Everest School of Business & Economics (ESBE) – Website Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Everest School of Business & Economics (ESBE) is a professional business school and executive education provider, operated by Everest Business Consulting Ltd. in the United Kingdom, serving learners and partners in the MENA region and beyond.

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws (including the UK GDPR), Everest Business Consulting Ltd. is the Data Controller of the personal data processed through this Website.

• Registered office: Everest Business Consulting, 7 Bell Yard, London, United Kingdom
• Website: https://esbe-edu.uk
• General enquiries: info@esbe-edu.uk
• Data protection / privacy enquiries: dpo@esbe-edu.uk
• Phone: (+44) 7822027279

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us using the details above.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal data we collect when you:

• Visit and browse the Website at esbe-edu.uk
• Submit any online form on the Website (e.g. "Contact us", programme enquiry, application, partnership request, download request)
• Communicate with us by email, phone, messaging apps, or post
• Interact with our official content on social media or other third-party platforms
• Meet us at events, conferences or meetings and share your details with us.

We do not currently offer user accounts or a login system on this Website. Your interaction with ESBE online is primarily through forms and email communication.

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or services. These have their own privacy and cookie policies and we are not responsible for their practices. You are encouraged to review those policies before providing any personal data to them.

3. What personal data we collect

The type of personal data we collect depends on how you interact with ESBE. Typically, this will include:

3.1 Information you provide via forms and direct contact

When you complete a form on our Website, email us, call us, or contact us in another way, we may collect:

• Identity details – Name, title, nationality, country of residence
• Contact details – Email address, phone number, postal address
• Professional information – Job title, organisation, sector/industry, level of seniority, years of professional experience
• Educational background – Previous qualifications, institutions attended, fields of study, year(s) of graduation
• Programme or course interests – The programme(s) you are interested in, your learning goals, and other details submitted through enquiry or application forms
• Application information – CV, LinkedIn profile, personal statements, reference details, or other information you choose to provide as part of an application
• Event-related information – Registrations for webinars, events or information sessions, including any access or dietary requirements (including allergies) you choose to share
• Marketing and communication preferences – Your preferences regarding how and what you wish to hear from us
• Feedback – Responses to surveys, testimonials, or feedback forms.

You may choose not to provide certain information; however, this may limit our ability to respond fully to your enquiry or process your application.

3.2 Special category data

In some cases, and only where strictly necessary, we may collect special category personal data, such as:

• Health or disability information (for example, to arrange reasonable adjustments, accessibility, or to manage dietary requirements for ESBE events).

Where we collect such data, we will usually rely on your explicit consent or another legal basis recognised under data protection laws, and we will explain why the information is needed and how it will be used.

3.3 Information collected automatically

When you visit the Website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Device and browser details (type, version, operating system)
• Date, time and duration of your visit
• Pages viewed and navigation patterns
• Referring website or link (where you came from).

This information is typically collected through cookies and similar technologies. For more information, see Section 10 – Cookies and similar technologies.

3.4 Information from third parties

We may receive personal data about you from:

• Employers, partners, sponsors or referrers who nominate you for ESBE programmes or events
• Marketing partners or event co-organisers who share your details with us when you have consented to this
• Publicly available sources such as LinkedIn or professional directories, where relevant to our business development or alumni relationship activity.

4. How we use your personal data

We may use your personal data for the following purposes:

1. To respond to your enquiries – Answering questions about ESBE, our programmes, executive education offerings, partnerships and other services.
2. To manage applications and registration – Processing your programme enquiries or applications, assessing eligibility for courses, scholarships or funding, communicating with you about the status of your enquiry or application.
3. To deliver our programmes, events and services – Organising teaching, workshops, live sessions and events, sending joining instructions, schedules and relevant learning materials, managing attendance and participation.
4. To send thought leadership and marketing communications – Sharing ESBE insights, research, case studies and news, informing you about upcoming programmes, events and opportunities that may be relevant to your interests or professional profile. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time (see Section 7).
5. To manage relationships with partners and clients – Coordinating with universities, financial institutions, companies and other organisations where they sponsor or send participants to ESBE programmes.
6. To improve our Website and services – Understanding how visitors use the Website, enhancing the user experience and tailoring content, maintaining the security and performance of our systems.
7. To comply with legal and regulatory obligations – Meeting requirements under UK legislation and regulations, responding to lawful requests from public authorities, regulators or law enforcement.
8. To protect our rights and manage disputes – Enforcing our terms and conditions, handling complaints, claims or legal disputes.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and we notify you where appropriate.

5. How long we keep your personal data

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to satisfy legal, accounting or reporting obligations.

As a general guide:

• Enquiries and marketing contacts – Where you have shown an interest in ESBE programmes or services (for example, by submitting a form on the Website), we may keep your details for up to two years from your last meaningful interaction with us, unless you ask us to delete them sooner.
• Applicants and participants – If you apply for or attend a programme, your records may be kept for a longer period in line with academic, regulatory and accreditation requirements.

We may retain a minimal core record (such as name, email address and basic interaction history) to ensure we respect your preferences, for example, your request not to receive marketing communications.

6. Legal basis for processing your personal data

Under the UK GDPR and other applicable laws, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the specific context, we may rely on:

• Consent – For example, when you agree to receive marketing emails, or when we collect special category data (e.g. health information) for event or accessibility purposes.
• Performance of a contract – When processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract (e.g. assessing an application) or to perform a contract with you (e.g. delivering a programme you have enrolled in).
• Legitimate interests – When processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (or those of a third party), and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests (for example, improving programmes, managing relationships, understanding Website usage).
• Legal obligation – When we must process personal data to comply with a legal or regulatory requirement.

If we rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. If we rely on legitimate interests, we will balance our interests with your rights and expectations.

7. Marketing communications

We may use your contact details to send you information about:

• ESBE programmes and executive education offers
• Research, insights and thought leadership content
• Events, webinars, and initiatives that may interest you
• Opportunities to collaborate with ESBE as a participant, partner or sponsor.

7.1 How to opt out or update your preferences

You can stop receiving marketing communications from ESBE at any time by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe or manage preferences link in any marketing email you receive; or
• Contacting us at info@esbe-edu.uk or dpo@esbe-edu.uk and stating your request.

We will process such requests as soon as reasonably possible.

If you believe you have received a marketing email from ESBE in error or without your consent, please forward the email to dpo@esbe-edu.uk so that we can investigate.

8. When we share your personal data

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

We may share your personal data with:

1. Service providers (processors) – Trusted third parties who provide operational services on our behalf, such as: website hosting and maintenance, email and marketing systems, event or webinar platforms, data storage, CRM and analytics tools. These service providers are only allowed to use your personal data in accordance with our instructions and must apply appropriate security measures.
2. Educational, corporate and strategic partners – Where ESBE collaborates with other organisations (for example, banks, universities or training partners) to deliver joint programmes or events, we may share relevant personal data with those partners, but only as necessary for the agreed purpose and, where appropriate, with your knowledge.
3. Professional advisers and authorities – Legal advisers, auditors, insurers, regulators and law enforcement agencies, when required: to comply with legal obligations, to protect our rights or property, to prevent or investigate fraud or other unlawful activity.
4. International transfers – While we aim to store and process personal data within the UK/EEA where possible, some service providers or partners may be located outside these regions. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK/EEA, we will ensure an appropriate level of protection, for example through standard contractual clauses or other safeguards recognised under data protection law.

9. Your data protection rights

Depending on your location and the applicable law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

1. Right of access – To request confirmation that we process your personal data and to receive a copy of that data, together with information about how it is used.
2. Right to rectification – To request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
3. Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") – To request that we delete your personal data in certain circumstances, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or you withdraw consent and there is no other legal basis for processing.
4. Right to restrict processing – To request that we limit or "block" the processing of your personal data in certain situations (for example while we verify its accuracy or consider an objection).
5. Right to data portability – To receive personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and/or to request that we transmit that data to another controller, where technically feasible and where the law allows.
6. Right to object – To object at any time to the processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests, including profiling related to such interests, and to object to direct marketing (including any profiling for marketing purposes).
7. Rights relating to automated decision-making – ESBE does not currently use automated decision-making that has legal or similarly significant effects on you. If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy.

9.1 How to exercise your rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

• Email: dpo@esbe-edu.uk
• Postal: Data Protection Officer, Everest School of Business & Economics (ESBE), 7 Bell Yard, London, United Kingdom

We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

9.2 Right to complain to a supervisory authority

If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK:

• Web: ico.org.uk
• Tel: +44 (0)303 123 1113

We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns first, so please consider contacting us before contacting the ICO.

10. Cookies and similar technologies

Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies to help it function effectively, improve performance and provide a better user experience.

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies may be:

• Session cookies – deleted when you close your browser
• Persistent cookies – stored for a defined period or until you delete them.

10.1 Why we use cookies

We may use cookies to:

• Enable basic Website functionality and security
• Remember your preferences (e.g. language)
• Understand how visitors use the Website, so we can improve it
• Support analytics and, where applicable, marketing activities.

We may also use third-party tools (such as analytics providers) which set their own cookies in accordance with their own privacy and cookie policies.

10.2 Managing cookies

When you first visit our Website, you may see a cookie banner or notice explaining how we use cookies and providing options to accept, reject or manage non-essential cookies.

You can also adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. However, if you disable certain cookies, some parts of the Website may not function correctly.

If you have questions about how we use cookies, please contact dpo@esbe-edu.uk.

11. Apps and future digital services

ESBE does not currently offer a mobile app or login-based digital platform. If, in future, ESBE launches such services:

• We may collect additional device and usage information to operate those services securely and effectively.
• We will update this Privacy Policy and/or issue a separate notice explaining how your data will be processed in those contexts.

12. Offensive or inappropriate content

If you send, upload or share content with ESBE (for example, through forms, emails or social media) that is unlawful, offensive, inappropriate or otherwise breaches applicable laws or our policies, we may:

• Remove or report such content where appropriate
• Restrict or terminate relevant interactions and communication
• Disclose necessary information to relevant authorities, regulators or service providers, where permitted or required by law.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in our services or activities
• Developments in applicable laws and regulations
• Technological changes or best practice.

When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page, and where appropriate we may provide a more prominent notice (for example, on the Website home page or by email).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. If you do not agree with any changes, you should stop using the Website and, where relevant, notify us to stop processing your personal data for certain purposes.

14. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact: