Privacy Policy

Overview

SMA Solar Technology AG (alternately, “SMA”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to complying with this privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”), which describes what information we collect about you, including how we collect it, how we use it, with whom we may share it and what choices you have regarding our use of your information. This Privacy Policy applies to information collected on our website located at www.sma-america.com (the “Website”), all interactive features, applications, widgets, social networks and social network “tabs”, and other online or wireless offerings that post a link to this Privacy Policy, whether accessed via computer, mobile device or other technology or any associated content, material, or functionality contained on the Website or (collectively, the “Services” and, together with the Website and the “System”). This Privacy Policy is not intended to and does not create any contractual or other legal right in or on behalf of any party.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy at any time and from time to time. The most recent version of the Privacy Policy is reflected by the version date located at the bottom of this Privacy Policy. All such updates and amendments are effective immediately upon notice thereof, which we may give by any means, including, but not limited to, by posting a revised version of this Privacy Policy or other notice on the Website.

What Information Do We Collect?

The below chart summarizes our collection, use, and disclosure of personal data.

Types of Personal Data CollectedSource of the Personal DataPurpose for CollectionPersonal Data Disclosed for a Business or Commercial Purpose? (Yes/No)Categories of Third Parties (Which Does Not Include Service Providers) with whom the Your Personal Data is Shared.
Identifiers (e.g., name, e-mail, postal address, and phone number)Information directly submitted by a consumer online or offline (such as at a trade show); information collected pursuant to a transaction; information collected through communications with our customer service department; and information collected from business partners.To administer and manage the Website; to sort and analyze user data; to manage our business operations (including legal compliance and enforcement); to develop our businesses and services; to provide customer support; to process, evaluate and respond to requests, inquiries and applications; to understand how visitors use the features and functions of our Website in order to improve the user experience; to personalize and enrich your browsing experience by displaying content that is more likely to be relevant and of interest to you; to conduct marketing and sales activities (including generating leads, pursuing marketing prospects, performing market research, determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing campaigns and managing our brand); to monitor and enforce compliance with our terms, including acceptable use policies; and/or  any other purposes for which you provided the information to SMA.YesNot shared with third parties.

Demographic Information

Information directly submitted by a consumer online or offline (such as at a trade show); information collected pursuant to a transaction; information collected through communications with our customer service department; and information collected from business partners.To administer and manage the Website; to manage our business operations (including legal compliance and enforcement); to sort and analyze user data; to develop our businesses and services; to provide customer support; to process, evaluate and respond to requests, inquiries and applications; to understand how visitors use the features and functions of our Website in order to improve the user experience; to personalize and enrich your browsing experience by displaying content that is more likely to be relevant and of interest to you; to conduct marketing and sales activities (including generating leads, pursuing marketing prospects, performing market research, determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing campaigns and managing our brand); to monitor and enforce compliance with our terms, including acceptable use policies; and/or  any other purposes for which you provided the information to SMA.YesNot shared with third parties.
Professional or Employment InformationInformation directly submitted by a consumer online or offline (such as at a trade show); information collected pursuant to a transaction; information collected through communications with our customer service department; and information collected from business partners.To administer and manage the Website; to sort and analyze user data; to manage our business operations (including legal compliance and enforcement);  to develop our businesses and services; to provide customer support; to process, evaluate and respond to requests, inquiries and applications; to understand how visitors use the features and functions of our Website in order to improve the user experience; to personalize and enrich your browsing experience by displaying content that is more likely to be relevant and of interest to you; to conduct marketing and sales activities (including generating leads, pursuing marketing prospects, performing market research, determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing campaigns and managing our brand); to monitor and enforce compliance with our terms, including acceptable use policies; and/or  any other purposes for which you provided the information to SMA.YesNot shared with third parties.
Commercial Information (e.g., purchase histories)Information directly submitted by a consumer online or offline (such as through a survey); information collected pursuant to a transaction; information collected through communications with our customer service department; and information collected from business partners.To administer and manage the Website; to sort and analyze user data; to manage our business operations (including legal compliance and enforcement); to develop our businesses and services; to provide customer support; to process, evaluate and respond to requests, inquiries and applications; to understand how visitors use the features and functions of our Website in order to improve the user experience; to personalize and enrich your browsing experience by displaying content that is more likely to be relevant and of interest to you; to conduct marketing and sales activities (including generating leads, pursuing marketing prospects, performing market research, determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing campaigns and managing our brand); to monitor and enforce compliance with our terms, including acceptable use policies; and/or  any other purposes for which you provided the information to SMA.YesNot shared with third parties.
Consumer PreferencesInformation directly submitted by a consumer online or offline (such as at a trade show); information collected pursuant to a transaction; information collected through communications with our customer service department; and information collected from business partners.To administer and manage the Website; to sort and analyze user data; to manage our business operations (including legal compliance and enforcement); to develop our businesses and services; to provide customer support; to process, evaluate and respond to requests, inquiries and applications; to understand how visitors use the features and functions of our Website in order to improve the user experience; to personalize and enrich your browsing experience by displaying content that is more likely to be relevant and of interest to you; to conduct marketing and sales activities (including generating leads, pursuing marketing prospects, performing market research, determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing campaigns and managing our brand); to monitor and enforce compliance with our terms, including acceptable use policies; and/or  any other purposes for which you provided the information to SMA.YesNot shared with third parties.
Website Browsing ActivityWeb tracking technology such as browser cookies, flash cookies, and web beacons.

Website functionality, customization and security.

Advertising and marketing.
YesThird party web tracking providers (but only after your direct us to do so).

Other Sharing

Except as otherwise set forth in this Privacy Policy, SMA will not use, disclose, or transfer your personal data unless:

  1. you expressly authorize SMA to do so,
  2. it is necessary to allow SMA’s service providers, agents, or other third parties to provide products or services for or to SMA,
  3. it is necessary in order to provide the System or the Services,
  4. SMA is sending you other information that may be useful to you,
  5. subject to applicable contractual or legal restrictions, it is disclosed to entities that perform marketing services on SMA’s behalf or to other entities with whom SMA has joint marketing agreements,
  6. it is necessary to protect the confidentiality or security of your records,
  7. it is necessary in connection with other business purposes including, without limitation, verifying identity, age, and/or payment details, investigating complaints about the System, risk assessment, security, fraud and crime prevention/detection, monitoring, research and analysis, marketing, customer purchasing preferences and trends and dispute resolution,
  8. it is necessary to comply with law enforcement, governmental mandate, or other legal requirement, if appropriate, for your protection or in connection with an investigation or prosecution of possible unlawful activity;
  9. subject to applicable contractual or legal restrictions, it is necessary in connection with a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of SMA or the merger of SMA into another entity or any consolidation, share exchange, combination, reorganization, or like transaction in which SMA is not the survivor, or
  10. it is otherwise necessary for SMA to disclose it as required or permitted by law.

Cookies and Usage Reports

To learn more about how we use cookies and usage reports, please see our Data Protection Declaration: www.sma-america.com/data-protection/data-protection-declaration.

Correspondence

Upon request, we will be happy to share with you the personal data we have stored about you. You have the right at all times to withdraw your consent to storage and use of your data with future effect. Please address questions about SMA, or about the storing, processing and deletion of your personal data, to:

SMA Solar Technology AG
Data Protection Officer
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
Germany
E-mail: datenschutz@SMA.de

How Can I Opt-Out of Promotional Correspondence?

We may send you emails with promotional offers only if you opt-in to receiving such emails. If you would no longer like to receive information, newsletters or other promotional messages from us, please click the link at the bottom of any such email you receive from us and follow the instructions. Your email address will be removed from our marketing list. Please allow us a reasonable period of time in order to satisfy your request.

Job Applicants.

Any personal data you provide us when applying for a career position with our SMA will be used solely to consider and act upon your application. We may retain your personal data for a period of time, but only for as long as necessary for such purposes. We may disclose your personal data to our agents for the purpose of evaluating your qualifications for the particular position you applied for, or other available positions.

How Do We Protect Personal Data Collected About You?

SMA takes commercially reasonable measures to secure and protect information transmitted via or stored on the System. Nevertheless, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee that information that users of the System may happen to transmit or otherwise supply will be totally secure. You agree to immediately notify us of any breach of System's security, this Privacy Policy, or the Terms of Use of which you become aware.

Linked Websites

For your convenience, some hyperlinks may be posted on the System that link to other websites not under our control. We are not responsible for, and this Privacy Policy does not apply to, the privacy practices of those sites or of any companies that we do not own or control. We cannot be responsible for the privacy practices of any such websites or pages not under our control and we do not endorse any of these websites or pages, the services or products described or offered on such sites or pages, or any of the content contained on those sites or pages. We encourage you to seek out and read the privacy policy of each website that you visit. In addition, should you happen to initiate a transaction on a website that our System links to, even if you reached that site through the System, the information that you submit to complete that transaction becomes subject to the privacy practices of the operator of that linked website. You should read that website's privacy policies to understand how personal data that is collected about you is used and protected.

Children

The System is intended for a general audience and is not intended for use or view by children under 13 years of age without parental consent, and we do not knowingly collect information about children or sell products to children. Consistent with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, we will not knowingly collect any information from children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, you must ask your parent or guardian to assist you in using the System. Furthermore, we may restrict entries to any contests, sweepstakes or promotions to entrants who are at least 18 years of age. For children under the age of 13 to participate in a trip or activity offered through the System, such child’s parent or guardian must provide the information necessary for that child to participate in such trip or activity.

Do Not Track Requests

California and Delaware laws require that we indicate whether we honor “Do Not Track” settings in your browser concerning targeted advertising. As it is not yet finalized, we adhere to the standards set out in this Privacy Policy and do not monitor or follow any Do Not Track browser requests.

California Privacy Rights

Data Subject Rights – California Residents

This portion of our Privacy Policy advises California residents of rights provided in the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and how to effectuate those rights by communicating with us. Please note, we will seek to verify your identity when we receive an individual rights request from you in order to ensure the security of your personal data.

Please direct any rights requests (as further described below) or additional questions you may have regarding this Privacy Policy via email or web form to:

datenschutz@SMA.de
www.sma-america.com/contact-us

If you do, we will need to collect personal data and other information such as your name, email or transaction history in order to verify your identity. You may also authorize an agent to make a request on your behalf, who will need to provide similar information for verification.

Right to Deletion of Personal Data

California residents have the right to request the deletion of personal data as prescribed in Section 1798.105(a) of the CCPA. SMA may not delete some or all requested personal data as required or allowed by applicable law.

Right of Access: Right to Request Disclosure of Data Collection and Sharing Practices

You may request to receive details about how we collect, use, and share your personal data. You may request to receive the specific pieces of personal data that we have collected about you.

You may also request to receive:

  • the categories of personal data that we have collected about you,
  • the categories of personal data that we have disclosed for a business purpose,
  • the categories of sources from which we collected the personal data,
  • our purposes for collecting that personal data, and
  • the categories of parties with whom we share your personal data.

Right to Opt-Out of Sale

We do not, and do not intend to, sell your personal data.

Right to not be Discriminated Against for Exercising CCPA Rights

We do not discriminate against you for exercising any CCPA rights, such as the access and deletion rights described above. If we choose to offer a product enhancement or financial incentive that is contingent on you sharing personal data, we will ensure that the value provided to us by that collection is reasonably related to the value of the product enhancement or financial incentive.

Other Notice to California Residents

California and Delaware law requires that we indicate whether we honor “Do Not Track” settings in your browser concerning targeted advertising. We adhere to the standards set out in this privacy policy and do not monitor or follow any Do Not Track browser requests.