As a global professional services firm, WSP acts as a data controller for the Personal Information provided by clients, business partners, and other individuals, including website users and job applicants who access the WSP “Careers” website (“Data Subjects”). The details of WSP entities in the UK and Ireland who are data controllers of Personal Information are set out below in the “Contact us and Controller Details” section below. If you have any questions about the data controller of your Personal Information, please refer to the “Contact us and Controller Details” section below.
The types of Personal Information that WSP collects and processes about you depends on whether you are a potential or existing client or business partner, a WSP website user or an applicant to a position within WSP. Where you provide WSP with Personal Information about other individuals (for example, other people within your organisation), please refer them to this Privacy Notice. The circumstances in which we may process more sensitive Personal Information, such as health data and information revealing criminal convictions, are specified in this Notice.
Click on one of the categories below to view how WSP collects and processes your Personal Information.
WSP WEBSITE USERS, OR PERSONS INTERACTING WITH WSP ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR BY EMAIL THROUGH OUR “CONTACT US” PAGE
What Personal Information may WSP collect?
― Your name.
― Title.
― Job title.
― Email address.
― Telephone number.
― Your IP address.
― Information obtained through our use of cookies and widgets.
― Other Personal Information provided by you.
For more information, please see the WSP Cookie Policy. For more information about cookies in general, click here.
How will WSP collect your Personal Information?
― Through requests or inquiries to WSP through e-mail to our “contact us” page, social media sites or affiliated blogs.
― Through your access to WSP websites (cookies may be placed on your computer or mobile device).
What does WSP use your Personal Information for?
WSP uses the Personal Information it is provided with under this category:
― To answer any inquiries or requests you make.
― To further communicate with you on any matter relating to your inquiry or request.
What is WSP’s lawful basis for using my Personal Information in this way?
Where you have contacted WSP or interacted with WSP using the channels of our website, social media or by our “Contact us” page, in doing so you consent to our using your Personal Information to answer your inquiry or respond to your request.
Who will WSP share your Personal Information with?
WSP will not sell, rent or trade your Personal Information to any third party and will only share your Personal Information with:
― Other entities within the WSP Global Inc. group of companies.
― Third party service providers, who process data on WSP’s behalf or who facilitate or are outsourced providers of one or more aspects of the operation of the websites or the business such as our website providers and IT providers.
― Third parties where WSP is required by law or regulation, such as to comply with a court order, or similar legal process or any similar sharing permitted by applicable law.
― To third parties when it is reasonably believed that disclosure is necessary to protect people’s safety, security, rights or property, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
― To the police or financial crime and fraud detection agencies to investigate fraud or corruption, or to conduct any similar sharing permitted by applicable law.
― To a government entity in response to a legitimate government request.
When we use third party service providers, we only disclose to them Personal Information considered necessary for their provision of their service to WSP and only to those under contract to handle shared Personal Information securely and in compliance with applicable law. Where third party service providers process Personal Information as data controller then those third parties will be responsible for issuing you with notice of their processing activities and making those processing activities transparent, and for the lawfulness of their respective processing. We may, from time to time, share with you such third party privacy notices pursuant to our agreements with those third parties.
Will WSP transfer my Personal Information outside of the European Economic Area?
Based on the needs of the business, and for the purposes set forth in this Notice, WSP may transfer Personal Information outside of the UK to WSP’s parent company in Canada or to other WSP entities (which may include our group companies in India and/or Serbia who provide complementary resource) and service providers elsewhere in the world who need to process the Personal Information for the purposes stated in this Notice. In cases where Personal Information is sent outside the EEA, WSP shall ensure that suitable safeguards are in place as described in the Worldwide Transfer and Processing of Personal Information section below.
POTENTIAL OR EXISTING CLIENTS AND/OR BUSINESS PARTNERS
What information may WSP collect?
― Your name.
― Title.
― Job Title.
― Email address.
― Telephone number.
― Your IP address.
― Information gathered from public sources.
― Information obtained through our use of cookies and widgets.
― Recordings of you if you visit a WSP office where CCTV or ANPR is in operation.
― Photographs or video footage of you at WSP hosted events or conferences.
― Other Personal Information provided by you.
How will WSP collect your Personal Information?
― Through requests or inquiries to WSP employees through e-mail.
― Through a business event or conference.
― In person (for example, if you provide your business card to a WSP employee).
― Provision of services for or otherwise contracting with WSP.
― Through the development of business partnerships.
― At the occasion of visiting WSP offices, facilities or accessing WSP systems.
― Through direct contact with WSP by telephone (voice over IP (VOIP) telephones may capture your Personal Information).
― From public sources, such as internet searches, your company website and social media sites (such as LinkedIn and Twitter through questions, answers, comments and retweets between you and WSP).
The following are examples of the ways WSP uses your Personal Information for business purposes:
― To provide professional services to you or the company or the client you represent.
― To engage you or the organisation you represent as a business partner or supplier.
― To manage WSP’s business relationship with you or the client you represent.
― To issue communications or billings around projects, contracts or joint endeavours.
― To pursue or contract for work.
― To evaluate prospective service providers.
― To answer questions and inquiries related to services of either party.
― To otherwise conduct everyday business activities, such as business development, business planning, strategic reviews, collecting client feedback and statistical, evaluation and reporting purposes.
― To comply with legal obligations.
― To investigate and prevent fraud or misconduct.
What is WSP’s lawful basis for using my information in this way?
WSP has a legitimate business interest in using the Personal Information referred to under this category for the purposes described above, to conduct its ordinary course business including entering into and performing obligations under the contract WSP holds with you or the organisation you represent, to engage with clients and business partners potential clients and business partners, to deliver or promote its professional services, to engage with third parties to procure their services to support WSP’s ordinary course business or to protect the property and personal safety of WSP staff, clients and business partners. WSP may ask you for your consent to process video footage and photographs of you at WSP hosted events and conferences for corporate communications and business development, in which case consent will be WSP’s lawful basis for using this Personal Information for those purposes.
Who will WSP share your Personal Information with?
WSP will not sell, rent or trade your Personal Information to any third party and will only share your Personal Information with:
― Other WSP entities within the WSP Global Inc. group of companies.
― Specific third parties in the context of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of WSP assets. In such cases, due notifications, as required by law, will be made.
― Third party service providers, who process data on WSP’s behalf or who facilitate or are outsourced providers of one or more aspects of the operation of the websites or the business. Third party service providers include but are not limited to IT service providers (including social media platforms), lawyers in connection with actual or threatened litigation, and auditors.
― WSP business partners who provide services to our clients.
― WSP clients where you are a business partner.
― Third parties where WSP is required by law or regulation, such as to comply with a court order, or similar legal process or any similar sharing permitted by applicable law.
― To third parties when it is reasonably believed that disclosure is necessary to protect people’s safety, security, rights or property, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
― To the police or financial crime and fraud detection agencies to investigate fraud or corruption, or to conduct any similar sharing permitted by applicable law.
― To a government entity in response to a government request.
When we use third party service providers, we only disclose to them Personal Information considered necessary for their provision of their service to WSP and only to those under contract to handle shared Personal Information securely and in compliance with applicable law. Where third party service providers process Personal Information as a data controller then those third parties will be responsible for issuing you with notice of their processing activities and making those processing activities transparent, and for the lawfulness of their respective processing. We may, from time to time, share with you such third-party privacy notices pursuant to our agreements with those third parties.
Based on the needs of the business, and for the purposes set forth in this Notice, WSP may transfer Personal Information outside of the UK to WSP’s parent company in Canada or to other WSP entities (which may include our group companies in India and/or Serbia who provide complementary resource) and service providers elsewhere in the world who need to process the Personal Information for the purposes stated in this Notice. In cases where Personal Information is sent outside the EEA, WSP shall ensure that suitable safeguards are in place as described in the Worldwide Transfer and Processing of Personal Information section below.
POTENTIAL OR EXISTING JOB APPLICANTS
WSP collects and processes your Personal Information when you apply for a job at WSP, including for applications made on the WSP Careers website or via our external careers portal.
What Information may WSP collect and process?
― Your name.
― Title.
― Job title (present and past).
― Address.
― Contact details.
― Education background.
― Employment history.
― Reference or results of pre-employment or background checks (which may include the results of Disclosure and Barring Service checks (depending on the role applied for) and relevant medical information).
― Your resume (CV).
― Information obtained from your cover letter or CV and in the context of your job application.
― Information provided in anticipation of, or as part of, interviews and assessments;
― Information about your financial relationships if your application is successful;
― Interview and assessment results and feedback;
― Offer details.
All information provided in job applications must be accurate and any errors may result in withdrawal of an offer of employment or termination of employment. When applying through WSP Careers webpages, you may delete or change your account by yourself at any time or you may request that WSP do so by sending an e-mail to the Privacy Office at: [email protected].
How will WSP collect your Personal Information?
― Directly from you when you provide it in your CV, covering letter or in the context of a job application.
― From WSP Careers webpages.
― From references you provide.
― From references received from third parties such as education institutions or your current or past employers or your current or past clients.
― From pre-employment checks to verify information provided during the recruitment process, including from publicly available sources, such as Google, Facebook and LinkedIn.
What does WSP use your Personal Information for?
WSP uses the Personal Information it is provided with under this category:
― To consider your application and assess your suitability for the position applied for or for other suitable positions that might match your profile within WSP within a period of two years from your original application.
― To make any offer of employment and carry out any pre-employment screening checks.
― To check/obtain information or references about you from third parties in connection with the position applied for.
― To inform you of job opportunities, forums, actions or publications that might be of interest to you as per your preferences indicated in the relevant portal or careers website.
― To review, analyse and assess WSP’s hiring policies, practices and statistics.
We may ask you for information about your disability status during the recruitment process if you have requested reasonable adjustments. Any information provided will be used to consider whether we need to provide appropriate adjustments, for example during a test or interview.
We will use any information that you choose to provide about your ethnic origin, religious beliefs and sexual orientation to ensure equal opportunity monitoring and reporting. All such reporting regarding individual characteristics is anonymised.
If we decide to offer you a role, we may carry out criminal records checks to comply with our legal obligation to ensure an individual is eligible to work in the UK, and for our legitimate interest or that of a third party to carry out pre-employment screening including a background and criminal records check, depending on the requirements of the role, in which case, we will ask you to submit to a Disclosure and Barring Service Check of a type relevant to your role.
What is WSP’s lawful basis for using my information in this way?
WSP has a legitimate business interest in using the Personal Information referred to under this category to conduct its ordinary course business of employing suitably qualified individuals to provide professional services to our clients in the built and natural environment including where you have agreed to submit to the relevant pre-employment check, to exercise its rights and comply with its employment law obligations and its commitment to the effective management of health in the workplace. With respect to equal opportunities monitoring, you may choose whether you wish to provide the relevant information without adverse inferences.
Who may WSP share your Personal Information with?
WSP will not sell, rent or trade your Personal Information to any third party and will only share your Personal Information with:
― Other entities within the WSP Global Inc. group of companies.
― Specific third parties in the context of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of WSP assets. In such cases, due notifications, as required by law, will be made.
― Third parties contacted by WSP to verify your information and to obtain references such as your previous employers or education institutions.
― Third party service providers which WSP uses as part of the job application process. For example, recruitment agencies acting on our behalf or your behalf. Personal Information collected through WSP Careers webpages will be submitted to and stored on WSP’s behalf by Talentlink provided by Lumesse, whose role is it to manage or maintain the Personal Information collected in accordance with applicable law.
― Third parties where WSP is required by law or regulation, such as to comply with a court order, or similar legal process or any similar sharing permitted by applicable law.
When we use third party service providers, we only disclose to them Personal Information considered necessary for their provision of their service to WSP and, if applicable, to you, only to those under contract to handle shared Personal Information securely and in compliance with applicable law. Where third party service providers process Personal Information as data controller then those third parties will be responsible for issuing you with notice of their processing activities and making those processing activities transparent, and for the lawfulness of their respective processing. We may, from time to time, share with you such third party privacy notices pursuant to our agreements with those third parties.
Automated decision making (for recruitment)
There are a number of stages to our recruitment process, some of which include algorithms or criteria that have been designed to automate some recruitment decisions.
Our recruitment system, which is used to manage job vacancies and capture applicant information, is capable of making automated decisions to exclude applications where they do not meet the key job specification criteria such as minimum grade and qualifications criteria. Automated decisions may also be made to exclude candidates where no roles are available in a preferred location. These automated decisions are enabled by specific rules that are pre-set within the system to generate a decision to reject automatically, and communicate that decision to the candidate, or to allow the application to proceed to the next stage in our recruitment process.
Automated decision making (for early careers recruitment)
In order to determine whether you meet the criteria for employment with WSP, you may be asked to complete a game based assessment which will be judged solely by automated means. Based on analysis of the role, a model of high performance (target profile) has been generated. This algorithm consists of a selection of behaviours related to various metrics of job success found at WSP. Your scores are then compared to the target profile to determine your suitability for the role in question. This target profile and the algorithm applied to automatically generate a candidate’s score is based on a role analysis conducted by WSP working with its third party service provider based on objective and relevant data. Although there is no human involvement in determining the score, there has been human involvement in creating the tool to analyse the responses.
WSP is carrying out the automated decision making as it is necessary to enter into the contract with an applicant (between WSP as employer and you as employee). Using automated decision making supports WSP in maintaining a consistent and objective selection process and to counter unconscious bias.
Information about the logic involved in the automated decision-making
The behavioural assessment you’ll be asked to complete has no right or wrong answers. Your scores are generated based on how you approach the different tasks presented in a game-like format. These scores will be compared to the target profile built by WSP and the assessment vendors which relate to the cognitive ability and behavioral requirements needed for the role. The verbal reasoning aptitude assessment you’ll be asked to complete has pre-defined correct and incorrect answers.
What is the significance of the processing and what are the envisaged consequences?
Applicant online assessment responses and overall assessment score will determine whether an applicant’s job application is progressed to the next stage of our recruitment process. You’ll be informed of the outcome via email.
Reviewing the automated decision
You can ask for us to review the outcome of an automated decision by emailing [email protected]. Please include your candidate ID and your recruitment process stage when emailing.
Will WSP transfer my Personal Information outside of the European Economic Area?
Based on the needs of the business, and for the purposes set forth in this Notice, WSP may transfer Personal Information outside of the UK to WSP’s parent company in Canada or to other WSP entities (which may include our group companies in India and/or Serbia who provide complementary resource) and service providers elsewhere in the world who need to process the Personal Information for the purposes stated in this Notice. In cases where Personal Information is sent outside the EEA, WSP shall ensure that suitable safeguards are in place as described in the Worldwide Transfer and Processing of Personal Information section below.
RECIPIENTS OF WSP MARKETING RELATED COMMUNICATIONS AND/OR NEWSLETTERS BY EMAIL
WSP have undertaken a process to ensure that persons receiving email communications of this sort have “opted-in” to receive these emails. In the spirit of the General Data Protection Regulations (“GDPR”) we are seeking opt-in consent to be obtained, although we acknowledge that this may not be a legal requirement under the GDPR given our legitimate interest in marketing our professional services to our clients or potential clients. If you do receive such marketing related messages from WSP, you may be in a business relationship with WSP and you may have provided express consent to receive such messages from WSP. In any event you may opt out of receiving such electronic messages from WSP at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link contained in the footer of the message or by sending a blank email to [email protected]. Please note that even if you opt-out of marketing related electronic messages or newsletters, WSP may still need to contact you electronically with specific information or enquiries about projects or proposals we are working on with you or the organization you represent.
California Privacy Rights
The California Consumer Privacy Protection Act ("CCPA") confers certain rights to California consumers. California's "Shine the Light" law permits California residents to request and obtain information about what personal information is disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year. WSP is a business to business company, and does not sell Personal Information. WSP does not distribute personal information it holds to outside parties for their direct marketing, or any other purpose, except as provided for in this Privacy Policy.
WSP Global Inc. operates worldwide and has affiliates across the globe including WSP. When you give WSP your Personal Information, it may be transferred, processed and stored on servers in Canada, where WSP’s head office is located, or in other countries in which WSP Global Inc. operates and therefore, your data may be available to government authorities under lawful orders and laws applicable in such overseas jurisdictions.
WSP Global Inc. takes privacy and security very seriously and international transfers of Personal Information within the group and to third parties are subject to appropriate technical and organisational security measures. WSP Global Inc. and it’s subsidiaries will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Information is protected and maintained in accordance with this Privacy Notice and, notably by:
― Using particular contractual clauses otherwise known as 'standard contractual clauses' which have been approved by the European Commission or through a WSP internal contractual commitment. You can request more details about this by contacting: [email protected].
or
― Transferring to countries that have been deemed 'adequate' by the European Commission. This includes Canada as WSP’s headquarters are based in Canada and Personal Information is stored on Canadian Servers. A list of countries deemed “adequate” can be accessed here.
WSP employs reasonable and customary security measures and technologies to keep your Personal Information secure and protected against loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. Where third party vendor organizations process Personal Information on WSP’s behalf (e.g., payroll or outsourcing companies), specific security arrangements will be implemented, when required, through contractual arrangements with those organizations.
WSP may use your email address to contact you about a security incident involving your Personal Information.
E-mail monitoring or blocking software may be used for security purposes and for compliance with WSP policies.
WSP websites may also contain links to other web sites or services which are outside WSP’s control and are not covered by this Privacy Notice. If you access or share data to other sites using the links provided, the operators of these sites may collect data from you which will be used by them in accordance with their privacy policy, which may differ from ours. WSP is not responsible or liable for the privacy standards and practices of third parties. Your use of such websites is at your own risk.
Any information you post or disclose on WSP’s social media or community forums (for example, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or other social media applications) is public. WSP cannot control the use of information disclosed in social media platforms or WSP community forums. Exercise caution when disclosing information in public areas and be careful what Personal Information you disclose and how you disclose it. Content posted in WSP’s community forums, including advice and opinions, represents the views of the individuals who post that content and such individuals bear sole and exclusive responsibility for the posting of that content. WSP does not necessarily endorse, support, verify, or agree with any content posted on our social media or community forums.
Social Media Widgets
WSP websites include social media widgets, such as the Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google + and Twitter buttons and widgets, such as the “Share” button. Social Media widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on WSP’s website. Your interactions with these widgets are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it. These widgets may collect your IP address, which WSP webpage you are visiting, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly.
WSP may store your Personal Information in a cloud. This means that your Personal Information may be processed on WSP’s behalf by a cloud provider and could be stored in different locations around the world. WSP makes use of organizational and contractual measures to protect your Personal Information and to impose appropriate security and data protection requirements on our cloud services providers, including the requirement that your Personal Information be processed exclusively for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice. Please see also the section entitled “WORLDWIDE TRANSFER AND PROCESSING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION” above.
WSP uses VOIP technology when you communicate with WSP over the telephone. You can find out more about VOIP here. As your call will be relayed via the internet, WSP cannot control where your data is processed. WSP’s VOIP services are managed by Skype.
WSP retains your Personal Information for no longer than is necessary. WSP will further retain and use your Personal Information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. For example, WSP usually retains customer information as long as we need to provide services, and for a period of 6 or 12 years after the business relationship ends, unless otherwise compelled by the law to retain such information, or in the case of a litigation, or potential litigation.
To determine the appropriate retention period for your Personal Information, WSP consider the amount, nature and sensitivity of the information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your Personal Information, the purposes for which we process your Personal Information, and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.
In some circumstances we may anonymise your Personal Information so that it can no longer be associated with you, in which case we may use such information without further notice to you.
In accordance with applicable law, you have the following rights, subject to some conditions and exceptions:
― To be informed as to the way in which WSP processes your Personal Information (as described in this UK and Ireland Privacy Notice).
― To access the Personal Information WSP holds about you.
― To request that Personal Information that WSP holds about you be rectified or erased.
― To request that WSP limit the processing of that information.
― To request that your Personal Information be given to another organisation (known as the right to data portability).
― The right to object to the processing of your Personal Information where WSP is relying on legitimate interest and there is something in your particular situation that makes you want to object to processing on this ground. You also have the right to object where we are processing your Personal Information for direct marketing purposes.
― Rights in respect of automated decision making referred to above.
― The right to lodge a complaint regarding WSP’s compliance with data protection laws with the appropriate member state data protection regulator.
― The right to withdraw consent where WSP relies on consent to process your Personal Information.
All requests to exercise the rights referred to above should be sent to the Privacy Office.
WSP will respond to such requests within thirty (30) business days of proper receipt of any such request or within any other period required or authorised by applicable law. WSP will take reasonable steps to functionally deal with your request balancing the request with WSP’s obligation to comply with other applicable laws which may conflict with your request. Before WSP provides you with any data, corrects any inaccuracies or deletes any data, WSP may request additional information to verify your identity or otherwise help respond to your request.
California Privacy Rights
The California Consumer Privacy Protection Act ("CCPA") confers certain rights to California consumers. California's "Shine the Light" law permits California residents to request and obtain information about what personal information is disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year. WSP is a business to business company, and does not sell Personal Information. WSP does not distribute personal information it holds to outside parties for their direct marketing, or any other purpose, except as provided for in this Privacy Policy.
WSP complies with this UK and Ireland Privacy Notice as well as applicable laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation and other applicable data protection legislation.
If you have any questions, complaints or concerns about privacy or the security of your Personal Information, please contact the WSP Privacy Office. Where relevant or required, WSP will collaborate with the appropriate regulatory authorities to resolve any complaints or issues regarding Personal Information.
Global Privacy Office:
Email: [email protected]
UK Privacy Contacts:
Karen Sewell, EMEIA General Counsel and Head of UK Legal and Paul Newing, UK Human Resources Director
WSP UK Ltd
70 Chancery Lane
Telephone: +44 20 7314 5000
Email: [email protected]
Details of WSP entities who are data controllers are set out below:
WSP UK Limited registered in England and Wales with company number 01383511 and having its registered address at WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1AF.
WSP Management Services Limited registered in England and Wales with company number 02454665 and having its registered address at WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1AF.
Mouchel Limited registered in England and Wales with company number 01686040 and having its registered address at WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1AF.
WSP CEL Limited registered in England and Wales with company number 03877626 and having its registered address at WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1AF.
WSP Remediation Limited registered in England and Wales with company number 02623378 and having its registered address at WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1AF.
WSP Ireland Consulting Limited registered in Ireland with company number 302231 and having its registered address at Mona Villa, Commons Road, Brownsbarn, Dublin 22.
WSP may need to make changes to this UK and Ireland Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect any changes in data protection and privacy laws and to update you on WSP's privacy practices.
This UK and Ireland Privacy Notice was last updated in February 2020.