Privacy Policy
Last Updated: July 9, 2025
1. Introduction: Our Commitment to Privacy
Guild and Sterling ("we," "us," or "our") is dedicated to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, process, and safeguard your data when you visit our website. It is designed to comply with the UAE's Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL) and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), reflecting our commitment to transparent and lawful data processing for our global audience.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information about you through the following means:
- Via Website Forms: When you use our contact forms to make an inquiry, we collect Personal Identifiable Information (PII) that you voluntarily provide, which includes your Name, Email Address, and Phone Number.
- Offline/Later Stages: This policy primarily covers data collected through our website. For formal client engagements that may result from an initial online inquiry, we may need to collect further information (e.g., company details, financial information, identification data) through secure, offline channels. The collection of such data will be governed by a separate client agreement and is not performed through the initial website form.
3. Lawful Basis for Processing (GDPR)
Our legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described above will depend on the personal information concerned and the specific context in which we collect it. We process your personal data on the following lawful bases:
- Consent: By providing your personal information through our website's contact form, you give us your consent to process it for the purposes of responding to your inquiry.
- Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in processing your data to respond effectively to your inquiries, provide you with information about our consulting services, manage our business, and for our marketing purposes, provided that our interests do not override your data protection interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.
4. How We Use Your Information
Your information is used for the following specific purposes:
- To contact you and respond to your inquiries about our services.
- To provide and manage the consulting services you request from us.
- To send you marketing communications, promotional emails, and newsletters about our consulting services, industry insights, and events, where you have given us your consent or where it is in our legitimate interest to do so. You may opt-out of these communications at any time.
5. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We respect your privacy and do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties. We will only share your information under the following limited circumstances:
- With trusted third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf (e.g., website hosting, analytics), under strict confidentiality and data protection agreements.
- If required by law, court order, or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of Guild and Sterling, our clients, or others.
6. International Data Transfer
As our business serves a global audience, your personal information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you are resident. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country. We will take all appropriate safeguards to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws, such as the use of Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers of data from the EU.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses industry-standard analytics tools (like Google Analytics) and may use cookies to collect information about your Browse activities. This helps us understand how visitors use our Site, which pages are most popular, and how to improve user experience. This information is typically aggregated and does not personally identify you.
8. Data Retention
We will retain your personal data collected through our website for a period of 5 years from our last interaction with you, unless a longer retention period is required for legal, regulatory, or contractual reasons. After this period, your personal data will be securely deleted.
9. Data Security
We have implemented appropriate and robust technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the personal data we process from accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access.
10. Your Rights (Including GDPR Rights)
Under applicable data protection laws, you have certain rights regarding your personal data. These include:
- Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct or complete any inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): You can request that we delete your personal data from our systems under certain conditions.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
- Right to Object: You have the right to object to our processing of your data where we are relying on a legitimate interest.
- Right to Opt-Out of Marketing: You can withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails or by contacting us directly.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer.
11. Changes to the Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in response to changing legal, technical, or business developments. When we update our Privacy Policy, we will take appropriate measures to inform you, consistent with the significance of the changes we make.
12. Contact Information
For any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data protection practices, or to exercise your rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer: