1.0 Data Protection Purpose
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect in the UK in May 2018. It replaced the existing law on data protection (the Data Protection Act 1998), giving individuals more rights and protection in how their personal data is used by organisations.
SEL Business Languages Ltd (“SELBL”,”we”, “us”, “the company”) is fully registered for GDPR with the overseeing body in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and has been allocated an appropriate category security number.
SELBL respects the privacy of our linguists, our customer company employees and our individual customers and protects their personal data.
This privacy notice informs you how we look after personal data, and how the law protects you.
2.0 Scope
This notice applies to the systems and controls used for the private identification, storage, protection, retrieval, retention and disposal of all personal data, held in electronic or paper copy, by which SELBL delivers its services. In addition, it lays down what happens to the data once the purpose for which the data was originally collected has ended, and our position in the event of personal data being breached or lost.
The scope extends to all activities within SELBL which require the private recording and storage of data, activities which may be performed both internally by SELBL staff and externally by SELBL freelances.
Under the regulation, SELBL affords individuals, with regard to their own personal data, the legal right to:
- Be informed
- Have access
- Make an objection
- Request rectification
- Request return
- Request erasure
- Be excluded from automated, profiling data analysis.
All personal data which is provided on request by SELBL is free of charge. All personal data collected by us is in line with and relevant to the purpose for which it was originally collected.
No personal data is required or collected relating to children.
No personal data is collected relating to individuals visiting or surfing our website, unless information is willingly sent to us via our website Contact Us form.
However, our website may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements.
3.0 Procedure
SELBL as an organisation is treated as a Data Controller under the ICO nomenclature. We are responsible for the safe storage, accessibility and deletion of personal data generated or received, as well as for performing the best-suited course of action in the event of data loss or a data breach.
Similarly, we hold the responsibility of ensuring that SELBL data protection compliance under ICO terms is current and accurate.
Personal data relating to freelance linguists contractually performing our services is primarily stored in a Microsoft-hosted, cloud-based, encrypted server, which is regularly updated and upgraded.
Where our service being delivered requires it, or an individual prospecting for work has forwarded it, the latest version of a freelance’s language CV is normally held in electronic format.
Confidentiality and security of personal data in any format shall be respected, maintained and ensured at all times.
In the case of a prospective enquiry for work by a freelance linguist, the company shall assume that they have given their consent to their details being stored in SELBL’s records unless we have received a request to the contrary.
In the case of the company requesting a given freelance’s details for work, we shall expressly seek consent from the individual that their details may be obtained and stored by us for the purpose those details will serve.
We shall irretrievably delete a freelance’s details from our records if instructed to do so by the freelance who owns such details, either verbally or in writing, and record the date on which this takes place.
Such deletion shall comprise the specific details requested under (4.0) from the date of the request forwards, but shall not extend backwards to any data relating to any earlier dealings with the individual freelance.
We may decide to delete a linguist’s personal data for quality reasons. The date on which this takes place shall be recorded.
Individual data on freelances is kept for a minimum period of 3 years, and thereafter for as long as the likelihood exists of such work being commissioned by SELBL which relates to an individual’s data.
4.0 What is Covered
The information we hold in terms of personal data serves to deliver our language services, process payments and maintain communications.
We do not use personal data for marketing, sharing with third parties or any form of identification which is outside the reasons given in the last paragraph. Unless this is required by law, for example Inland Revenue purposes.
We do not collect or require personal data which is irrelevant to our language services such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual, gender or political orientation, biometrics.
The breakdown of personal data that we may hold is listed below.
- Identity data – first name, last name and title, academic and professional qualifications, institute membership, training records.
- Contact data – email address, home address, telephone numbers.
- Financial data – bank account details, payment rate, transaction details.
5.0 Data Security
The personal data as indicated above which is held by us is stored on an encrypted Microsoft cloud-based server. Microsoft are responsible for performing all security measures and the service is regularly upgraded to the latest level of protection.
SELBL similarly has security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to only such member/s of staff who have a need to know relevant to our business.
We have a procedure to deal with any suspected breach of personal data and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.
6.0 Terms and Conditions of Business
SEL Business Languages Ltd (“SELBL”,”we”, “us”, “the company”).
Registered company number: 0848 2823.
Registered office: 77-79 Lee Lane, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 7AU, United Kingdom.
Copyright 2015-2025 ©. All rights reserved.
Client (“you”, “your”).
Definitions
In these Terms:
- “Services” means the language service/s we supply to you, one or more from translation, interpreting, language training as specified in our quotation or confirmation;
- “Original Material” means the documents, files, content or other materials you supply to us for translation, training preparation or interpreting provision;
- “Delivered Material” means the output we supply to you for translation or the training materials, session/s, or interpreter attendance as applicable;
- “Contract” means the agreement between you and us for the provision of the Service/s in accordance with these terms.
Application of Terms
These Terms and Conditions apply to all Services we supply to you. They override any terms you may supply, unless expressly agreed in writing by a director of ours. By placing an order (accepting our quotation/confirmation) you are accepting these terms.
Quotations, Confirmation and Contract Formation
Our written quotation is valid for 30 days unless otherwise stated. This details the service, language/s, fee, delivery or turnround date/time, and any special conditions. A contract is formed when you place an order for us to commence work.
Scope of Services
We guarantee the quality and competence of our linguists.
We shall provide the Service described in our quotation with every reasonable skill and care.
- Translation: we will translate the Original Material into the specified target language/s, by the services of our fully qualified target-language native-speaker translator team based in various partner offices around the world.
- Interpreting: we will provide one or more fully qualified interpreter for the specified target language/s assignment, by native speaker of one of the languages required and habitual speaker of the other, at the times and location instructed (or remotely).
- Language Training: we will deliver training sessions (in-person or remotely) of the specified target language, by fully qualified language trainer, either target-language native speaker or habitual user, depending on course framework level, with materials and schedule as confirmed.
Delivery dates/times are estimates and remain flexible; we will use all reasonable efforts to meet them.
Your Obligations
You shall:
- For translation: supply the Original Material and full and accurate information/instructions in a timely manner (language pair, any job-specific sources, urgency needs) in electronic or hard copy format acceptable to us.
- For interpreting: supply full and accurate instruction details (language pair, date/time, venue or remote link, subject matter) and ensure the venue/platform is available and suitable.
- For language training: specify objectives, number of participant/s, language required and target level, venue/logistics so that session dates/times can be coordinated.
- Warrant that you have the necessary rights to supply the Original Material and that it does not infringe any third-party rights or contain unlawful content.
- Co-operate with us and provide all information and access reasonably required for us to perform the Services.
Intellectual Property and Use Rights
- You retain ownership of the Original Material.
- Upon full payment of all fees due, we grant you a non-exclusive licence to use the Delivered Material for the purpose for which it was supplied.
- We retain the rights to our methodologies, internal documentation, and may anonymise and reuse generic learning materials for training or internal quality control unless you request otherwise.
- You may not resell, publish, distribute or reproduce the Delivered Material for other purposes without our prior written consent.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
If the Service involves processing personal data, we shall, as a certified Data Controller with the UK ICO, comply with the UK GDPR (and any applicable data protection legislation).
In addition, as governed by our certification, we shall treat your Original Material, instruction details and any information you provide as confidential and not disclose them to third parties without your consent unless required by law.
You warrant that any personal data you supply has been lawfully collected and you have the necessary rights to have us process it.
Limitation of Liability
We will use reasonable skill and care in delivering the Services, but you acknowledge that language services inherently involve human judgement and may carry risk of error.
To the extent permitted by law:
- We exclude liability for indirect, special or consequential losses (including loss of profit, business or reputation).
- Our total liability under or in connection with any Contract shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to us under that Contract.
- We are fully insured for public liability, employer liability and are covered by full professional indemnity extending across all the Services.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or for any other liability which cannot be excluded by law.
Linguists
We engage professionally qualified freelance linguists (translators, interpreters, language trainers) to perform the Services. We are of course responsible for their acts or omissions while under our employ.
Fees, Invoicing and Payment
Fees will be as set out in our quotation, including VAT. Unless stated otherwise, payment is due within 30 days of invoice.
If you fail to pay by the due date we may suspend further services, charge interest on overdue sums, and recover costs of collection.
Cancellation/Postponement
If you cancel or postpone the Service after go-ahead is confirmed:
- For translation: you shall pay for any work already carried-out (pro rata) and any non-recoverable costs incurred.
- For interpreting/language training: if you cancel (as opposed to postpone) with the following period of notice or on the day of the trial/session, you shall pay the partial or full fee as follows: cancelled less than 72 hours notice, 75% fee chargeable; cancelled on the day itself, 100% fee chargeable.
Force Majeure
We will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform the Services resulting from circumstances beyond our reasonable control (e.g., fire, flood, strike, pandemic, IT failure, sudden illness). If the delay exceeds 8 weeks either party may terminate and you shall pay us for any work done to date.
Termination
Either party may terminate the Contract by written notice if the other party commits a material breach and fails to remedy it within 30 days of notice. On termination all unpaid fees become immediately due.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This Contract and these Terms shall be governed by the laws of England & Wales. Each party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England & Wales.
Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our quotation/confirmation, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Services. Any variation must be agreed in writing by a director of ours.