Information regarding data privacy

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy aims to inform you about the data processing in connection with our website and related services. The processing of personal data takes place exclusively within the framework of the respective valid legal data protection regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter referred to as "GDPR").

1. General information

1.1 Personal data

In accordance with Art. 4 (1) GDPR, “personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as the “data subject”); a natural person is considered as being identifiable, directly or indirectly, in particular by means of an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one or more special characteristics expressing the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of this natural person.

1.2 Controller

The controller within the meaning of Art. 4 (7) GDPR is

Miele & Cie. KG
Carl-Miele-Straße 29
33332 Gütersloh

Tel:     +49 5241 89-0
Fax:    +49 5241 89-2090
E-Mail:  info@miele.de

1.3 Data Protection Officer

You can contact our Data Protection Officer at the postal address listed under 1.2 or by sending an e-mail to: datenschutz@miele.de

2. Collection and processing related to our website

2.1 Automatically processed data when visiting

Each time you access our website, your browser automatically transmits data that are stored in the log files of the server. This includes the following data (hereinafter referred to as the "Log file data"):

• Information about browser type and browser version;
• operating system of the user;
• Internet service provider and IP address of the user; and
• date and time of the access.

The Log file data is evaluated anonymously in order continuously to improve the website, to adapt the website to the interests of our users and to be able to remedy errors quickly. For these purposes, our legitimate interest in the processing of data is pursuant to Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR.

In a non-anonymised form, Log file data are used solely to detect malfunctions and to ensure system security, including detection and tracking of improper access attempts and fraud and abuse attempts. The data are stored for 7 to 14 days and then deleted. Log file data, the further storage of which is required for evidence purposes, is not deleted until final clarification of the respective incident has been obtained and may in individual cases be forwarded to the investigating authorities. For these purposes, our legitimate interest in the processing of data is pursuant to Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR.

2.2 Commercial communication

If and insofar as you have given us your consent for advertising purposes, e.g. you have signed up to the e-mail newsletter, customer satisfaction surveys, etc., the data processing required in the context of establishing contact takes place on the legal basis of your consent, Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR. You may revoke your consent to us at any time with effect for the future (e.g. by using the unsubscribe link included in the e-mail). It might be possible that commercial communication will be provided through our external service providers. These service providers act as instruction-bound processors for us.

If you want to sign up for an e-mail newsletter, we will forward you to the respective Miele entity which is responsible in our country and which you have chosen during the sign up process. You will find further specific information about the respective Miele entity on the respective website.

2.3 Contacting us

Our website lists different ways that you can contact us. When you are using the contact form on our website, we will forward your data to the Miele entity which is responsible in your country and which you have chosen in the contact form. In the event you have chosen a country without an own Miele entity, we will forward your data to our importer which is responsible in your country. You will find a full list of Miele importers with further information about the Miele importers here. If you do not want that we forward your data to the Miele entity or importer in your country, you must not use the contact form on our website.   

We have a legitimate interest in forwarding your enquiries. The legal basis for the data processing is Art. (6)(1)(f) GDPR. If the purpose of your request is to conclude a contract, the legal basis is Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR.

When contacting us, data transmitted to us will be deleted after completion of your request, provided and insofar as we are not obliged to store it for reasons based on commercial and tax law.

2.4 Qualtrics Satisfaction Surveys

On our website, we use the services of Qualtrics LLC, 333 W. River Park Drive, Provo UT 84604, USA for customer-, product-, and brandsurveys in order to regularly improve our products and services. When you are taking a survey, only log data (date and timestamp / information to your browser and browser settings / information to your device / usage date) will be processed. You are free to decide whether you like to participate on a survey. If you do not want to participate, you can just close the survey pop-up. The legal basis for the data processing is your consent, Art. 6 I lit. a) GDPR. You can revoke your consent with effect for the future at any time.

In the context of the use of Qualtrics services, we also use Qualtrics cookies, mainly to help keep track of survey sessions or to maintain survey sessions. Please find more information to our use of Qualtrics cookies in our cookie notice. For more information about Qualtrics LLC and use of personal data by Qualtrics please visit https://www.qualtrics.com/privacy-statement/.

3. Miele@home

Miele collects and processes personal data in connection with your use of the Miele@home system. Please find more detailed information about the use of your data in connection with the Miele@home system here.

4. Cookies

We also use cookies or similar technologies on our website, such as pixels (hereinafter referred to as "Cookies"). Cookies are small text files stored by your browser on your device, or image files, such as pixels. The next time you visit our website with the same device, the information stored in cookies will either be returned to our website (hereinafter referred to as "First Party Cookies") or to another website (hereinafter referred to as "Third Party Cookies").

We inform you about the use of cookies and provide you the opportunity to activate non-necessary cookies in advance with a corresponding note on a banner. Furthermore, you will find exhaustive information about the use of cookies and opportunities to activate or deactivate non-necessary cookies in our cookie policy.

5. Social media plugins

Our website uses the Facebook social media plug-in of Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA (hereinafter referred to as "Facebook").

An overview of Facebook plug-ins can be found here: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins; You can find further information on Facebook's Privacy Policy at the following link: www.facebook.com/policy.php

Facebook may receive the information that you have accessed the corresponding website of our online service and possibly interacted with the plug-in. By activating the plug-in, your personal data will be saved and sent to Facebook in the USA.

Facebook stores the data collected about you as usage profiles and uses them for purposes of advertising, market research and/or tailor-made website design. Such an evaluation is carried out in particular (also for non-logged-in users) for the presentation of needs-based advertising and to inform other users of the social network about your activities on our website. You have a right to object to the formation of these user profiles, whereby you must exercise this right to Facebook.

Through the plug-ins we offer you the opportunity to interact with the social networks and other users, so that we can improve our offer and make it more interesting for you as a user. The legal basis for the use of the plug-ins is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

You can completely prevent the plug-ins from being loaded using add-ons for your browser, so-called script blockers.

6. Social media presence

6.1 Note regarding the Facebook Fanpage

Accessing www.facebook.com/miele.com will take you to our fanpage on the Facebook.com social network of Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2 Ireland (hereinafter referred to as "Facebook"). If you visit our fanpage, Facebook collects data and processes it in the US, if necessary. This also happens if you yourself are not a registered user of Facebook or simply have not logged in to your Facebook account. Facebook will collect the IP address, operating system information, hardware versions and browser type, data collected from Facebook cookies about your user behaviour, and other technical data. Facebook and we will process your data as joint controller within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. You will find the essence of the joint controller arrangement between Facebook and us here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. For more information to Facebook, please refer to the Facebook Privacy Policy, which you can access here: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation. You can also find information from Facebook about cookies on https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies.

6.2 Note regarding Instagram

We run the Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/miele_com/ on the social network Instagram, which is part of Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2 Ireland (hereinafter referred to as "Instagram"). If you visit our account, data will be collected from Instagram and processed in the US, if necessary. This also happens if you yourself are not a registered user of Instagram or have not logged in to your Instagram account.  Facebook and we will process your data as joint controller within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. You will find the essence of the joint controller arrangement between Facebook and us here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. For more information to Instagram, please refer to the Facebook Privacy Policy, which you can access here: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.. Please refer to the Instagram Privacy Policy, which you can access here: https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875?helpref=page_content.

6.3 Note regarding YouTube

We operate an own YouTube Channel on the YouTube video platform, which is part of YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066 USA (hereinafter referred to as "YouTube"). If you visit our channel, data will be collected from YouTube and processed in the US, if necessary. This also happens if you yourself are not a registered user of YouTube or have not logged in to your YouTube account. According to information provided by YouTube, the data collected includes, among other things, the IP address, operating system information, hardware versions and browser type, data collected from YouTube cookies about your user behaviour, and other technical data. Please refer to the YouTube Privacy Policy, which you can access here: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

7. User generated content on Social Media

When you tagged us in your content on social media, it might be possible that we ask for       your permission to repost your content on our social media channel/s (e.g. on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube,Twitter and others). We will only use your content after we received your explicit permission. In order to do so, we process your content, your username / accountname on social media, your E-mail address and further information you share with us, e.g. your name. The legal basis is for the processing of your data is your consent, Art. 6 (1) lit. (a) GDPR. The data are stored by us only as long as it is necessary for the fulfilment of the respective purpose, unless otherwise provided for by the applicable legislation. You may revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future.   

8. Job application

If you apply via the Miele application portal or form or otherwise for a position with us and send us application documents, we will process the personal data you provide in this context only for the purpose of the application process.

Insofar as you have applied for an advertised position, the documents will be automatically deleted six months after completion of the advertising procedure, provided deletion does not conflict with any legitimate interests. In the case of an application without reference to an advertised position (unsolicited application), the application will be kept for a maximum period of one year in order to contact you, if necessary, with regard to a vacancy notice that arises during this time. At any time you have the option of requesting the deletion of your application prior to expiry of the scheduled retention periods. In the case of a successful application, the transmitted data will be stored for the purpose of the employment relationship in compliance with the legal requirements.

If you have applied for employment with another Miele Group company, we will forward your application to the respective company for the purpose of deciding on the employment relationship.

As far as we process your data for the decision on the establishment of an employment relationship, the legal basis is Art. 26 (1)(1) of the German Federal Data Protection Act.

In all other cases, the legal basis for storing your application data is your consent in accordance with. Art. 6(1) lit. (a) GDPR.

9. Miele trade fair presence

If you visit one of our booths, we collect your data if you provide us with such, e.g. by handing over your business card. We process these data to respond to your concern, e.g. contact for further discussions or offers. If this is necessary to respond to your concern (e.g. when requesting a contact abroad), we will forward your data to the responsible person of the respective company of the Miele Group.

We have a legitimate interest in answering your enquiries. The legal basis for the data processing is Art. (6)(1)(f) GDPR. If the purpose of your request is to conclude a contract, the legal basis is Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR. If you give us your consent for such, the legal basis is Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR. You may revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future.

When contacting us, data transmitted to us will be deleted after completion of your request, provided and insofar as we are not obliged to store it for reasons based on commercial and tax law.

At our booths, we also occasionally take pictures and film recordings for documentation, marketing and press purposes, which are then published via i.a. our social media channels (e.g. Facebook, YouTube or Instagram). In this case, we expressly point this out to you by posting a notice on the stand. You may revoke any consent granted to us regarding the use of an image at any time with effect for the future.

10. Transfer of personal data

Within the context of the data processing described in this privacy notice, it might be possible that we transfer personal data to the following categories of recipients (in addition to the recipients expressly stated in this privacy notice):

• authorized agents and other consultants (e.g. attorneys, tax accountants, auditors);
• service providers (e.g. marketing agencies, IT service providers);
• companies of the Miele Group (https://www.miele.com/en/com/subsidiaries-2156.htm);
• insurance companies; und
• state agencies and governmental bodies.

We only transfer personal data to third parties insofar it is required to fulfil our contractual obligations, in case we have or the respective third party has a legitimate interest in processing the personal data or if you have given consent to the transfer. Furthermore, we only transfer personal data to third parties if and insofar we are obligated to do so according to applicable law, regulatory action or court order.       

11. Location of data storage

Unless otherwise expressly stated in this privacy policy, all personal data collected from you in connection with your use of our Miele@home system or with your use of the Miele Apps and Miele Skills are generally stored on servers within the territory of the European Union.  However, it might be possible that your data must be transferred und processed outside the territory of the European Union. In such event, your data will be secured by appropriate safeguards as set forth in Art. 46 (2) GDPR, in particular, but without limitation to, by the use of the Standard Contractual Clauses for the transfer of data between EU and non-EU countries (which can be found here).

12. Data subject rights

Data subjects have various rights under GDPR. These include in particular:

• Right to information: According to Art. 15 GDPR, you can request a confirmation as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed by us. If such processing is available, you may also request further information about the processing from us.
• Right to rectification: In accordance with Art. 16 GDPR, you are entitled to rectification and/or completion if the processed personal data concerning you is incorrect or incomplete.
• Right to restriction of processing: You may request, pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR, that the processing of your personal data be restricted, as far as one of the following conditions is given:
  • the accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data;
  • the processing is unlawful and the data subject opposes the erasure of the personal data and requests the restriction of their use instead;
  • the controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but they are required by the data subject for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
  • the data subject has objected to processing pursuant to Article 21(1) pending the verification whether the legitimate grounds of the controller override those of the data subject.
• Right to erasure: According to Art. 17 GDPR, you also have the right under certain circumstances to demand the deletion of your personal data stored about you , as far as one of the following conditions is given:
  • the personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed;
  • the data subject withdraws consent on which the processing is based according to point (a) of Article 6(1), or point (a) of Article 9(2), and where there is no other legal ground for the processing;
  • the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(1) and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(2);
  • the personal data have been unlawfully processed;
  • the personal data have to be erased for compliance with a legal obligation in Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject;
  • the personal data have been collected in relation to the offer of information society services referred to in Article 8(1).
• Right to data portability: In accordance with Art. 20 GDPR, you are also entitled to receive the personal data that you have provided in a structured, common and machine-readable format and to transmit it without any obstruction from us to another controller.

To assert the aforementioned rights, please contact us stating your concern, your name and, if applicable, your customer number. Please address your request to the contact details given in sections 1.2 and 1.3.

13. Right of appeal

You have the right to complain about the handling of your personal data by the data protection authority responsible for you or us.

For your complaint please contact the Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und Informationssicherheit in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Postfach 20 04 44 in 40102 Düsseldorf.

Please find further information here: https://www.ldi.nrw.de

14. Right of objection

If your personal data on the basis of legitimate interests are processed pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR, provided there are reasons for this arising from your particular situation, Miele cannot demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject or if your objection is based on being targeted to personal advertising. In the latter case, you have a general right of objection, which is implemented by us without any particular situation being specified.

Please address your request to the contact details given in sections 1.2 and 1.3.

Information on data security at Miele

Miele on data security

Miele, as a manufacturer of high-quality and durable products, also puts the highest demands on the data and cyber security of its networked devices, apps and web applications. Although, we try very hard to detect and eliminate weaknesses in advance, one hundred percent security in case of information technology can be hardly achieved.

For this reason, Miele is interested in any information from you that relates to possible or discovered data security risks affecting our networked products, apps or web applications.

For reporting vulnerabilities and information about cyber security at Miele, please use our international page:

https://www.miele.com/de/com/cybersicherheit-5047.htm

Even if you're not quite sure: We will follow up your request and contact you if we have any further questions.

Miele Terms and Conditions for User Generated Content

We noticed that you tagged us in your content on social media. We really like it and would like to repost it on our social media channel/s (e.g. on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and others). In order to do so, we need your permission to use your content. Therefore, please find below our Miele Terms and Conditions for User Generated Content.  

1. Scope of Miele Terms and Conditions for User Generated Content

1.1 The following Miele Terms and Conditions for User Generated Content (“Terms”) apply for the use of your content made available on social media, that means wordings, statements, photos, images, videos, and any other content (“Content”) by Miele & Cie. KG, Carl-Miele-Straße 29, 33332 Gütersloh, Germany and/or any of our affiliates (collectively hereinafter referred to as “Miele”). 

1.2 By agreeing to the use of your Content by Miele, you acknowledge and agree to these Terms in full.

1.3 If you are an individual representing a company, organization or other legal entity (“Entity”), you represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to accept the Terms on behalf of such Entity and to bind it to the Terms. If you are not authorized, you may not accept the Terms. 

2. Usage rights

2.1 By agreeing to the use of your Content by Miele, you grant Miele a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, sub licensable, assignable and irrevocable right to use, publish, broadcast, transmit, re-post, edit, modify, exhibit, create derivative works, display or make otherwise available your Content, at Miele’s sole reasonable discretion, on social media channels operated by Miele. Furthermore, you grant Miele a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, sub licensable, assignable and irrevocable right to use your username, name or any other personal information associated with or related to your Content at Miele’s sole reasonable discretion, on social media channels operated by Miele.

2.2 For the avoidance of doubt it shall be clarified that Miele is not obliged to use any of the granted rights to use your Content and that you are not entitled to request any use of your Content by Miele.

3. Representation and warranties

You represent and warrant that

a) You are at least eighteen (18) years of age(or over the age of majority for your jurisdiction);

b) You are the owner of the Content and/or that you have obtained all necessary rights and the authority to grant Miele the aforementioned rights to use the Content as stipulated in Section 2 above;

c) the use of the Content by Miele will not violate any third party rights, among others, copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets;

d) the use of the Content will not violate any applicable law, in particular but without limitation, applicable data protection law or any other third party rights;

e) your Content does not contain any defamatory, harassing, hateful, violent, pornographic, offensive, harmful, inappropriate content.

4. Processing of data

In the context of the use of your Content, Miele may collect and process your personal data. For more information about the processing of your data, please see our privacy policy.

5. Property rights of Miele

By accepting these Terms, you acknowledge Miele’s property rights in their entirety, and you are obliged to their preservation. These rights include, among others, copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets. In particular, you are not entitled to use any of Miele’s trademarks without Miele’s prior written approval.

6. Liability and Indemnification

YOU SHALL INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS MIELE FROM AND AGAINST ALL CLAIMS, SUITS, LOSSES, DAMAGES AND EXPENSES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH MIELE’S USE OF YOUR CONTENT OR ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY VIOLATION OF THESE TERMS.

7. Miscellaneous

7.1 These Terms are subject to German law. This choice of law shall not have the result of depriving you of the protection afforded to you by provisions that cannot be derogated from by agreement by virtue of the law of the country where you have your habitual residence.

7.2 You are not permitted to transfer or assign your rights and duties arising from these Terms to a third party without Miele’s prior written approval.

7.3 Miele may, at its own reasonable discretion, change and/or supplement these Terms at any time with future effect, unless this is unreasonable for you.

7.4 In the event of invalidity or ineffectiveness of individual provisions of these Terms, the effectiveness of other provisions of these Terms remains unaffected. Invalid or ineffective provisions shall be replaced by effective provisions that best approximate the economic purpose of the ineffective or invalid provisions.