PricewaterhouseCoopers' recruitment privacy commitment

Last Edited 29 April 2013

Introduction

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) believes that privacy is an important individual right and this Statement provides information regarding our use and disclosure of personal data collected via this website for recruitment purposes.  PwC's information handling practices are in accordance with current privacy and data protection legislation in Hong Kong.

For more general information about the privacy practices of PwC, please refer to our privacy statement.

Why do we collect personal data?

As part of our recruitment process, this website enables us to collect necessary personal data about you to consider you for employment with our firm.
   
During the course of the recruitment and selection process, we may request further information about you to assess your suitability for positions with our firm.  In doing so, we only collect personal data that is necessary for recruitment decisions.  
   
The procedures used by the firm to gather further information about you might include:

• selection interviews;
• assessment centres;
• written skills tests;
• referee reports;
• security vetting; and,
• necessary pre-employment activities.

In all cases, we inform applicants before a selection method is used of its relevance to selection process and the types of personal data to be collected.  We rarely need to collect sensitive information (such as ethnicity, religious beliefs, health and criminal record) and will not do so without consent.  References from your current or former employer(s) or other sources will only be obtained with your written or verbal consent.
   
In some cases, pre-employment checking may be necessary.  Any checking is "tailor-made" and the extent and nature of information sought is no more than is justified by the particular position being filled.
   
Failure to provide requested information may influence the processing and outcome of your application. 

How do we use personal data?

We use the personal data for the primary purpose of considering your suitability for positions with us.  Only that information which is relevant to the purpose of assessing your suitability is collected and used.
   
We will not collect or use personal data in ways other than as described in this statement unless we have obtained your consent.  In some cases we may specifically request a consent form to be signed.  In other cases consent may be implied (for instance, you give us information after being fully advised of how it will be used).

Cookies and log files

Cookies may be used on some areas of our website.  A cookie is a small software application which allows a website to recognise a previous user and to observe how a user navigates within a website.  Cookies are now used as a standard by many websites to improve users' navigational experience.  If you are concerned about cookies, most browsers permit individuals to decline cookies. In most cases, a visitor may refuse a cookie and still fully navigate our websites, however other functionality in the site may be impaired.  After termination of the visit to our site, you can always delete the cookie from your system if you wish.
     
In order to properly manage our website and related email services, we may anonymously log information on our operating systems about the number and duration of visits to the website and identify categories of visitors by items such as domains and browser types, and to track document identification number by way of email acknowledgement or return receipt.  These statistics are reported in the aggregate to our webmaster and system administrators.  In addition, site statistics are compiled by third parties, and therefore your IP address will be passed to third parties for statistical reporting only.  This is to ensure that our website presents the best web experience for visitors and is an effective information resource.
 
Whenever a registered member visits this website, they must identify themselves in order to gain entry.  This data is logged by PricewaterhouseCoopers primarily to measure website performance and in assisting to resolve any website technical difficulties.

Disclosure of personal data

Your personal data will be used only by partners and staff directly involved in the recruitment process.  Information will not be disclosed to third parties except when required by law, when we have your explicit consent or in cases where the third party is a contractor or supplier whom we have engaged specifically to assist with our firm's activities.  All such contractors will be bound contractually to keep all information confidential.

Transfer of data to other countries

Personal data collected by PricewaterhouseCoopers may be transferred internationally to other PricewaterhouseCoopers' entities world-wide, where it is necessary to meet the recruitment purposes.  By submitting your personal data on PricewaterhouseCoopers' website, you are providing explicit consent to transborder transmission of such data collected on the website for the fulfilment of recruitment applications.

How is this information secured?

We keep your personal data secure and make it accessible to partners and staff on a needs to know basis.  The information you provide in your online application is stored into our recruitment database.  PwC has implemented generally accepted standards of technology and operational security in order to protect personal data from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction.  All PwC staff follow a firm wide security policy.  Only authorised PwC personnel are provided access to personal data and these employees have agreed to ensure confidentiality of this information.

How long is information kept?

Generally, in Hong Kong, we hold recruitment information for specific vacancies for up to 2 years.  In China, information will be permanently archived.
   
To request us to delete your personal data submitted through our recruitment website, please send your request to:

For graduate recruitment:
via email, hk.graduate@hk.pwc.com

For experienced hire:
via email, exp.hire@h​k.pwc.com

Access to your information

Access to your personal data can be made by request to us for up to 2 years (but 1 year for graduate recruitment in China) unless granting access would infringe another person's privacy.
   
If you wish to gain access to your personal data, please send your request to:

For graduate recruitment:
via email, hk.graduate@hk.pwc.com or online application for changing your contact details (e.g. email, address, phone numbers)

For experienced hire:
via email, exp.hire@h​k.pwc.com

Correction and concerns

If you believe that information we hold about you is incorrect, if you have concerns about how we are handling your personal data, or if you changed your mind about our usage of your data, please email us and we will try to resolve those concerns.

For graduate recruitment:
via email, hk.graduate@hk.pwc.com or online application for changing your contact details (e.g. email, address, phone numbers)

For experienced hire:
via email, exp.hire@h​k.pwc.com

Changes to the PricewaterhouseCoopers recruitment privacy statement

PwC reserves the right to modify or amend this statement at any time and for any reason.  However, PwC commits to ensure that the privacy rights of individuals are maintained.  Nothing contained in this statement is intended to create a contract or agreement between PwC and any visitor using the site, or provide identifying information in any form.
  
In order to keep visitors informed, PwC will ensure that we notify users of changes to our recruitment privacy statement by identifying the alteration for a period of not less than two weeks on the our home page and identifying the effective date at the beginning of this statement.

Contact our privacy office

We welcome your enquiries or comments about our recruitment privacy statement and any queries or concerns that you may have about this website.