1) Introduction and Contact Details of the Controller

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. In the following, we inform you about the handling of your personal data when using our website. Personal data is all data with which you can be personally identified.

1.2 The controller responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is Theta Concepts GmbH, Strandstr. 96, 18055 Rostock, Germany, Tel.: 0381 650 701-0, Email: kontakt@theta-concepts.de. The controller responsible for the processing of personal data is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

2) Data Collection When Visiting Our Website

2.1 When using our website for informational purposes only, i.e., if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information, we only collect such data that your browser transmits to the site server (so-called ‘server log files’). When you visit our website, we collect the following data that is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:

• Our visited website
• Date and time at the moment of access
• Amount of data sent in bytes
• Source/reference from which you came to the page
• Browser used
• Operating system used
• IP address used (if applicable: in anonymized form)

The processing is carried out according to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR based on our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data will not be passed on or used in any other way. However, we reserve the right to check the server log files subsequently if there are concrete indications of illegal use.

2.2 For security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g., orders or inquiries to the controller), this website uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the string ‘https://’ and the lock symbol in your browser bar.

3) Cookies

To make visiting our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use cookies, which are small text files that are stored on your device. Some of these cookies are automatically deleted after closing the browser (so-called ‘session cookies’), while others remain on your device for a longer period and enable the saving of page settings (so-called ‘persistent cookies’). In the latter case, you can find the storage duration in the overview of the cookie settings of your web browser.

If personal data is also processed by individual cookies used by us, the processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR either for the execution of the contract, in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR in the case of consent given, or in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in the best possible functionality of the website and a customer-friendly and effective design of the site visit.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and decide individually about their acceptance or exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or generally.

Please note that if cookies are not accepted, the functionality of our website may be limited.

4) Contact

When contacting us (e.g., via contact form or email), personal data is collected. Which data is collected in the case of a contact form can be seen from the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for establishing contact and the associated technical administration.

The legal basis for processing this data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If your contact is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Your data will be deleted after your request has been fully processed. This is the case when it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and provided that there are no legal retention obligations to the contrary.

5) Web Analytics Services

5.1 Google Analytics 4

This website uses Google Analytics 4, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”), which enables an analysis of your use of our website.

By default, when visiting the website, Google Analytics 4 sets cookies, which are stored as small text elements on your device and collect certain information. This information also includes your IP address, which is truncated by Google by removing the last digits to exclude direct personal identifiability.

The information is transferred to Google’s servers and processed there. Transfers to Google LLC, based in the USA, are also possible.

Google uses the collected information on our behalf to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activities for us, and to provide other services related to website and internet usage. The truncated IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics is not combined with other data from Google. The data collected through the use of Google Analytics 4 is stored for a period of two months and then deleted.

All processing described above, particularly the placement of cookies on the device used, only occurs if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
Without your consent, Google Analytics 4 will not be used during your visit to the site. You can revoke your given consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your right of revocation, please deactivate this service via the “Cookie Consent Tool” provided on the website.

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

Further legal information about Google Analytics 4 can be found at https://policies.google.comprivacy?hl=en&gl=en and at https://policies.google.comtechnologiespartner-sites

Demographic Characteristics
Google Analytics 4 uses the special feature “demographic characteristics” and can create statistics that make statements about the age, gender, and interests of site visitors. This is done by analyzing advertisements and information from third-party providers. This allows target groups for marketing activities to be identified. However, the collected data cannot be attributed to any specific person and will be deleted after storage for a period of two months.

Google Signals
As an extension to Google Analytics 4, Google Signals can be used on this website to create cross-device reports. If you have enabled personalized ads and linked your devices to your Google account, Google can, subject to your consent to use Google Analytics in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR, analyze your usage behavior across devices and create database models, including for cross-device conversions. We do not receive any personal data from Google, only statistics. If you want to stop the cross-device analysis, you can deactivate the “Personalized Advertising” function in your Google account settings. Follow the instructions on this page: https://support.google.comadsanswer2662922?hl=en For more information about Google Signals, please visit the following link: https://support.google.comanalyticsanswer7532985?hl=en

UserIDs
As an extension to Google Analytics 4, the “UserIDs” function can be used on this website. If you have consented to the use of Google Analytics 4 in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR, have set up an account on this website, and log in to this account on different devices, your activities, including conversions, can be analyzed across devices.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with European data protection standards based on an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

5.2 Google Tag Manager

This website uses the “Google Tag Manager”, a service provided by the following provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (hereinafter: “Google”).

The Google Tag Manager provides a technical foundation for bundling various web applications, including tracking and analysis services, and calibrating, controlling, and linking them to conditions through a unified user interface. The Google Tag Manager itself does not store or read any information on user devices. It also does not perform any independent data analysis. However, when a page is accessed, your IP address is transmitted to Google via the Google Tag Manager and may be stored there. Transmission to Google LLC servers in the USA is also possible.

This processing is only carried out if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR. Without this consent, the use of Google Tag Manager will not occur during your visit to the site. You can revoke your given consent at any time with effect for the future. To exercise your revocation, please deactivate this service in the “Cookie Consent Tool” provided on the website.

We have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with European data protection standards based on an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

5.3 TWIPLA

This website uses the web analysis service of the following provider: Visitor Analytics GmbH, Seestraße 76, 82335 Berg, Germany

Using cookies and/or comparable technologies (tracking pixels, web beacons, algorithms for reading device and browser information), the service collects and stores pseudonymized visitor data, including information from the device used, such as the IP address and browser information, to evaluate them for statistical analyses of user behavior on our website and to create pseudonymized usage profiles. Among other things, this enables the evaluation of movement patterns (so-called heatmaps), which show the duration of page visits and interactions with page content (e.g., text entries, scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs). The pseudonymization generally precludes direct personal identifiability. There is no merging with clear data about your person collected in other ways.

All processing described above, especially the reading or storing of information on the device used, will only be carried out if you have given us your explicit consent in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can revoke your given consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service in the “Cookie Consent Tool” provided on the website.

We have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

6) Page Functionalities

6.1 LinkedIn Plugins

Our website uses plugins from the social network of the following provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland

These plugins enable direct interactions with content on the social network.

To increase the protection of your data when visiting our website, the plugins are initially deactivated using a so-called “2-click” or “Shariff” solution embedded in the page.

This integration ensures that no connection is established with the provider’s servers when a page of our website containing such plugins is accessed.

Only when you activate the plugins and thereby give your consent to data transmission in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR, does your browser establish a direct connection to the provider’s servers. In this process, regardless of whether you are logged into an existing user profile, certain information about your end device (including your IP address), your browser, and your page history is transmitted to the provider and may be further processed there.

If you are logged into an existing user profile on the provider’s social network, information about interactions made through the plugins will also be published there and shown to your contacts.
You can revoke your consent at any time by deactivating the activated plugin by clicking on it again. However, the revocation does not affect the data that has already been transferred to the provider.

Data may also be transferred to: LinkedIn Inc., USA

We have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

For the transfer of data to the USA, the provider relies on standard contractual clauses of the European Commission, which are intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards.

6.2 X-Plugins

Plugins from the social network of the following provider are used on our website: Twitter International Unlimited Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07 Ireland

These plugins enable direct interactions with content on the social network.

To increase the protection of your data when visiting our website, the plugins are initially deactivated using a so-called “2-click” or “Shariff” solution embedded in the page.

This integration ensures that no connection is established with the provider’s servers when a page of our website containing such plugins is accessed.

Only when you activate the plugins and thereby give your consent to data transmission in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR, does your browser establish a direct connection to the provider’s servers. In this process, regardless of whether you are logged into an existing user profile, certain information about your end device (including your IP address), your browser, and your page history is transmitted to the provider and may be further processed there.

If you are logged into an existing user profile on the provider’s social network, information about interactions made through the plugins will also be published there and shown to your contacts.
You can revoke your consent at any time by deactivating the activated plugin by clicking on it again. However, the revocation does not affect the data that has already been transferred to the provider.

Data may also be transferred to: X Corp., USA

We have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

For the transfer of data to the USA, the provider relies on standard contractual clauses of the European Commission, which are intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards.

6.3 Xing-Plugins

The ‘XING Share Button’ from the following provider is used on this website: New Work SE, Am Strandkai 1, 20457 Hamburg
When you access this website, your browser briefly establishes a connection to the provider’s servers, which provide the ‘XING Share Button’ functions (in particular, the calculation/display of the counter value). The provider does not store any personal data, especially no IP addresses. There is also no evaluation of your usage behavior in connection with the ‘XING Share Button’ through the use of cookies.

6.4 Google Web Fonts

This site uses so-called Web Fonts from the following provider for the uniform display of fonts: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland

When you access a page, your browser loads the required Web Fonts into your browser cache to correctly display texts and fonts, and establishes a direct connection to the provider’s servers. In doing so, certain browser information, including your IP address, is transmitted to the provider.

Data may also be transferred to: Google LLC, USA

The processing of personal data in the course of establishing a connection with the font provider is only carried out if you have given us your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by deactivating this service via the ‘Cookie Consent Tool’ provided on the website. If your browser does not support Web Fonts, a standard font from your computer will be used.

For data transfers to the USA, the provider has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with European data protection standards based on an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

7) Tools and Miscellaneous

7.1 Cookie Consent Tool

This website uses a so-called “Cookie Consent Tool” to obtain effective user consent for cookies and cookie-based applications that require consent. The “Cookie Consent Tool” is displayed to users when they access the site in the form of an interactive user interface, where consent for certain cookies and/or cookie-based applications can be given by ticking a box. By using the tool, all cookies/services requiring consent are only loaded if the respective user grants consent by ticking the appropriate box. This ensures that such cookies are only set on the user’s device if consent has been given.

The tool sets technically necessary cookies to store your cookie preferences. In principle, no personal user data is processed in this context.

If, in individual cases, personal data (such as the IP address) is processed for the purpose of storing, assigning or logging cookie settings, this is done in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in a legally compliant, user-specific and user-friendly consent management for cookies and thus in a legally compliant design of our website.

A further legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. As the responsible party, we are subject to the legal obligation to make the use of technically non-necessary cookies dependent on the respective user consent.

Where necessary, we have concluded a data processing agreement with the provider that ensures the protection of our site visitors’ data and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

Further information about the operator and the settings options of the Cookie Consent Tool can be found directly in the corresponding user interface on our website.

7.2 – Lexoffice

For accounting purposes, we use the service of the cloud-based accounting software from the following provider: Haufe-Lexware GmbH Co. KG, Munzinger Straße 9, 79111 Freiburg, Germany

The provider processes incoming and outgoing invoices as well as our company’s bank transactions, if applicable, to automatically record invoices, match them to transactions, and create financial accounting in a semi-automated process.

If personal data is processed in this context, the processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in efficient organization and documentation of our business transactions.

8) Rights of the Data Subject

8.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following data subject rights (rights to information and intervention) vis-à-vis the data controller with regard to the processing of your personal data, whereby reference is made to the legal basis cited for the respective exercise requirements:

• Right of access pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR;
• Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR;
• Right to erasure pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR;
• Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR;
• Right to notification pursuant to Art. 19 GDPR;
• Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR;
• Right to withdraw consent pursuant to Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR;
• Right to lodge a complaint pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR.

8.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT

IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA BASED ON OUR LEGITIMATE INTEREST AS PART OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING AT ANY TIME FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED. HOWEVER, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE PROCESSING IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES TO ASSERT, EXERCISE OR DEFEND LEGAL CLAIMS.

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED BY US FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT MARKETING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING. YOU CAN EXERCISE THE OBJECTION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL STOP PROCESSING THE DATA CONCERNED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES.

9) Duration of Storage of Personal Data

The duration of storage of personal data is determined by the respective legal basis, the processing purpose and – if applicable – additionally by the respective statutory retention period (e.g., commercial and tax law retention periods).

When processing personal data on the basis of explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR, the data concerned will be stored until you revoke your consent.

If there are statutory retention periods for data that is processed within the scope of legal or similar obligations on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR, this data will be routinely deleted after expiry of the retention periods if it is no longer required for the fulfillment or initiation of a contract and/or if we no longer have a legitimate interest in further storage.

When processing personal data on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR, this data will be stored until you exercise your right to object pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing serves the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims.

When processing personal data for the purpose of direct marketing on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR, this data will be stored until you exercise your right to object pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.

Unless otherwise stated in the other information in this declaration about specific processing situations, stored personal data will be deleted when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.