Privacy Notice

SUM4Products
Website: https://sum4products.co.uk

Last updated: September 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how SUM4Products (“we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you visit our website: https://sum4products.co.uk.

SUM4Products is a research project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, grant number UKRI971) and delivered through a collaboration of multiple partner institutions.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling data transparently, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Website Usage

We do not intentionally collect or store personal data through general use of this website.

However, standard technical information may be collected automatically by web servers, such as:

  • IP address

  • Browser type

  • Device information

  • Pages accessed and timestamps

This information is used only for:

  • Site functionality

  • Performance monitoring

  • Security purposes

It is not used to identify individual users.

2.2 Voluntarily Provided Information

In cases where you explicitly provide information, for example:

  • Signing up to participate in research activities

  • Contacting the project team

  • Registering interest in events or updates

  • Joining mailing lists

We may collect:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Institutional affiliation (if relevant)

  • Any other information you choose to provide

2.3 Other Provided Information

A non-exhaustive list of other forms of personal data that we may process about you (outside of your use of the website):

  • Personal identification (e.g. name, contact details and gender)

  • Employment information (e.g. job title and organisation)

  • Financial (e.g. bank account information)

  • Travel & expenses (e.g. expense details, travel booking)

  • Social media account & history (e.g. when collating comments made on the KE Hub social media accounts)

  • Photographs (e.g. taken at events or provided for other reasons)

  • Education & skills (e.g. education and training history)

  • Commercial information (e.g. business interests)

  • Browsing information (e.g. browsing time, cookie information, network interaction history, website history)

  • Professional experience & affiliations (e.g. professional memberships, qualifications certifications)

We also need to process the following special categories of data:

  • Health data (e.g. dietary requirements or accessibility needs)

3. SUM4Products mailing list

We use JiscMail and MailChimp (part of Intuit) to manage project mailing lists and communications.

If you subscribe to our mailing list:

4. How we use information

Any personal data you provide is used strictly for:

  • Managing research participation

  • Communicating about the project

  • Organising events or activities

  • Administering mailing lists

  • Fulfilling the purpose for which you provided the data

We do not use your data for:

  • Commercial purposes

  • Unrelated marketing

  • Automated decision-making or profiling

5. Legal basis for processing

Where we process personal data, we do so under one or more of the following lawful bases:

  • Consent: when you voluntarily provide your information

  • Public task: for academic research carried out in the public interest

  • Legitimate interests: for essential project administration

6. Data storage and security

All personal data collected through SUM4Products activities is:

  • Held securely by the University of Birmingham and/or the University of Bristol

  • Managed in accordance with their institutional data protection and information security policies

  • Accessible only to authorised members of the SUM4Products team

While the SUM4Products project involves multiple partner organisations, personal data collected via this website or related activities is only stored and managed by the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol.

You can view their privacy and data protection policies here:

7. Data sharing

We do not sell or share personal data with third parties for commercial purposes.

Data may be shared:

  • Between the University of Birmingham and partner institutions for project delivery

  • On our mailing list platforms, in a GDPR-compliant manner

  • With authorised research collaborators where necessary, in a GDPR-compliant and controlled manner

  • When required by law

8. Data retention

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to:

  • Fulfil the purpose for which it was collected

  • Meet research, legal, and EPSRC requirements

Retention periods follow the policies of the University of Birmingham and partner institutions.

9. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data

  • Request correction of inaccurate data

  • Request deletion of your data (where applicable)

  • Withdraw consent at any time

  • Object to or restrict processing

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details below.

10. Cookies

This website may use essential cookies to ensure functionality.

If any non-essential cookies (such as analytics) are used, they will:

  • Be clearly disclosed

  • Require your consent where applicable

11. External links

This website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites.

12. Embedded Content (YouTube)

Our website may include embedded video content hosted on YouTube (a service provided by Google).

When you view or interact with embedded YouTube content:

  • YouTube may collect information about your interaction

  • This may include cookies, device data, and usage information

  • Data collection is governed by Google’s privacy policies, not SUM4Products

For more information, please see:

If you do not wish YouTube to collect data about you, you should avoid interacting with embedded videos or adjust your browser privacy settings accordingly.

13. Contact information

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us via email.

14. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
Any changes will be posted on this page with a revised “last updated” date.