Privacy and Cookie Policy: Refined Career

Version effective as of 01 March 2026

1. General Provisions

The term "personal data" or “data” refers to all information that relates to a specific or identifiable person.If you provide us with the personal data of other persons (for example, family members, data of work colleagues), please make sure that these persons are aware of this Privacy Policy and only share their data with us if you are allowed to do so and if this personal data is correct. Note that other privacy policies or general terms and conditions, conditions of participation, and similar documents may govern specific data privacy topics.This Privacy Policy is aligned with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (“nFADP/DPA”). However, the application of these laws depends on each case. The terms used are not gender-specific.

‍

2. Controller and Data Protection Officer

Refined Career by Ágnes PĂĄkozdi, Widmerstrasse 73D., 8038 ZĂŒrich, Switzerland, is responsible for the data processing that we describe here unless otherwise specified in individual instances. If you have any data privacy concerns, you can communicate them to us at the following contact address:‍

  • Postal address: Widmerstrasse 73D., 8038 ZĂŒrich, Switzerland
  • Email: agnes.pakozdi@refined-career.ch

3. Collection and Processing of Personal Data

We primarily process the personal data that we receive from our customers and other business partners in the course of our business relationship with them and other persons involved in it, or that we collect from their users in the operation of our website(s), apps, and other applications. To the extent permitted, we also collect certain data from publicly accessible sources (for example, debt collection registers, land registers, commercial registers, the press, and the Internet) or receive such data from public authorities and other third parties (such as credit agencies or address providers).

‍Startup and Entrepreneurial Consulting: In the context of startup and entrepreneurial consulting, we also collect and process business-related data, including business plans, financial projections, investor pitch decks, and proprietary operational strategies. While the nFADP primarily protects the data of natural persons, Refined Career applies equivalent high-security and confidentiality standards to all business-related information provided by legal entities (e.g., GmbH, AG) to ensure the protection of founder and company interests.In addition to the data about you that you give us directly, the categories of personal data that we receive about you from third parties include, in particular:

  • Information from public registers and information learned in connection with official and legal proceedings.
  • Information relating to your professional functions and activities.
  • Information about you in correspondence and meetings with third parties.
  • Credit reports (to the extent that we process transactions with you personally).
  • Information provided by persons close to you (family, advisors, legal representatives, etc.) to enable us to conclude or process agreements (for example, references).
  • Your address for deliveries, powers of attorney, and information on compliance with legal requirements such as anti-money laundering.
  • Information from banks and insurance companies (e.g., payments made, purchases made).
  • Personal data from the media and the Internet (if appropriate, e.g., as part of an application, marketing/sales, etc.).
  • Data in connection with the use of the website (for example, IP address, MAC address of the smartphone or computer, cookies, date and time of visit, pages viewed, and location information).

4. Purpose of Data Processing and Legal Grounds

We use the personal data we collect primarily to enter into and perform our agreements with our customers and business partners, in particular:

  • Job Search Advisory and Career Coaching: Collecting data for transactions, purchasing products/services from subcontractors, and complying with legal obligations.
  • Business Consulting Services: Data is processed strictly for the purpose of strategic advisory. We implement enhanced confidentiality measures to ensure that proprietary business concepts and 'trade secrets' are protected from unauthorized access or disclosure to third parties.

We also process your data for the following purposes in which we (and sometimes third parties) have a legitimate interest:

  • Offering and further developing our products, services, and websites.
  • Communicating with third parties and processing their inquiries.
  • Testing and optimizing procedures for analyzing needs to address customers directly.
  • Advertising and marketing (including events), unless you have objected to the use of your data.
  • Market and opinion research, media monitoring.
  • Assertion of legal claims and defense in connection with legal disputes.
  • Prevention and investigation of criminal offenses and other misconduct.
  • Ensuring that our operations, in particular IT and websites, are running properly.
  • Measures for business management and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.

5. Cookies, Tracking, and Website Techniques

We typically use "cookies" and similar techniques on our website(s), which allow for the identification of your browser or device.

  • Session vs. Permanent Cookies: We use "session cookies" (deleted after your visit) and "permanent cookies" (saved for a period, e.g., two years) to save configurations like language or automated log-in.
  • Wix Platform: As our website is hosted on the Wix platform, specific Necessary Cookies are used to ensure system stability, security (monitoring for cyber-attacks), and payment security. These cannot be opted out of.
  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics (Google Ireland Ltd.). We have configured the service so that IP addresses are truncated in Europe before forwarding to the US. We have turned off the «Data sharing» and “Signals” options.
  • Social Media Plug-ins: We use plug-ins from networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, or Instagram. These are disabled by default. Clicking them allows operators to record your presence on our site.
  • Tracking Pixels: Our newsletters may include tracking pixels (invisible image files). If retrieved from our servers, we can determine if and when you opened the email. You may disable this in your email program settings.
  • Control: You may configure your browser to reject cookies. However, blocking them may make certain functions (e.g., shopping basket, ordering) unavailable.

6. Transfer of Data to Third Parties and Abroad

We may transfer data to third parties (Recipients) in the context of our business activities:

  • Service providers (e.g., banks, insurance, IT providers).
  • Dealers, suppliers, and subcontractors.
  • Domestic and foreign authorities, courts, or the media.
  • Acquirers or parties interested in business units.

If a Recipient is located in a country without adequate statutory data protection, we require the Recipient contractually to comply with the applicable data protection (using revised standard contractual clauses of the European Commission), unless a legal exemption applies.We utilize the IT services of the following providers and advertising partners (to the extent that they use your data or cookies set on your device for advertising control):

  • Google Ireland Ltd. (based in Dublin, Ireland) is the provider of Google Workspace (including Google Docs and Google Meet) and Google Ads (formerly AdWords). For productivity services (Workspace, Docs, Meet), Google Ireland acts as our data processor. Google Ireland relies on Google LLC (based in the USA) as its sub-processor. We have configured these services to ensure that IP addresses are truncated within Europe before being forwarded to the USA. While we assume the information shared with Google does not constitute personal data for Google, it is possible that Google may use this data for its own purposes to draw conclusions about visitor identity, create personal profiles, and link this data to Google accounts. You explicitly consent to this processing—including the transfer of data to the USA—when using these services. Information on Google's data protection can be found at: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

‍

  • Wix.com Ltd. (based in Tel Aviv, Israel) is the provider of our hosting platform and website tools and acts as our data processor. Israel is recognized by the Swiss Federal Council as providing an adequate level of data protection. Wix processes data to provide and optimize the website, including visitor analytics and security. Data may be stored on servers in Israel and other countries, including the USA, using appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs). Further information can be found at: https://www.wix.com/about/privacy.

‍

  • RealtimeBoard, Inc. dba Miro (based in San Francisco, USA) provides our visual collaboration platform ("Miroboard") and acts as our data processor for customer content. Miro adheres to the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, ensuring a level of protection compliant with Swiss standards . Data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Further information: https://miro.com/legal/privacy-policy/.

We also operate profiles on social networks to communicate with users and promote our services. These platforms evaluate your usage and link it to other data known to them (e.g., preferences and behavior) for their own marketing and research purposes. We are jointly responsible (Joint Controllers) with the following platform operators for the collection and processing of "Page Insights" data :

‍

  • LinkedIn: Operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (Dublin, Ireland). LinkedIn assumes primary responsibility for fulfilling data subject rights regarding "Page Insights" data. Further information: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.

7. Duration of the Retention of Personal Data

We process and retain your data only for as long as it is necessary for the fulfillment of our contractual and legal obligations:

  • Accounting & Tax Records: Invoices and payment data are retained for 10 years in accordance with the Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 958f).
  • Coaching & Consulting Records: Session notes, CVs, and professional data are generally retained for the duration of the relationship and for 5 to 10 years thereafter, in accordance with the Swiss Statute of Limitations (Art. 127 OR), to protect against legal claims or support returning clients.
  • Technical Logs: Operational data (e.g., system records) are generally deleted within twelve months or less.

8. Data Security and Breach Notification

We take appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access and misuse. In the event of a data security breach that poses a high risk to your personality or fundamental rights, we will notify the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) as soon as possible and, where necessary, inform the affected individuals.

9. Obligation to Provide Personal Data

In the course of our relationship, you must provide the personal data necessary for the performance of the business relationship. Without this data, we generally cannot enter into an agreement with you. Our website also cannot be used if certain traffic-securing information (IP address) is not disclosed.

10. Profiling and Automated Individual Decision-Making

We may partially process your data automatically to evaluate certain personal aspects (profiling), such as informing you about products relevant to you. We generally do not use fully automated individual decision-making (under Art. 21 DPA). Should we do so, we will inform you separately.

11. Your Rights

In accordance with applicable law (e.g., nFADP or GDPR), you have the following rights:

  • Information: The right to request information about your stored data.
  • Correction & Deletion: The right to have us correct inaccurate data or delete your data.
  • Data Portability: The right to receive certain personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, or to have it transferred to another controller.
  • Withdrawal: The right to withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
  • Objection: The right to express your point of view regarding automated decisions.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the address in Section 2. Every data subject also has the right to file a complaint with the competent data protection authority (Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, Switzerland).

12. Amendments

We may amend this Privacy Policy at any time without prior notice. The current version published on our website shall apply.

‍ZĂŒrich, March 2026