Privacy Policy

1. Privacy Policy Overview

PIPS MEADOW LTD ("PIPS MEADOW", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information that we process about you. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, protect, and share information when you:

• Visit or interact with our corporate website at https://pips-meadow.site/ (the "Site");
• Engage with us as a client, prospective client, supplier, or business contact;
• Use our accounting, auditing, or advisory services;
• Subscribe to our newsletters or updates; or
• Apply for a role with PIPS MEADOW LTD or otherwise participate in our recruitment process.

This Policy applies in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions and Cookie Policy. Where there is a conflict between this Policy and local law, applicable law will prevail.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect both personal and non-personal information about you, depending on how you interact with us and the services we provide. Personal data means any information that can identify you directly or indirectly.

2.1 Information from clients and prospective clients

When you engage us or enquire about our services, we may collect:

• Contact details, such as your name, job title, company name, postal address, email address, and telephone number;
• Business information, including organisation details, ownership and control information, tax references, and information related to your financial affairs;
• Identity and verification data required for regulatory or compliance purposes (for example, anti-money laundering checks or know-your-customer processes);
• Engagement and transaction information, including records of services provided, communications exchanged, and any documents you provide to us in connection with our services;
• Preferences, such as your professional interests and communication preferences.

2.2 Information from website visitors

When you visit or use our Site, we may collect:

• Technical data, such as your IP address, browser type and version, device identifiers, operating system, time zone setting, and approximate location derived from your IP address;
• Usage data, including pages visited, links clicked, time spent on pages, referring and exit pages, and similar analytics information;
• Information you submit through our online forms, including contact forms on the Contact Us page and subscription forms for newsletters or resources available via our Resources section;
• Communications data, such as queries, feedback, or support requests you send to us via the Site.

Much of this information is collected through cookies and similar technologies, as explained in the Cookies and Tracking Technologies section and our separate Cookie Policy.

2.3 Information from job applicants and candidates

If you apply for a role with PIPS MEADOW LTD via our Contact Us or related channels, or otherwise participate in our recruitment process, we may collect:

• Identification and contact details, such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address;
• Professional and background information, including your CV or résumé, cover letter, employment and education history, professional qualifications, and references;
• Any additional information you choose to submit to us during the recruitment process, including information shared during interviews or assessments;
• Right-to-work documentation and information required to satisfy legal or regulatory duties, where applicable.

2.4 Special categories of data

In the ordinary course of business, we do not seek to collect special categories of personal data (such as data relating to health, racial or ethnic origin, or criminal convictions) via the Site. Where such information is necessary for a specific engagement or legal requirement, we will only process it in line with applicable law and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes, depending on our relationship with you and how you interact with us:

3.1 Service delivery and client relationship management

• Providing accounting, auditing, assurance, and advisory services you have requested;
• Managing our business relationship with you or your organisation, including onboarding, engagement administration, billing, and responding to queries;
• Maintaining accurate records of our engagements and communications for quality assurance, regulatory, and audit purposes.

3.2 Website operation and improvement

• Operating, maintaining, and securing our Site, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, and support;
• Monitoring Site performance and usage patterns to improve user experience, navigation, and content relevance across sections such as About, Services, Auditing, and Resources;
• Ensuring the security and integrity of our IT systems and detecting or preventing fraud or misuse.

3.3 Communication and marketing

• Responding to enquiries and requests submitted via our Contact Us page or other communication channels;
• Sending you important service-related or administrative messages, such as engagement updates, appointment details, or policy changes;
• Providing you with newsletters, thought leadership, invitations to events, or information about services that may be of interest to you, where permitted by law and in line with your communication preferences.

3.4 Legal, regulatory, and business obligations

• Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations relevant to our role as an accounting and auditing firm, including obligations connected to SIC Code 69201;
• Carrying out anti-money laundering, anti-fraud, and other checks as required by applicable law or professional standards;
• Establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims, and managing risk, compliance, and governance processes.

3.5 Recruitment and talent management

• Assessing your suitability for roles at PIPS MEADOW LTD and managing the recruitment process;
• Communicating with you about the progress of your application and potential opportunities;
• Where appropriate and lawful, keeping your details on file for future vacancies that may align with your profile.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies to help us understand how visitors use our pages, improve performance, and enhance your browsing experience.

4.1 What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to site owners.

4.2 Types of cookies we may use

• Strictly necessary cookies – required for core functionality such as page navigation, secure areas, and form submissions. The Site cannot function properly without these cookies.
• Performance and analytics cookies – help us understand how visitors interact with our Site (for example, which pages are visited most frequently and how users move through the Site). We use this information in aggregate to improve content and usability.
• Functionality cookies – allow the Site to remember your choices and preferences, such as language settings or previously completed forms, to provide a more personalised experience.

4.3 Analytics and third-party tools

We may use analytics services to collect anonymous or aggregated usage data for performance monitoring and reporting. These tools use cookies and similar technologies to generate reports that help us understand how our Site is used. We do not use this data to identify individual visitors.

4.4 Managing cookies

On your first visit to the Site, you may be presented with options to manage certain categories of cookies. You can also control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling some cookies may affect the functionality or performance of the Site.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use and your choices, please refer to our dedicated Cookie Policy.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We only share personal data where necessary and appropriate, and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

5.1 Service providers and professional advisers

We may share your information with trusted third parties who provide services to us, for example:

• IT and cloud hosting providers that support our systems and infrastructure;
• Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or insurers who assist us in managing legal, regulatory, or risk matters;
• Specialist service providers engaged to support specific aspects of our accounting, auditing, or advisory engagements.

These third parties are required to handle your information securely and use it only in accordance with our instructions and applicable law.

5.2 Regulators, authorities, and legal disclosures

We may disclose personal data where we are legally required to do so, or where we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law, regulation, or professional standards;
• Respond to lawful requests or investigations from regulatory, supervisory, or law enforcement authorities;
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of PIPS MEADOW LTD, our clients, or others;
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

5.3 Corporate transactions

In the event of a reorganisation, merger, acquisition, or other corporate transaction involving PIPS MEADOW LTD, we may share relevant personal data with potential or actual counterparties and their advisers, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.

6. Data Security Measures

We take the security of your information seriously and implement a range of technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access.

6.1 Technical safeguards

• Use of secure servers, encryption technologies, and access controls to protect our systems and data;
• Regular security updates, monitoring, and maintenance of our IT infrastructure;
• Role-based access controls to ensure that personal data is accessible only to those who need it for legitimate business purposes.

6.2 Organisational measures

• Policies and procedures covering data protection, confidentiality, and information security;
• Staff training and awareness programmes to promote responsible handling of personal data and the importance of confidentiality;
• Contracts and due diligence with third-party service providers to help ensure they maintain appropriate security standards.

6.3 Data retention

We retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information and our professional obligations. When data is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete or anonymise it securely.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Under applicable data protection laws, you may have several rights in relation to the personal data we hold about you. These rights may include:

• Right of access – to obtain confirmation as to whether we process your personal data and, if so, to receive a copy of that data along with certain information about how it is processed;
• Right to rectification – to request that inaccurate or incomplete personal data be corrected or updated;
• Right to erasure – to request the deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected;
• Right to restriction – to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations (for example, while we verify the accuracy of your data or consider an objection you have raised);
• Right to data portability – in certain cases, to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to have that data transmitted to another controller where technically feasible;
• Right to object – to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to our processing of your personal data where we are relying on legitimate interests, including profiling based on those interests;
• Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on your consent to process personal data (for example, for certain marketing communications), you may withdraw that consent at any time.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to limitations or exemptions under applicable law and professional rules. We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.

7.1 Marketing communications

You can manage your preferences for receiving newsletters, updates, or event invitations from PIPS MEADOW LTD by following the instructions in our communications or by contacting us using the details provided in the Contact Us section. Even if you opt out of marketing, we may still send you non-promotional communications relating to active engagements or important service information.

8. International Data Transfers

PIPS MEADOW LTD is based in the United Kingdom. In some circumstances, your personal data may be accessed, stored, or processed in countries outside the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA), for example where we use service providers that operate internationally or host data in other jurisdictions.

Where such transfers occur, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that your personal data is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws. This may include:

• Ensuring that the destination country has been recognised as providing an adequate level of data protection; or
• Putting in place suitable contractual safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities, along with supplementary measures where necessary.

If you would like more information about international transfers of your personal data and the safeguards applied, you can contact us using the details set out below.

9. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal or regulatory requirements, or developments in our services and technology. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (for example, by email or by displaying a notice on the Site).

We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how PIPS MEADOW LTD handles your personal data, please contact us using the details below:

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy-related query or complaint, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or your local supervisory authority. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly in the first instance.