Privacy Notice
Last updated: September 2026
Simon Acres Group Ltd (“Simon Acres Group Ltd”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of the people we work with.
We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”), the Data Protection Act 2018 (“DPA 2018”), the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (“PECR”), and other applicable data protection legislation.
This Privacy Notice explains what personal information we collect, where we obtain it from, why we use it, the legal bases we rely on, who we may share it with, how long we retain it, and the rights individuals have in relation to their personal information.
This Privacy Notice applies to information processed through our recruitment, executive recruitment, training, media, consultancy and related business activities, as well as through our websites, online platforms and other communication channels.
1. Who We Are
Simon Acres Group Ltd is a UK-based recruitment, training and media company providing recruitment and related services to individuals, employers and organisations.
For data protection purposes, Simon Acres Group Ltd will generally act as a Data Controller where we determine the purposes and means of processing personal information.
In some circumstances, we may process personal information on behalf of a client under the client’s instructions. Where this applies, our respective responsibilities will be determined by the relevant contractual arrangements and applicable data protection law.
Privacy Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, how we process your personal information, or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact:
Simon Acres Group Ltd
Telephone: 0203 701 6660
Email: info@simonacres.co.uk
2. Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.
We do not necessarily collect all of the categories below from every individual.
2.1 Candidates and prospective candidates
We may collect:
- Name and contact details
- Address, location and geographical preferences
- CV and employment history
- Current and previous employers
- Job titles and professional experience
- Qualifications, training and certifications
- Skills and areas of expertise
- Salary or remuneration expectations
- Employment preferences
- Availability and notice period
- Preferred location and working arrangements
- Interview and assessment information
- Recruitment and communication history
- Details of roles applied for, discussed or considered
- Information provided during registration or candidate onboarding
- References and employment verification information
- Right-to-work information where required
- Information necessary to facilitate an interview, placement or recruitment process
- Marketing and communication preferences
- Information voluntarily provided to us by the individual
Where necessary and lawful for a particular recruitment process, we may also process information that requires additional protection under data protection law, including certain special category personal data or information relating to criminal convictions or offences.
Such information will only be processed where an appropriate legal condition applies and where the processing is necessary, proportionate and relevant to the particular purpose.
2.2 Clients and business contacts
We may collect:
- Name
- Job title and professional role
- Business email address
- Business telephone number
- Company and business information
- Recruitment requirements
- Vacancy information
- Communication history
- Contractual and commercial information
- Information relating to our business relationship
- Marketing and communication preferences
2.3 Training customers and participants
Where you use our training or educational services, we may collect:
- Name and contact details
- Company and job role
- Course or training information
- Booking and attendance information
- Assessment and completion information
- Certificates and achievement records
- Communication history
- Payment and invoicing information where applicable
2.4 Website users
When you use our websites or online services, we may collect information such as:
- IP address
- Browser and device information
- Technical information
- Website usage information
- Cookie and similar technology information
- Analytics information
- Online identifiers
- Information submitted through website forms
- Information relating to enquiries, applications or registrations
Our use of cookies and similar technologies is explained further in our Cookie Policy.
3. How We Obtain Personal Information
We may obtain personal information from a number of sources depending on the circumstances.
These may include:
Information provided directly by you
For example, when you:
- Register with us as a candidate
- Apply for a vacancy
- Submit a CV
- Complete an online form
- Contact us by email, telephone or other communication channel
- Attend an interview
- Attend an event or training course
- Become a client or business contact
- Subscribe to communications
- Contact us through our websites or social media channels
Recruitment and employment platforms
We may receive or access candidate information through recruitment websites, job boards, applicant platforms and other professional recruitment services.
Professional networking platforms
We may identify and contact potential candidates through professional networking platforms, including LinkedIn and similar services.
Where we identify potential candidates through these channels, we will only use information that is relevant to legitimate recruitment activities and will handle it in accordance with applicable data protection law.
Publicly available professional information
As part of our recruitment and search activities, we may identify potential candidates using publicly available professional information, including information published on company websites, professional directories, industry publications and other publicly accessible sources.
Referrals and recommendations
We may receive candidate or business contact information from:
- Existing candidates
- Clients
- Employees
- Professional contacts
- Referrers
- Industry contacts
- Other individuals who recommend a person to us
Clients and other third parties
We may receive information from clients or other third parties where this is relevant and lawful for recruitment, placement, business administration or other legitimate purposes.
Where we obtain personal information from a source other than the individual, we will provide the required privacy information in accordance with applicable law, subject to any applicable exemption.
4. How We Use Personal Information
We may use personal information for the following purposes.
4.1 Recruitment and candidate services
We use candidate information to:
- Register and manage candidates
- Identify suitable candidates for vacancies
- Conduct candidate searches and talent sourcing
- Contact candidates about relevant opportunities
- Match skills, experience and preferences with client requirements
- Discuss employment opportunities
- Arrange interviews
- Facilitate recruitment and selection processes
- Provide relevant candidate information to prospective employers
- Obtain and verify references where appropriate
- Support successful placements
- Manage candidate and client relationships
- Maintain accurate recruitment records
- Communicate with candidates regarding recruitment activity
We may contact candidates about roles even where they have not specifically applied for that particular vacancy, where the opportunity is reasonably relevant to their professional profile and the processing is lawful.
4.2 Executive recruitment and search
Where we provide executive recruitment, headhunting or talent search services, we may proactively identify and contact individuals who may be suitable for particular roles.
This may involve reviewing professional information available through professional networking platforms, public sources, industry directories, referrals and other legitimate recruitment sources.
4.3 Client services
We may use business contact information to:
- Manage client relationships
- Understand recruitment requirements
- Provide recruitment services
- Discuss vacancies
- Manage recruitment campaigns
- Communicate about candidates
- Manage contracts and fees
- Administer accounts and payments
- Provide related business services
4.4 Training and consultancy
We may use personal information to:
- Manage training bookings
- Deliver training and consultancy
- Record attendance
- Assess participation or completion
- Issue certificates
- Communicate with participants
- Maintain appropriate training records
- Administer customer relationships
4.5 Media and content services
Where we provide media, photography, filming, digital content or related services, we may process personal information necessary to:
- Arrange and deliver media services
- Communicate with clients and participants
- Produce agreed content
- Manage projects
- Publish content where this has been agreed or otherwise permitted by law
- Maintain project and business records
Where identifiable individuals are featured in media content, we will ensure that the relevant use is supported by an appropriate legal basis and, where necessary, consent or another appropriate permission.
4.6 Marketing and communications
We may use personal information to communicate with individuals about:
- Relevant career opportunities
- Recruitment services
- Training
- Events
- Industry information
- Business services
- News and updates
- Other information that may reasonably be of interest
Electronic marketing will be carried out in accordance with applicable data protection and electronic communications laws, including PECR.
Where consent is required, we will obtain it before sending the relevant marketing communications.
Where the law permits us to rely on another lawful basis, including legitimate interests, we will apply the relevant legal requirements and provide an appropriate opportunity to opt out.
4.7 Business administration and legal purposes
We may also process personal information to:
- Maintain accurate business records
- Manage payments and accounts
- Protect our systems and information
- Prevent fraud, misuse or unlawful activity
- Manage disputes
- Establish, exercise or defend legal claims
- Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
- Respond to data protection requests
- Maintain records required by law
- Protect our business, clients, candidates and other individuals
5. Lawful Bases for Processing
We only process personal information where we have a lawful basis under applicable data protection law.
Depending on the circumstances, our lawful bases may include:
Legitimate interests
We may process personal information where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided that those interests are not overridden by the individual’s rights and interests.
Our legitimate interests may include:
- Operating a specialist recruitment business
- Maintaining a professional recruitment database
- Identifying and approaching suitable candidates
- Matching candidates with employment opportunities
- Managing candidate and client relationships
- Providing recruitment and business services
- Conducting executive search and headhunting
- Communicating with professional contacts
- Developing and improving our services
- Maintaining appropriate business records
- Protecting our business and systems
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary, proportionate and reasonably expected in the circumstances.
Contract
We may process personal information where this is necessary to:
- Enter into a contract
- Perform a contract
- Take steps at an individual’s request before entering into a contract
Legal obligation
We may process personal information where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
Consent
Where consent is required, we will request it before carrying out the relevant processing.
Where processing is based on consent, the individual may withdraw that consent at any time.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
Vital interests
In limited circumstances, we may process personal information where necessary to protect someone’s vital interests.
6. Recruitment Database and Candidate Relationships
As a specialist recruitment business, we may retain candidate information so that we can identify and contact individuals when suitable opportunities arise.
A person may register with us when they are not actively seeking employment. Similarly, a suitable opportunity may not arise immediately after an individual has contacted us.
For this reason, we may retain candidate information beyond the duration of a particular vacancy or recruitment process where there remains a legitimate and lawful reason to maintain the recruitment relationship.
We do not apply a blanket fixed retention period to all candidate information.
Instead, the appropriate retention period depends on factors including:
- The nature of our relationship with the individual
- Whether the individual remains engaged with us
- Whether the individual is actively being considered for opportunities
- The nature of the recruitment services involved
- Whether there is an ongoing or reasonably foreseeable recruitment relationship
- Legal and regulatory requirements
- Contractual obligations
- Legitimate business requirements
- Whether the information remains accurate and relevant
Candidate records are periodically reviewed.
Where information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason to retain it, we will delete it or anonymise it where appropriate.
7. Information Obtained From Third Parties
Where we obtain personal information from someone other than the individual, including through recruitment platforms, professional networking sites, referrals, clients or publicly available sources, we will use that information only where there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so.
We will provide privacy information to the individual where required by law.
Where appropriate, we may initially provide an employer or client with limited or anonymised candidate information during the early stages of a recruitment process.
Where a candidate’s information is to be provided to a prospective employer, we will ensure that the disclosure is relevant to the recruitment purpose and carried out lawfully.
Where the identity of a prospective employer has not yet been disclosed to a candidate, we will take appropriate steps to avoid unnecessarily identifying the employer when this is required by applicable data protection principles.
8. Special Category and Sensitive Information
Some personal information receives additional protection under data protection law.
This may include information relating to:
- Health
- Disability
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Trade union membership
- Sexual orientation
- Genetic or biometric information where applicable
We will only process special category data where an appropriate condition under applicable law applies and where the processing is necessary and proportionate for the relevant purpose.
We do not require candidates to provide special category information unless there is a legitimate reason for doing so.
Where candidates voluntarily provide such information, we will handle it appropriately and restrict access where necessary.
9. Criminal Convictions and Offence Information
Where a recruitment process requires information concerning criminal convictions or offences, we will only process such information where permitted by applicable law.
This may include circumstances where a particular role requires appropriate background checks or where there is a specific legal or regulatory requirement.
Any such processing will be limited to what is necessary and proportionate for the relevant role or purpose.
We will not routinely carry out intrusive background checks on candidates unless there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so.
10. References and Verification
Where appropriate, we may verify information provided by candidates, including qualifications, employment history, references and other relevant professional information.
We may contact referees or other relevant third parties where this is necessary and lawful.
The nature and extent of any verification will depend on the role, the recruitment process and the requirements of the client or prospective employer.
11. Sharing Personal Information
We may share personal information where necessary and lawful with:
- Prospective employers and recruitment clients
- Candidates, where necessary to provide our services
- Recruitment and candidate management platforms
- Job boards and recruitment platforms
- Professional service providers
- Technology and software providers
- Website and hosting providers
- Marketing and communications service providers
- Training providers and partners
- Payroll, accounting and financial advisers
- Legal and professional advisers
- Insurance providers where appropriate
- Regulators and government authorities
- Law enforcement agencies where legally required
- Other parties where the individual has consented or where another lawful basis permits the disclosure
We require service providers who process personal information on our behalf to provide appropriate contractual and security protections.
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
12. International Transfers
Some of the technology, software and service providers we use may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that the transfer complies with applicable data protection law.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
- Transfers to a country recognised as providing an adequate level of protection
- Appropriate contractual safeguards
- International Data Transfer Agreements or Addendums
- Other legally recognised transfer mechanisms
13. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
- Unauthorised access
- Accidental loss
- Destruction
- Damage
- Misuse
- Unauthorised disclosure
Access to personal information is limited to individuals and organisations that have a legitimate need to access it.
However, no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
14. Data Accuracy
We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
Candidates and other individuals are encouraged to tell us if their circumstances or information change.
Where appropriate, we may ask individuals to update or confirm their information.
15. Automated Processing, AI and Profiling
We may use recruitment technology, software and automated tools to assist us with activities such as:
- Organising candidate information
- Searching recruitment databases
- Identifying potentially relevant candidates
- Filtering or categorising information
- Matching candidate skills and experience with vacancies
- Managing recruitment workflows
- Improving administrative efficiency
The use of automated tools does not necessarily mean that an automated decision is being made about an individual.
Where we use automated processing or profiling that is subject to specific legal requirements, we will comply with those requirements and provide the information and safeguards required by law.
We will not use solely automated decision-making to make a significant decision about an individual unless the processing is permitted by applicable law and the required safeguards are in place.
Where applicable, individuals may have the right to:
- Obtain information about the decision
- Make representations
- Request human intervention
- Contest the decision
We will not use special category personal data for solely automated significant decision-making except where permitted by applicable law.
16. Data Retention
We do not keep personal information indefinitely.
There is no single fixed retention period that applies to every type of personal information we process.
Instead, we retain information for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the specific purpose for which it was collected or subsequently lawfully processed.
When determining how long information should be retained, we consider:
- The purpose for which the information was collected
- The nature of our relationship with the individual
- Whether the information remains relevant
- Whether there is an ongoing or reasonably foreseeable recruitment or business relationship
- Legal and regulatory requirements
- Contractual obligations
- Financial and accounting requirements
- Potential legal claims
- Legitimate business requirements
- The need to maintain appropriate records
We periodically review retained information.
Where information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason to retain it, we will delete it or anonymise it.
Where information can be retained in anonymised form, we may retain the anonymised information for statistical, analytical or business reporting purposes.
17. Direct Marketing
We may communicate with individuals about relevant recruitment opportunities, services, training, events and business information.
Where electronic marketing is subject to consent requirements, we will obtain the necessary consent.
Where we are permitted to send marketing without consent, we will comply with the applicable requirements, including providing an appropriate opportunity to opt out.
Individuals can opt out of marketing communications at any time.
Every applicable marketing communication will provide an appropriate method for opting out.
Opting out of marketing does not automatically require us to delete other personal information where we have another lawful basis for retaining it.
18. Cookies and Online Tracking
Our websites may use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Operate website functionality
- Remember preferences
- Understand website usage
- Measure performance
- Improve our services
- Support analytics
- Support marketing activities where permitted
Some cookies may be used without consent where permitted by applicable law.
Where consent is required, we will request it before placing or using the relevant cookies.
Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.
19. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights under applicable data protection law, including:
- The right to be informed about how your personal information is used
- The right of access to personal information we hold about you
- The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information
- The right to erasure in certain circumstances
- The right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
- The right to object to certain processing
- The right to object to direct marketing
- The right to data portability, where applicable
- The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling, where applicable
These rights are subject to legal conditions and exemptions and therefore may not apply in every circumstance.
20. How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise your rights or ask questions about how we process your personal information, contact:
Simon Acres Group Ltd
Telephone: 0203 701 6660
Email: info@simonacres.co.uk
We will normally respond to a valid data protection request without undue delay and, in any event, within the period required by applicable law.
In certain circumstances, the law allows additional time. Where this applies, we will explain the reason for the extension.
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
We will not normally charge for exercising your data protection rights, except where permitted by law.
21. Complaints
If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can investigate and attempt to resolve the issue.
You can contact us using:
Email: info@simonacres.co.uk
Telephone: 0203 701 6660
We will acknowledge and handle data protection complaints in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent supervisory authority for data protection.
You can find further information about the ICO and its complaints process on the ICO’s website.
22. Changes to This Privacy Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect:
- Changes to our business
- Changes to our services
- Changes to our technology and systems
- Changes to the way we process personal information
- Changes in applicable legislation or regulatory guidance
The latest version will be published on our website together with the date on which it was last updated.
Where changes are significant, we will take appropriate steps to bring them to individuals’ attention where required.
Contact
Simon Acres Group Ltd
Telephone: 0203 701 6660
Email: info@simonacres.co.uk
Last updated: September 2026