Legal and privacy

At Mazars USA, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information when you visit our website.

Mazars USA LLP and its affiliated subsidiaries (“Mazars USA” or "we") complies with the requirements of the EUU.S. Privacy Shield Framework as established by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mazars USA has certified that it adheres to the Principles with respect to personal information that is transferred from the European Union (EU) and its Member States, the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom (U.K.) to the United States with respect to personal information of the type described below. Mazars USA is subject to the investigatory and enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

This Privacy Shield Policy (“Policy”) applies to personal information within the scope of Mazars USA’s Privacy Shield certification, which covers the following categories of personal information:

• Current, former and prospective partners, principals and employees for the purposes of operating and managing Mazars USA, performing human resource administration and maintaining contact with individuals.
• Current, former, prospective clients and their personnel or others, for the purposes of delivering Mazars USA services, maintaining ongoing relationships and performing business development activities.
• Our third parties (e.g., vendors, subcontractors, etc.) and their personnel for the purposes of managing and administering Mazar’s business relationships with these third parties.

For the purpose of Privacy Shield Policy, “personal information” means information that can be used to directly or indirectly identify an individual.

Information Collection

We collect personal information from you when you provide it to us through forms on our website, such as when you request information or contact us. This information may include your name, email address, phone number, telephone number, and broader categories of information such as your professional, educational or health information, commercial information, and internet activity.

We also use cookies and other technologies to collect information about your use of our website. This information may include your IP address, browsing history, and information about the device you are using to access our website.

We may also employ web beacons (also known as clear GIFs, web bugs, or pixel tags) to enhance your experience on our website, gather data on website traffic and trends, and confirm the receipt of communications. These web beacons automatically collect information, such as your browser type and IP address. They may be used separately or in combination with cookies. When used in conjunction with cookies, they may associate this information with other personal information you have provided to us. Web beacons are generally not visible to you.

Information Use

We use the information we collect from you to provide you with the information and services you request, to respond to your inquiries, and to improve our website and services.

We may also use your information for marketing and promotional purposes, but only with your consent. You can opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by following the instructions provided in the communication.

Information Disclosure

We will not disclose your personal information to any third party without your consent, except as required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Mazars USA, our clients, or other individuals.

Security

We keep one or more databases to store your personal information and retain it as necessary to serve you, operate our business, and comply with legal obligations. We take into account the nature and sensitivity of your personal information, potential risks of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, the reasons for which we process your personal information, and relevant legal requirements when determining retention or disposal of your personal information. We have implemented appropriate measures to protect your information from loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. We also ensure that third parties who work with us are committed to protecting your personal information.

Please note that we cannot guarantee the privacy or security of your personal information. Except as required by law, we are not liable for any lack of privacy or security you may experience. It is your responsibility to take appropriate precautions and implement security measures that suit your needs and intended use of our website and services. Please be cautious when sending personal information to us via email, as email is not a secure method of transmitting information.

California Resident Rights

California residents have the right to request that we disclose certain information to them about our collection and use of their personal information over the past 12 months. California residents also have the right to request that we delete any personal information we have collected from them.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@mazarsusa.com. We will respond to your request within 45 days.

Legal Basis for Processing

Where applicable under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) or similar laws, the legal basis for our collection and use of your Personal Information may include any of the following:

• Performance of a contract. We process your Personal Information as necessary to perform our obligations under any contract with you, such as to provide our Sites or services to you or complete transactions.
• Consent. We may ask for your consent to use your Personal Information, including if we need your consent to process certain sensitive information about you or engage in certain marketing activities. If we obtain your consent as a legal basis for processing, you may withdraw your consent at any time.
• Legitimate interests. We have a legitimate interest in using your Personal Information for our business purposes, including operating, improving, and marketing our business, Sites, and services.
• Compliance with a legal obligation. We may need to use your Personal Information to comply with applicable legal requirements.

Children’s Privacy

At Mazars USA, we understand the importance of protecting children's privacy. We do not knowingly collect any Personal Information from children under the age of 13 without obtaining prior verifiable parental consent. If we learn that a child under 13 has submitted Personal Information to us without parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete the information and will not use it for any purpose, except where necessary to protect the safety of the child or others as required or allowed by law. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us at privacy@mazarsusa.com or the mailing address below.

Individual Notice and Choice

Mazars USA collects and processes personal information from individuals for the purposes described in this Privacy Shield Policy and Mazars USA Privacy Policy. Personal information covered by this Privacy Shield Policy is collected and processed only as permitted by the Principles.

Notice to inviduals regarding the personal information collected from them and how that information is used may be provided through this Policy, Mazars USA website policies and notices, and other forms of communication, such as contracts or client agreements.

When necessary, consent for personal information to be collected, used, and shared may also be obtained through these same forms of communication.

Disclosures & Accountability for Onward Transfers

Consistent with the Principles, Mazars USA may transfer personal information to third party, including transfers to third parties in other countries. Mazars USA will only disclose an individual’s non-public personal information to third parties under one of the following conditions:

Disclosure to a third-party that is providing services to Mazars USA, or to the individual, in connection with the operation of our business, consistent with the purpose for which the personal information was collected;

• With the individual’s permission to make the disclosure;
• When required to meet a legal obligation to which Mazars USA is subject, including lawful requests by public authorities, national security or law enforcement;
• When reasonably necessary for compliance or regulatory purposes, or for the establishment of legal claims. Mazars USA ascertains that these third parties provide at least the same level of privacy protection as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles.

Mazars USA may be liable if both parties fail to meet the Principles and Mazars USA is responsible for the event leading to the damage.

Access

Individuals whose personal information is covered by this Policy have the right to access the personal information that Mazars USA maintains as laid out in the Privacy Shield Principles. Individuals may also contact Mazars USA to correct, amend, delete or limit the use of their personal information if it is inaccurate or is not being processed according to the Principles. Requests for access, correct, amendment, deletion, or to limit the use of personal data should be sent to privacy@mazarsusa.com.

Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation

Mazars USA collects and processes personal information according to the purposes for which it was collected and/or subsequently authorized by the data subject. Personal data is not retained for longer than is needed for the purposes stated above. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the personal information held by Mazars USA is accurate, complete, current and reliable.

Enforcement

As part of the Principles, Mazars USA is committed to resolving complaints about our collection and use of an individual’s personal information. For inquiries or complaints regarding Mazars USA’s Privacy Shield Policy, email: privacy@mazars.com. Mazars USA will respond to an individual’s inquiry or complaint within forty-five (45) days. If an individual has a complaint or concern that they feel has not been addressed, that individual may contact our U.S. based third party dispute resolution provider (at no cost), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution/American Arbitration Association (“ICDR/AAA”). Please contact or visit ICDR/AAA to file a complaint or for more information. If the dispute involves human resource information, or information collected in the course of employment, Mazars USA will cooperate with the competent EU data protection authorities. In addition, under certain conditions, individuals may invoke binding arbitration for resolution of a complaint under the Privacy Shield Panel.

For more information on the Privacy Shield Framework, and to view Mazars USA’s Privacy Shield certification, please visit https://privacyshield.gov.

Changes to This Policy:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We may notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on our website. Your continued use of our website after any changes have been made or failure to object within 48 hours of notice of a Privacy Policy change, will constitute your acceptance of the new Privacy Policy.

Contact Us:

If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy, please contact us at marketing@mazarsusa.com.

Effective Date: 02/07/2023