This Privacy Notice was last updated in June 2026

Introduction

This Privacy Notice explains how the Sustainable Energy Association (SEA) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal data in accordance with applicable data protection law, including:

• the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR);
• the Data Protection Act 2018; and
• the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

This Privacy Notice applies to:

• SEA members;
• users of the website;
• event attendees;
• newsletter subscribers; and
• suppliers, business contacts and individuals who contact SEA.

Please read this Privacy Notice carefully together with the terms of use for this website and this Cookie Notice.

This website is not intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data relating to children through it. This Privacy Notice does not cover personal data processed for recruitment or employment purposes.

Who are we?

Data Controller

The Sustainable Energy Association is the Data Controller of the personal data processed under this Privacy Notice.

Full company details of SEA are as follows:

Name: Sustainable Energy Association, Company number 08718110

Registered office address: 77 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0AS

Data processor

Talan UK & Ireland Limited (Talan), formerly Gemserv Ltd, acts as a data processor on behalf of SEA in relation to the provision of administration, website and support services.

Full company details of Talan are as follows:

Name: Talan UK & Ireland Limited, Company number 04419878

Registered office address: 77 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0AS

Contact Details

The data protection enquiries may be directed to SEA via Talan’s Data Privacy Team acting on SEA ‘s behalf. If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or SEA’s privacy practices, please email tuk.dataprivacy@talan.com.

Personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• identity data (name, job title, organisation)
• contact data (email address, telephone number, postal address)
• technical data (IP address, browser type, device information)
• usage data (how you use the website)
• communication data (enquiries and correspondence)
• cookie and tracking data
• event attendance records
• marketing and communication preferences
• information submitted through forms or registration
• governance participation records
• complaint records

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless this is specifically required and we have a lawful basis to do so.

How we collect your data

We collect personal data when you:

• use or access the website;
• submit forms or register for services, events or communications;
• contact us directly;
• subscribe to newsletters or other communications; or
• attend meetings or events.

How we use your personal information

We will use your personal information for the purposes described to you when you provided it to us. These purposes include:

Purpose of processing	Data types	Lawful basis
To send operational updates and industry communications to SEA members	Contact details (such as name, email address and telephone number)	Legitimate interests – providing SEA membership services and stakeholder engagement
For invoicing and compliance with legal obligations such as tax reporting	Contact and payment-related details	Legal obligation
To send optional marketing communications and newsletters	Name, email address and communication preferences	Consent
To organise meetings and events	Name, organisation and email address	Legitimate interests – administering SEA services and events
To organise, record and maintain governance meeting records and attendance	Name, organisation, meeting attendance, meeting contributions and, where applicable, recordings or transcripts	Legitimate interests – governance, administration and stakeholder coordination
To manage tickets raised through our helpdesk	Name, business address, email address, telephone number, job role, message content, IP address (if applicable), support logs and audit trails	Legitimate interests – provision of IT and network administration
To send key updates to SEA members where this is necessary to administer membership	Name, organisation and email address	Legitimate Interest providing SEA membership services and stakeholder engagement
To operate website cookies and similar technologies	Cookie information, IP address, browser and device information, and website usage data	Consent, except for strictly necessary cookies
To maintain website and network security and prevent misuse	IP address, device data, log files and browser information	Legitimate interests – website and network security
To manage and investigate complaints, including data protection complaints	Name, contact details, complaint details, correspondence and investigation records	Legal obligation and legitimate interests
To administer SEA governance activities, committees and stakeholder engagement	Name, organisation, role, correspondence and attendance records	Legitimate interests – governance administration and stakeholder engagement
To manage supplier and other business relationships	Business contact details, contractual correspondence and payment information	Contract and legitimate interests

We may also conduct data processing:

• to enforce the terms of any contract between you and us, including our website terms of use; and
• to comply with applicable law or respond to requests from regulators, courts or law enforcement bodies.

Disclosure of your information

We will only share your personal information where necessary and lawful to do so, including with the following categories of recipients:

• Talan as SEA’s service provider and processor;
• third-party service providers who may store personal data or use it while providing services to us, including Microsoft as our IT cloud service provider for services such as Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint;
• website hosting providers;
• professional advisors, including lawyers, banks, auditors and insurers;
• HM Revenue & Customs, regulators and other authorities; and
• event service providers and contractors supporting SEA activities.

We require third parties processing personal data on our behalf to:

• implement appropriate security measures; and
• process personal data only on our documented instructions, except where they are required to do otherwise by law.

International transfers

Some of our third-party service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal data is transferred internationally, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR, including:

• adequacy regulations;
• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA); or
• approved international transfer clauses, such as the International Data Transfer Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, where appropriate.

Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures, including role-based access controls, authentication controls, encryption, monitoring, supplier due diligence and restricted access to personal data. These measures are designed to protect personal data against:

• accidental loss;
• unauthorised access or unlawful processing;
• alteration; or

Access to personal data is limited to individuals and service providers who have a legitimate business need to access it. We maintain procedures for identifying and managing suspected personal data breaches.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• request access to your personal data;
• request correction of inaccurate personal data;
• request erasure of your personal data, in certain circumstances;
• request restriction of processing, in certain circumstances;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• request the transfer of your personal data to another organisation, in certain circumstances;
• withdraw consent where processing relies on consent; and
• lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us first at tuk.dataprivacy@talan.com.

If you have concerns about how SEA has handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact first so that we can investigate an attempt to resolve the matter.

Storage of your personal data

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal, regulatory and governance obligations and to establish, exercise or defend legal claims were necessary.

Purpose of processing	Retention period
To administer membership applications and maintain membership records	Duration of membership +6 years after membership ceases
To keep members updated on policy changes and relevant industry information	For the duration of SEA membership
To retain correspondence relating to membership governance and enquiries	6 years after the Membership or business relationship ends
For invoicing and compliance with legal obligations such as tax reporting	6 years after the end of the relevant financial year in which the record was created
To maintain audit trails and governance records	6 years unless a longer retention period is required for governance, legal or regulatory purposes
To confirm the accuracy of meeting discussions	For the duration of the association, or longer where required by governance retention schedule
To organise, record and maintain governance meeting records and attendance	For the duration of the association and for up to 6 years thereafter unless a longer retention period is required for governance, legal or regulatory purposes
To manage tickets raised through the helpdesk	2 years
To send key updates to SEA members	For the duration of SEA membership
To operate website analytics, performance monitoring and optional marketing cookies	Analytics cookies: 12 to 24 months Consent records: up to 6 years, where retained for evidential purposes Session cookies: session only

 

Use of your personal information submitted to other websites

SEA is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of third-party websites linked from this website. You should review the privacy notice of any external website you visit.

SEA primarily stores personal data within the United Kingdom. Where certain service providers require restricted transfers of personal data outside the United Kingdom, SEA will ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented in accordance with UK data protection law, including adequacy regulations, the IDTA, approved international transfer clauses or equivalent contractual safeguards, as appropriate.

Contact Details

You can write to us to request access to your personal information or to exercise your other rights at:

Sustainable Energy Association

77 Gracechurch Street

London

EC3V 0AS

We will require proof of your identity before responding to any request from you.

If you have any query about this Privacy Notice or SEA’s data protection practices, you may also contact the Data Privacy team using the details above.

You also have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on any data protection issues.

Cookies and other technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies on the website to distinguish you from other users, support core website functionality, understand how the website is used and, where enabled, provide certain third-party features. This helps us provide a good user experience and improve the website. Specifically, we use cookies for:

• strictly necessary purposes (website functionality and security)
• analytics (understanding website usage)
• third-party services (e.g. embedded Google Maps)

Non-essential cookies, including analytics and third-party cookies, are only set where you have provided consent through the cookie banner. Google Maps is not loading before consent is obtained.

Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent.

What are Cookies:

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help website’s function, remember your preferences and provide information about how the website is used.

Cookies have different durations. Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device for longer, unless you delete them earlier. We may use information collected through cookies to compile reports and improve the functionality and user experience of our website.

Cookies can be set by different parties. This usually happens in one of two ways:

• First-party cookies: these are cookies set by this website.
• Third-party cookies: these are cookies set by third parties whose services or features are used on our website. We do not control the operation of third-party cookies. Some third-party cookies may be set by Google. For more information about Google’s use of cookies, please see Google’s Cookie Policy.

Cookie Name	Cookie Type	Domain	Description	Retention
tab_id	Functional	First party	Maintain session or tab state functionality across the website	Session
cmplz_statistics	Strictly necessary	First party	This cookie is used to store cookie consent preferences.	1 year
cmplz_consented_services	Strictly necessary	First party	This cookie is used to store cookie consent preferences.	1 year
cmplz_marketing	Strictly necessary	First party	This cookie is used to store cookie consent preferences.	1 year
cmplz_preferences	Strictly necessary	First party	This cookie is used to store cookie consent preferences.	1 year
cmplz_functional	Strictly necessary	First party	This cookie is used to store cookie consent preferences.	1 year
Cmplz_policy_id	Strictly necessary	First party	Stores the version of the cookie policy accepted by the user	1 year
Complz-banner-status	Strictly necessary	First party	Records whether the cookie banner has been dismissed	1 year
cmplz_saved_categories	Strictly necessary	First party	Stores selected cookie consent categories	1 year
cmplz_saved_services	Strictly necessary	First party	Stores consent selections relating to third-party services	1 year
_pk_ses.12271.946b	Statistics/analytics	First party	Temporary cookies used by Matomo analytics to track active browsing sessions	Session/30 minutes
pk_ref_12271_946b	Statistics/analytics	First party	Stores attribution information about how a visitor reached the website	6 months
_pk_ses_12271_946b	Statistics/analytics	First party	Temporary cookie used by Matomo analytics to track active browsing sessions	Session/30 minutes
wp-settings-time-12	Functional	First party	Used by WordPress to store customised user interface and administration preferences	1 year
_ga	Statistics/analytics	Third party	Associated with Google Analytics and used to distinguish users for analytics purposes	2 years
_ga_ 7BX7EY5Y3F	Statistics/analytics	Third party	Associated with Google Analytics and used to maintain session state and measure site usage	2 years

 

Your rights in relation to cookies.

When you first visit this website, we will ask for your consent to place non-essential cookies on your device. You can use our cookie banner to accept, reject or manage non-essential cookies. You can also adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect how the website functions.

Updating your details

If any of the information that you have provided to us changes, please let us know the correct details by sending an e-mail to tuk.dataprivacy@talan.com.  

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or SEA’s privacy practices, please also email us at tuk.dataprivacy@talan.com.

Changes to the Privacy Notice

We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. You should check this notice occasionally to ensure you are aware of the most recent version that will apply each time you access the Website.