Confederation of Fibre Optics and Network Infrastructure Installers
Built by industry. Focused on competence.
— WEBSITE AND DATA · POLICY 07
Privacy Notice
How COFNII collects, uses, publishes, shares, retains and protects personal information and how individuals can exercise their rights.
DOCUMENT CONTROL
STATUS
Committee approved 4 July 2026
VERSION
Approved 0.1
PREPARED
4 July 2026
APPLIES TO
Website users, applicants, members, trainers, event attendees, contacts and complainants
COMMITTEE APPROVED - 4TH JULY 2026
This document forms part of the approved COFNII governance framework.
1. Controller and contact details
The controller is the Confederation of Fibre Optic and Network Infrastructure Installers Ltd (COFNII), company number 16802777, registered office Unit 2, First Avenue, Crewe, England, CW1 6BG. Contact info@cofnii.org with a privacy question or rights request.
This notice is written for the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and applicable amendments made by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
2. Information we may collect
Identity and contact information, employment or business details and authorised representatives.
Membership category, payment status, correspondence, event activity and member-service records.
Qualifications, certificates, accreditations, CPD, experience, insurance and evidence supplied for verification or approval.
Directory information approved for publication, including name, organisation, location, services, status and verification dates.
Complaint, appeal, investigation and safeguarding information where relevant and lawful.
Website, device, security, sign-in, cookie-preference and communication information.
Important: COFNII does not intentionally request special-category or criminal-offence data unless it is necessary, proportionate and supported by an additional legal condition and suitable safeguards.
3. Purposes and lawful bases
Contract and pre-contract steps: processing applications, administering membership, supplying member services, events and account access.
Legal obligation: company, accounting, tax, data-protection, safety and regulatory duties.
Legitimate interests: verifying competence, protecting the integrity of the register, preventing fraud, administering business contacts, securing systems, handling proportionate concerns and improving services. COFNII will document and review the required balancing assessment.
Consent: optional marketing, non-essential cookies, optional public information where consent is the appropriate basis, and another purpose where genuine choice is available.
Recognised legitimate interests or another lawful basis where a specific statutory condition applies.
4. Public registers and verification
COFNII publishes only the information reasonably necessary to verify current membership, organisational approval, trainer certification, specialist scope and status. Applicants will be told what is public before publication. COFNII will not publish certificate images, dates of birth, home addresses or private contact details merely to prove status.
Suspended, expired or withdrawn status may be shown where necessary to prevent misleading reliance. COFNII will balance transparency against the individual’s rights and keep publication proportionate and time-limited.
5. Sharing and international transfers
Information may be shared with contracted website, payment, communications, assessment, IT, professional-advice and administration providers; awarding or certification organisations where verification is authorised; regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies where required; and another party with consent or a lawful basis.
Where a provider processes information outside the UK, COFNII will use an applicable adequacy regulation or appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum, together with proportionate security and supplier checks.
6. Retention and security
Enquiries and routine correspondence: normally up to two years after the matter closes.
Unsuccessful applications: normally up to two years after the final decision, unless a shorter or longer period is justified.
Membership, approval, complaint and financial records: normally the active period plus up to six years for contract, accounting, fraud-prevention and legal-claims purposes.
Marketing information: until consent is withdrawn or an objection is made, with a minimal suppression record retained to respect the preference.
Cookie records: for the period stated by the consent platform and cookie table.
Important: Retention is reviewed against purpose, limitation periods, legal requirements, risk and the individual’s rights; records are not kept merely because storage is available.
7. Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, a person may have rights to be informed, access information, correct it, erase it, restrict its use, receive portable information, object, withdraw consent and obtain safeguards concerning solely automated significant decisions. Rights are not absolute and COFNII will explain any lawful restriction.
COFNII will normally respond without undue delay and within the statutory period. A person may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk, although COFNII asks for the opportunity to address the concern first.
Questions or adjustments?
Contact COFNII about this policy or request an accessible format.
POLICY OWNER
COFNII Board and Committee
JURISDICTION
England and Wales
NEXT REVIEW
Annually or after material change
UK legal and guidance references
External sources are provided for transparency. The legislation and official guidance in force at the relevant time should always be checked.