Privacy Policy

1. About this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Ascent Onsite Group Ltd (“AOG”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal data in connection with The Ascent Summit Challenge, including the Kilimanjaro 2027 founding edition.

It applies when you:

• visit the Summit Challenge website;
• register your interest in taking part;
• enquire about becoming a campaign partner;
• contact us about the challenge;
• participate in campaign communications, surveys or events;
• later become a confirmed participant, partner or campaign contact.

This policy should be read together with our Cookie Policy and any specific privacy information we provide when collecting additional information from confirmed participants.

AOG is the controller of personal data collected through this website unless we tell you otherwise.

2. Who we are

The Ascent Summit Challenge is an initiative of Ascent Onsite Group Ltd.

Ascent Onsite Group Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 12386048.

For privacy enquiries, contact support@ascentonsite.group.

3. Personal data we may collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with the campaign.

3.1 Registration and enquiry information

When you register interest or contact us, we may collect:

• full name;
• company or organisation;
• job title;
• telephone number;
• email address;
• the type of involvement you are interested in;
• the contents of your enquiry or message;
• your communication preferences.

3.2 Participant information

If you later progress from registering interest to becoming a confirmed participant, we may need additional information to organise the programme safely and effectively.

This may include:

• date of birth;
• home address;
• emergency contact details;
• travel information;
• passport details where required for expedition arrangements;
• insurance information;
• dietary requirements;
• clothing or kit sizes;
• training attendance and participation information;
• information needed for expedition administration;
• photographs, video and campaign-content permissions.

We will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant stage of the programme.

3.3 Health and special category information

A high-altitude expedition may require us, the selected expedition operator or another authorised provider to obtain health, medical, dietary or accessibility information.

Health information is special category personal data and receives additional protection under UK data protection law.

Where such information is required, we will provide appropriate privacy information at the point of collection and ensure that an appropriate lawful basis and special-category condition applies.

Registering interest through the website does not require you to provide medical information.

3.4 Website and technical information

When you use the website, we may collect technical and usage information such as:

• IP address;
• browser and device information;
• pages visited;
• approximate visit time and duration;
• referral source;
• campaign or UTM parameters;
• cookie preferences;
• website interaction and performance information.

Optional analytics information is collected only in accordance with our Cookie Policy and your cookie choices.

3.5 Information from other sources

We may receive information about you from:

• your employer or organisation where it nominates or supports you;
• campaign partners;
• the selected charity;
• the selected expedition or travel provider;
• publicly available professional sources where relevant to a business relationship;
• referral contacts who introduce you to the campaign.

Where required, we will tell you the source and provide the relevant privacy information.

4. How we use your personal data

We may use personal data to:

• respond to Summit Challenge enquiries;
• manage registrations of interest;
• contact prospective participants and campaign partners;
• assess and manage participation in the programme;
• organise training days, briefings and campaign activities;
• communicate campaign updates;
• coordinate with the selected charity and expedition providers;
• manage safety, logistics and emergency arrangements for confirmed participants;
• administer participant, partner and fundraising relationships;
• record participation and campaign milestones;
• produce campaign photography, video and editorial content where appropriate;
• measure website performance and campaign engagement;
• protect the security and integrity of the website;
• comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, accounting and safeguarding obligations;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We do not sell personal data.

5. Our lawful bases

Depending on the purpose, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases under the UK GDPR.

Legitimate interests

We may rely on our legitimate interests to:

• respond to business and campaign enquiries;
• manage relationships with potential participants, clients and campaign partners;
• operate and improve the Summit Challenge;
• maintain website security;
• communicate relevant operational information;
• create and maintain appropriate records of campaign activity.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether our interests are necessary and balanced against your rights and freedoms.

Contract

If you later become a confirmed participant or enter into a campaign-partner agreement, we may process information where necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform that contract.

Consent

We may rely on consent where required, including for:

• optional analytics cookies;
• some marketing communications;
• certain photography, video or testimonial uses where consent is the appropriate basis;
• particular uses of special category data where explicit consent is required.

You may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal.

Legal obligation

We may process information where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory duties.

Vital interests

In exceptional circumstances, such as a serious medical emergency, information may be processed where necessary to protect someone’s life.

6. Marketing and campaign communications

Registering interest in the Summit Challenge allows us to contact you about your enquiry and the steps relevant to that enquiry.

We will distinguish between:

• service or operational communications, which are necessary to respond to your request or manage your participation; and
• optional marketing communications, for which we will provide an appropriate choice where required.

You can opt out of marketing at any time by using the unsubscribe option in a marketing email or contacting us.

Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending essential operational communications if you are participating in the programme.

7. Photography, video and campaign storytelling

The Summit Challenge is a public-facing campaign and may involve photography, video, interviews, social media, Journey articles and other communications.

Where appropriate, we will tell participants how imagery and recordings may be used.

For organised training and campaign events, we may rely on legitimate interests for general event photography where the use is proportionate and expected. For more prominent individual features, testimonials or other uses where consent is more appropriate, we will obtain permission.

We will provide reasonable ways for participants to raise concerns about photography or filming.

8. Sharing your information

We may share personal data where necessary with trusted organisations involved in operating the campaign.

These may include:

• website, hosting, IT and security providers;
• email and communications providers;
• analytics providers where you have permitted optional analytics;
• CRM, form and campaign-administration providers;
• the selected charity;
• the selected expedition, travel or logistics provider;
• insurers, medical or safety providers where relevant;
• training, wellbeing or specialist providers;
• professional advisers such as accountants, legal advisers and auditors;
• regulators, law enforcement or public authorities where legally required.

We require service providers acting on our behalf to handle personal data securely and only for authorised purposes.

The selected charity and expedition operator may act as separate controllers for information they collect directly from you. Where this applies, their own privacy policies will govern that processing.

9. Fundraising information

The Summit Challenge is designed so that public charitable donations are handled through the selected charity’s approved fundraising arrangements rather than being used to pay participant expedition costs or AOG administration.

When fundraising goes live, the selected charity or fundraising platform may collect personal data directly from donors.

AOG will not necessarily control that donor data. The relevant charity or platform privacy notice will apply to information collected through its donation service.

10. International transfers

Some technology or service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.

The Kilimanjaro expedition will also involve organisations in Tanzania and may require limited participant information to be shared internationally for legitimate expedition, travel, safety or operational purposes.

Where UK data protection law requires safeguards for an international transfer, we will use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism or otherwise ensure that the transfer is permitted by law.

We will provide further participant-specific information before expedition data is shared where appropriate.

11. How long we keep personal data

We do not keep personal data longer than necessary.

Retention depends on the purpose and may take account of:

• whether you progress beyond registering interest;
• the duration of the campaign or participant relationship;
• legal, tax, insurance and accounting requirements;
• safety and incident-management needs;
• limitation periods for legal claims;
• whether information forms part of a legitimate historic campaign record.

As a general approach:

• unsuccessful or inactive expressions of interest will be periodically reviewed and deleted or anonymised when no longer required;
• confirmed participant and contractual records may be retained for a longer period where necessary for legal, insurance, accounting or campaign-record purposes;
• marketing information will be retained until you opt out or it is no longer appropriate to keep it;
• cookie and analytics information is retained in accordance with the relevant service settings and our Cookie Policy.

We will review retention periods as the charity, expedition operator and participant processes are finalised.

12. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Access is limited to people and providers who need the information for authorised purposes.

No method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the information we hold.

13. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• request access to your personal data;
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• request deletion of personal data;
• request restriction of processing;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• object to direct marketing at any time;
• request data portability where the right applies;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Some rights are subject to legal conditions and exemptions.

Your right to object

You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests where your particular situation gives you grounds to do so. You also have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal data for direct marketing.

To exercise a right, contact support@ascentonsite.group.

We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. We normally aim to respond within one month, subject to the rules that allow additional time for particularly complex requests.

14. Complaints

We would appreciate the opportunity to address any privacy concern directly.

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

ICO website

ico.org.uk

15. Third-party links

The Summit Challenge website may link to the main Ascent Onsite Group website, charities, fundraising platforms, campaign partners, expedition or travel providers, social media platforms and other third-party services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. You should review their privacy information when using those services.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the Summit Challenge develops, including when the charity partner is selected, fundraising goes live, the expedition operator is appointed, participant processes change, new technology or service providers are introduced, or applicable law or regulatory guidance changes.

The current version will always show the latest update date.

17. Contact

Email

support@ascentonsite.group

General enquiries

hello@ascentonsite.group