This Privacy Policy explains how Grounded Business Solutions Pty Ltd handles personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). We take privacy seriously and only collect what we need to help you.
While the small business exemption under the Privacy Act may currently apply to us based on annual turnover, we have chosen to operate as APP-compliant from day one. This reflects best practice, and prepares us for the expected removal of the small business exemption in upcoming reforms to the Privacy Act.
1. Who we are
Grounded Business Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN 79 617 379 398, ACN 617 379 398)
- ABN: 79 617 379 398
- Based in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia
- Email: hello@groundedbusinesssolutions.com.au
For the purposes of this policy, "we", "us" and "our" refer to Grounded Business Solutions Pty Ltd. "You" refers to anyone visiting the website or contacting us through it.
2. What information we collect
We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to respond to your enquiry or deliver a service. This generally includes:
- Contact form submissions: your name, business name (optional), email address, phone number (optional), preferred contact method, and the content of your message.
- Email correspondence: any information you choose to include when you email us directly.
- Website analytics: aggregated and anonymised information about how visitors use the site (see Cookies and tracking).
- Server logs: standard information your browser sends to any website, such as your IP address, browser type and pages visited. We use these only to keep the site secure and running well.
We do not collect sensitive information (such as health data, religion or political views) and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
3. How we collect it
We collect personal information directly from you when you:
- Submit our contact form
- Email or call us
- Browse the website (analytics and server logs only)
We do not buy lists, scrape contact details from other sources, or enrich your information with data from third-party brokers.
4. Why we collect it
We collect personal information for the following purposes:
- To respond to enquiries you send us
- To deliver services we have agreed to provide
- To improve the website (using anonymised analytics only)
- To keep the site secure and meet our legal obligations
5. How we use it
We use your personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a directly related secondary purpose you would reasonably expect.
We will not use your information for direct marketing unless you have given clear consent, and any marketing communication will include an easy way to opt out.
6. Who we share it with
We do not sell your personal information. We only share it with trusted service providers who help us run the business, and only to the extent necessary. These currently include:
| Service provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Docs) | Business email and document storage |
| Google Apps Script & Google Sheets | Receiving and storing contact form submissions |
| Google Cloud Platform (Firebase Hosting) | Website hosting |
| Google Analytics 4 | Anonymised website analytics (only with cookie consent) |
| VentraIP | Domain registrar and DNS |
We may also disclose personal information where required by law (for example, in response to a valid court order or law enforcement request).
7. Cross-border disclosure
Some of the service providers listed above store and process data outside Australia, primarily in the United States and other regions where Google operates infrastructure.
Before sharing personal information with overseas providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle that information consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles.
8. How we secure it
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These include:
- HTTPS encryption across the entire website
- Two-factor authentication on all administrative accounts
- Spam protection and input validation on the contact form
- Access controls so only authorised people can see submission data
- Regular software updates and security reviews
No method of transmission over the internet is perfectly secure. While we take every reasonable precaution, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Cookies and tracking
This website uses cookies to understand how visitors interact with it. We separate cookies into two categories:
- Essential storage: a small record of your cookie choice, saved in your browser for 12 months so we don't ask again on every page. This is always on and contains no personal information.
- Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4): help us understand visitor patterns. These are only used if you give consent through the cookie banner.
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking "Cookie settings" in the website footer or by clearing your browser data. Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses, and we have turned off advertising features and data sharing for advertising.
10. How long we keep your information
We only keep personal information for as long as we need it. Specifically:
- Contact form submissions are kept in our enquiry sheet for 24 months from your last contact with us, then deleted.
- Email correspondence related to a project or invoice is kept for 7 years, as required by Australian Taxation Office record-keeping obligations.
- Analytics data in Google Analytics 4 is kept for 2 months, the shortest period Google offers, then deleted.
- Server logs are kept for up to 30 days for security and operational purposes, then automatically deleted.
You can ask us to delete your personal information sooner. We will do so unless we have a legal obligation to retain it (for example, tax records).
11. Your rights
Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:
- Ask us what personal information we hold about you
- Ask us to correct any inaccurate personal information
- Ask us to delete your personal information (subject to any legal obligation we have to retain it)
- Withdraw consent for analytics cookies at any time
- Make a complaint about how we handle your information
We respond to all reasonable requests within 30 days, free of charge.
12. Data breaches
If we become aware of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to anyone whose personal information we hold, we will notify the affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. We will assess any suspected breach within 30 days and notify as soon as practicable once we have reasonable grounds to believe an eligible data breach has occurred.
To report a suspected data breach involving information you have shared with us, please email hello@groundedbusinesssolutions.com.au with the subject line "Data Breach". We will respond within one business day.
13. How to contact us
For privacy questions, access requests, or correction requests, contact us at:
- Email: hello@groundedbusinesssolutions.com.au (please include "Privacy Request" in the subject line)
14. How to make a complaint
If you believe we have not handled your personal information correctly, please contact us first using the details above. We take complaints seriously and will work to resolve any issue quickly.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as our business or the law changes. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page will always show the most recent version. Significant changes will be highlighted on the website.