Candidate Privacy Policy
The Utopia Group Global Limited
1. Introduction
At The Utopia Group Global Limited (“we”, “our”, or “us”), protecting your personal data is a key part of how we operate. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information as a candidate, and the rights you have under data protection law. We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
2. Purpose of This Policy
This document explains: what personal data we collect about you, how and why we use it, our lawful bases for doing so, how long we keep it, and your rights in relation to that information. It applies to all candidates who register, apply, or interact with us as part of our recruitment services.
3. What Personal Data We Collect
In order to provide you with tailored recruitment services and connect you with relevant job opportunities, we may collect the following personal data:
- Full name and contact information (email, telephone number, address)
- Nationality and eligibility to work status
- Employment history, professional experience, and skills
- Details of your current or desired role, including salary expectations and career objectives
- Education and professional qualifications
- Number of dependents (if disclosed)
- Any other information you choose to provide within your CV or communications
We may also collect ‘special category data’ (sensitive information), such as health-related data, criminal convictions, or trade union membership, where relevant and permitted by law.
4. How We Collect Personal Data
We collect personal data from you in several ways, including:
- When you apply for a job via our website or a job board
- When you upload your CV or register through our candidate portal
- When you email your CV directly to a consultant
- When you speak with one of our consultants at a recruitment or networking event
We may also collect data from other legitimate sources, including:
- Professional networking sites (e.g. LinkedIn)
- Job boards and public CV databases
- Referrals from existing candidates or clients
When you use our website, we may also collect your IP address and browsing data automatically through cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.
5. How We Use Your Personal Data
- To assess your suitability for available job opportunities
- To communicate with you about roles and recruitment processes
- To share relevant details with clients who may wish to engage with you
- To maintain our candidate database and improve our recruitment services
- To inform you of new job opportunities or market updates relevant to your career
- To meet our legal and contractual obligations
6. Lawful Bases for Processing
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases, as set out in Article 6 of the UK GDPR:
Consent: When you provide your CV, apply for a role, or register with us, you give your consent for us to process your personal data for recruitment purposes. We will always seek your explicit consent before sharing your details with any client.
Legitimate Interests: We may contact professionals who have made their information publicly available (e.g. via LinkedIn) and who may reasonably expect to hear from a recruitment agency. We have carried out a Legitimate Interest Assessment to ensure that this processing does not override your rights and freedoms.
You can withdraw consent or object to processing based on legitimate interests at any time by contacting our ‘dataprotection@utopiagroupglobal.com’.
7. Marketing Communications
We aim to build long-term relationships with our candidates, supporting your career development throughout your professional journey. From time to time, we may contact you with updates about new job opportunities that may interest you. You can change or withdraw your marketing preferences at any time by contacting our ‘dataprotection@utopiagroupglobal.com’.
We rely on the lawful basis of legitimate interests for sending marketing communications, in line with the UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). We have completed a Legitimate Interest Assessment to ensure our approach respects your rights. You have the right to object to receiving such communications at any time.
8. Sharing Your Personal Data
We only share your personal data where it is necessary to deliver our services. This may include sharing information with:
- Clients with current or potential job vacancies
- Third-party service providers, such as IT or website hosting companies, who process data on our behalf
- Legal or regulatory authorities, where required by law
All third-party providers are bound by contractual data protection obligations and are not permitted to use your data for their own purposes.
9. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure your personal data is kept safe, confidential, and protected against unauthorised access, alteration, or loss. These measures include encrypted devices and servers, password-protected systems, restricted access, secure premises, staff training, and incident reporting procedures. All systems and servers we use are hosted within the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA).
10. International Transfers
In some cases, we may need to transfer your personal data outside of the UK or EEA, for example, if a role is located overseas. If this occurs, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or standard contractual clauses approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). We will always inform you and obtain your consent before transferring your personal data to a client based outside these regions.
11. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. If we have ongoing communication with you, your data will be retained for up to ten (10) years after the last contact, after which it will be securely deleted. If you submit a CV but do not hear from us within six (6) months, your data will be permanently erased from our systems.
For internal recruitment, personal data is kept for the duration of employment and for six (6) years after it ends. If you are unsuccessful, your information will be deleted after six (6) months. Our retention schedule is documented and available upon request.
12. Your Rights
You have several rights under data protection law, including:
- The right to be informed about how your data is used
- The right to access a copy of your personal data
- The right to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- The right to request erasure of your data
- The right to restrict or object to processing in certain situations
- The right to data portability (where applicable)
We do not carry out automated decision-making or profiling. To exercise your rights, contact ‘dataprotection@utopiagroupglobal.com’. We will respond within one month unless a request is unusually complex, in which case we will inform you of any delay. We do not charge fees for valid requests unless they are excessive or repetitive.
13. Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal data has been handled, please contact our ‘dataprotection@utopiagroupglobal.com’ first. If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) via www.ico.org.uk or by post, telephone, or email.
14. Contact Details
The Utopia Group Global Limited
41 Hillingdon Road
Manchester
M45 7GG
Telephone: 0113 233 9520
Email: dataprotection@utopiagroupglobal.com
