Privacy Policy 

The Coalition for Aligning Science (CAS) values its users’ privacy and is committed to protecting it. This Policy explains our online information practices and outlines the choices you can make about what information you provide, how your data is collected, and how it is used. By visiting aligningscience.com, you are therefore consenting to the data collection procedures expressed in this Policy.

CAS uses personal information to better understand your needs and interests, and to provide you with an improved user experience. Once you choose to provide us with personal information, it will only be used to support your relationship with CAS. We will not sell, rent, lease, or give your personally identifiable information to unaffiliated or non-partner third-parties.

What We Collect

CAS collects the following information during your visit to our website:

  • Website tracking information collected through cookies and analytics services.

  • Online web forms used to subscribe to CAS newsletters and updates or for contacting CAS for additional information.

Please see the details below on how we gather or manage this type of information. Our website is intended for ages 18 and older. We do not intend to or knowingly collect personal information from minors.

How We Use It

CAS uses your information to help us understand your needs and interests and provide you with an improved user experience. Data collected online may also be combined with information you provide through other sources, such as conferences or personal contacts with members of CAS.

Anonymous (non-personal) data is aggregated for reporting about our web site usability, performance, and effectiveness. It is used to improve the customer experience, usability, and site content.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other digital devices when you access our site. This information can be read by our website when you return to the site. We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience and speed up your future visits by storing preferences.

Cookies contain information about your use of a particular website but do not include any personally identifying information by themselves.

Many cookies are “session” cookies, meaning the cookie does not stay on your computer after you leave our web site or close your browser. The aggregate information collected permits us to analyze traffic patterns at our site. This can enable us over time to provide a better experience on our site.

Cookies fall into one or more of the categories set out below. This website uses cookies that fall into all the categories. Also, we use data from targeting cookies placed on your computer by third parties when you have visited other websites.

  • Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies enable services you have specifically asked for.

  • Performance cookies: These cookies collect information on the pages visited.

  • Functionality cookies: These cookies remember choices you make to improve your experience.

  • Targeting cookies or advertising cookies: These cookies collect information about your browsing habits to make advertising relevant to you and your interests.

You have options to remove or disable cookies from your browser at any time. Please click here to learn more about how you can manage cookies for your browser.

Analytics

CAS uses cookies with Google Analytics and Tag Manager to collect data on how visitors use our website. This data can include page views, unique views, unique visitors, repeat visitors, frequency of visits, and referral sources. These tools do not gather, request, record, or require any personal information such as name, address, or your computer’s IP address.

Online Forms

CAS website uses online forms to gather specific information from our site visitors. These forms include an email subscription form and a ‘contact us’ form to send messages to our staff.

Typical information collected is a visitor’s name, contact information, and answers to specific questions about participating with CAS programs. Data is then stored locally or on our email marketing platform.

Third-Party Websites and Other Sites

CAS’s website links to third-party sites that we do not operate or endorse. These third-party websites may use cookies and collect your personal information through their privacy policies. CAS’s privacy policy does not apply to third-party websites, and we are not responsible for third party websites.

Our website also contains links to other services whose information practices may be different from ours, such as programs, partners of funders. Visitors should consult these other services’ privacy notices, as CAS does not control information that is submitted to, or collected by, these third parties.

How does CAS protect your information?

CAS takes appropriate measures to ensure that your personal information is secure, accurate, and kept only for so long as is necessary for the purposes for which it is used. We will never ask for personal information such as a driver’s license number, credit card number, or social security number and will not sell or share your information with anyone outside CAS.

CAS respects your right to remove your information from our systems at any time. Please contact us to request your data be removed from our files. We will comply within a reasonable timeframe and reply to your request.

Data Subject Rights

CAS strives to keep your personally identifiable information accurate. In relation to your personally identifiable information, you have certain rights as a Data Subject under the regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) of the EU. A summary of these rights and how they can be exercised is set out below:

  • The right to be informed: We must inform you of how we intend to use your personal data and we do this through the terms of this Policy.

  • The right of access: You have the right to request access to your data that we collect, and we must respond to those requests within one month.

  • The right to rectification: If you believe some of your data is incorrect, you have the right to have it corrected.

  • The right to erasure: You can request that the information we hold be deleted, and we will comply unless we have a compelling reason not to, in which case you will be informed.

  • The right to restrict processing: You can change your communication preferences or opt out of certain communications by contacting us.

  • The right of data portability: You can obtain and use the data we hold for your own purposes without explanation. If you wish to request a copy of your information, contact us.

  • The right to object: You can file a formal objection with us regarding our use of your information with regard to third parties, or its processing where our legal basis is our legitimate interest in it. To do this, please contact us.

CAS will aim to encrypt and anonymize your personal information whenever possible. CAS also has protocols in place in the unlikely event that we suffer a data breach and will contact you if your personal information is ever at risk.

For more details regarding our security protections see the section below.

Security

CAS takes precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline. Wherever we collect sensitive information, that information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way. While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline.

Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job are granted access to sensitive information. The computers and servers where we store this information are kept in a secure environment. This is all done to prevent any loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of the user’s personal information under our control.

The company also uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for authentication and private communications.

Notice to European Union Users

CAS’s operations are located primarily in the United States. If you provide information to us, the information will be transferred out of the European Union (EU) and sent to the United States. (The adequacy decision on the EU-US Privacy became operational on August 1, 2016. This framework protects the fundamental rights of anyone in the EU whose personal data is transferred to the United States for commercial purposes. It allows the free transfer of data to companies that are certified in the US under the Privacy Shield.) By providing personal information to us, you are consenting to its storage and use as described in this Policy.

California Consumer Privacy Rights

You have certain rights regarding our use and disclosure of your personal information, as described below:

  • Access: The right to request, twice in a 12-month period, that we disclose what personal information we have collected, used, disclosed, and sold about you during the past 12 months.

  • Deletion: The right to request that we delete certain personal information we have collected from you.

  • Opt-Out of Sale: The right to opt out of the sale of your personal information.

  • Shine the Light Request: The right to request that we provide you with (1) a list of certain categories of personal information we have disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year and (2) the identity of those third parties.

  • How to Submit a Request: To submit an access or deletion request, contact us.

  • Verifying Requests: To help protect your privacy and maintain security, we will take steps to verify your identity before granting you access to your personal information or complying with your request. If you request access to or deletion of your personal information, we may require you to provide us with information about you to verify your identity. The type of information that we ask for may vary depending on the type and sensitivity of the personal information we hold about you or that you request.  If additional information is required to verify your request, we may contact you to provide us with that information before responding to your request for access or deletion.  In addition, if you ask us to provide you with specific pieces of personal information, we will require you to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury that you are the consumer whose personal information is the subject of the request.  If you designate an authorized agent to make an access, deletion or opt-out of sale request on your behalf (1) we may require you to provide the authorized agent written permission to do so, and (2) for access and deletion requests, we may require you to verify your own identity directly with us (as described above).

  • Additional Information: If you choose to exercise any of your rights under the CCPA, you have the right to not receive discriminatory treatment by us.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may charge a reasonable fee to comply with your request. Please contact us to request this Statement in an alternative format.

Acceptance of Terms

By using this website, you are hereby accepting the terms and conditions stipulated within the Privacy Policy Agreement. If you are not in agreement with our terms and conditions, then you should refrain from further use of our sites. In addition, your continued use of our website following the posting of any updates or changes to our terms and conditions shall mean that you agree and accept such changes.

Contacting Us

CAS values your comments and opinions. If you have comments or questions about our privacy policy, contact us via our online form. Please allow for 2-3 business days for a reply.

Conditions of Use, Notices, and Revisions

CAS reserves the right to make changes to this Policy at any given time. We advise you to visit this page frequently to make sure that you are up to date with the latest changes. If at any point in time CAS decides to make use of any personally identifiable information on file, in a manner vastly different from that which was stated when this information was initially collected, the user or users shall be notified by email. Visitors at that time shall have the option to change how their information is shared.