relationship management activities.
• Recruitment and assessment processes in which you are participating.

Where required by applicable law, we will contact you on the basis of your consent. You may opt out of receiving future communications about executive leadership opportunities at any time, However, we may continue to contact you where necessary in connection with an active recruitment process, to respond to your requests, or to comply with legal, regulatory, or contractual obligations.

13.  How do we protect your Personal Data?

The Adecco Group maintains appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect Personal Data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Access to candidate information is restricted to authorised individuals who have a legitimate business or hiring need to access it.

 

14. How can you contact us?

If you have questions, comments or requests about this Statement, want more information about how we protect Personal Data, or want to contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO), you can contact us as follows:

Email	globalprivacy@adeccogroup.com
Post	Adecco Group AG, Executive Search, Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland