Privacy Policy

Aotara ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our platform services. Please read this policy carefully. By accessing or using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, as well as information generated through your use of our platform:

• Account information: Name, email address, company name, job title, phone number, and business registration details provided during sign-up or application.
• Compliance documents: Certifications, licenses, regulatory filings, and other documents uploaded for verification purposes.
• Communications: Messages sent through our platform, contact form submissions, and correspondence with our team.
• Usage data: Browser type, IP address, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other analytical data collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
• Transaction data: Records of inquiries, orders, and trade interactions conducted through the platform.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain our platform services, including supplier verification, product listing management, and buyer matching.
• Verify compliance documentation and certifications against issuing authorities and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate with you regarding your account, applications, and platform updates.
• Improve our platform through analytics, research, and user feedback analysis.
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and unauthorized activity.
• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from regulatory authorities.

Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Platform participants: Verified business information may be shared between connected suppliers and buyers to facilitate trade. Only information necessary for the transaction is disclosed.
• Service providers: We work with trusted third-party service providers for hosting, analytics, communication, and payment processing. These providers are contractually bound to protect your data.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, or legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Aotara or others.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256), access controls, regular security audits, and employee training on data protection practices. While no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data.

Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Portability: You may request a machine-readable copy of your data.
• Objection: You may object to processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

These rights apply under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for EU/EEA residents and the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 for New Zealand residents. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve our platform. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for the platform to function properly, including authentication and session management.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our platform so we can improve the user experience.
• Preference cookies: Store your settings and preferences for future visits.

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

Contact for Privacy Inquiries

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or have a complaint about our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

We will respond to all privacy inquiries within 20 working days in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the effective date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the platform after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.