Privacy policy

Your trust is the foundation of our work. This policy explains, in plain words, which personal data we process, why, and what rights you have. We follow the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, revised version in force since 1 September 2023).

1. Who is responsible for your data

The data controller is:

Associazione SosForAll Viganello, 6962 Lugano (Switzerland) E-mail: info@sosforall.ch

For any question about your data, write to this address.

2. Our approach: as little data as possible

We support people in delicate moments. That is why we collect the bare minimum:

• No analytics, no advertising trackers. This website uses neither Google Analytics nor similar tools, and builds no visitor profiles. Should we ever introduce privacy-respecting statistics in the future, we will update this page before activating them.
• Anonymity is possible. You can use the chat without telling us who you are.

3. Which data we process

a) Browsing the website

The site is hosted by Infomaniak Network SA (Geneva, Switzerland). Like every hosting provider, Infomaniak keeps technical logs (IP address, date and time, requested page) for security and operations. We do not use these logs to identify you.

b) Support chat

The chat runs on Chatwoot, installed on a Swiss server managed by the association — conversations do not pass through external providers.

• You can use the chat without registering and without giving your name.
• The chat sets a technical cookie/identifier to keep your conversation alive (see section 4).
• The content of conversations is accessible only to authorised volunteers, who are bound to confidentiality.
• Conversations are kept for as long as the service requires and then deleted.

c) Forms (contact and volunteer application)

If you fill in the contact or application form, we process the data you provide (name, e-mail and, for applications: optional phone, address, country, role, notes) only to handle your request and contact you.

Documents attached to an application (CV, motivation letter, any diplomas) are never stored on the website’s server: the form transmits them directly by encrypted e-mail (Infomaniak SMTP, servers in Switzerland) to the association’s mailbox, where only the people handling the selection can access them. You will also receive a short automatic confirmation e-mail.

If the application is unsuccessful, the data and documents are deleted once the selection process ends.

d) E-mail

If you write to us, we keep your message for as long as needed to reply and handle your request.

e) Donations

For bank transfers, your bank’s terms apply. For card donations we use Stripe: payment data is processed directly by Stripe under its own privacy policy; we never see or store your card number.

4. Cookies

This site uses no tracking or marketing cookies. The only technical cookie/identifier is the chat’s, which exists solely so your conversation isn’t lost if you reload the page. It is set only when the chat is activated.

5. Purposes and legal basis

We process data to: provide the listening service, handle applications and requests, administer donations and keep the site technically secure. We do so based on your consent, the relationship we have with you, and our legitimate interest in running the service safely.

6. Who we share data with

We never sell or pass on your data. We share it only with the technical providers we need (Infomaniak hosting in Switzerland, Stripe for card payments) or when the law obliges us to. Chat data stays on servers in Switzerland.

7. How long we keep data

We keep data only as long as necessary for the purposes described, then delete or anonymise it. The specific periods are stated in the sections above.

8. Your rights

Under the FADP you have the right to:

• ask which data we hold about you (right of access);
• have it corrected if inaccurate;
• have it deleted;
• object to a processing operation or withdraw your consent;
• receive the data you gave us in a readable format.

To exercise these rights, write to info@sosforall.ch. We normally reply within 30 days. You may also contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).

9. Security

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures: encrypted connection (HTTPS), servers in Switzerland, access restricted to authorised volunteers only, and a duty of confidentiality for everyone working with us.

10. Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle data, we will update this page and the date at the top. The version published here always applies.