Privacy Notice

Animal Assisted Services International (AASI)

1. Who we are

Animal Assisted Services International (“AASI”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is an international membership organisation registered in the Netherlands. We support organisations and professionals delivering animal assisted services worldwide.

We are committed to protecting personal data and handling it transparently, securely, and in line with applicable data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. What personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for our organisational activities. This may include:

• Name and role
• Organisation name
• Business contact details (email address, telephone number, postal address)
• Membership application and renewal information
• Accreditation-related organisational documentation and policies

We do not collect or store client, patient, or service-user identifiable data.

3. Accreditation information

As part of the accreditation process, member organisations may provide internal policies, procedures, and supporting documentation. These materials:

• Relate to organisational governance and practice
• Do not contain identifiable client or patient data
• Are accessed only by authorised AASI administrators, board, or assessors

4. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

• Process membership applications and renewals
• Manage accreditation and quality assurance processes
• Communicate with members and applicants
• Administer events, forums, and organisational activities
• Meet legal or regulatory obligations where required

We do not use personal data for automated decision-making or profiling.

5. Lawful basis for processing

Under GDPR, we process personal data on the following lawful bases:

• Legitimate interests – to operate and manage AASI’s membership and accreditation activities
• Contractual necessity – where processing is required to provide membership or accreditation services
• Legal obligation – where applicable

6. International data transfers

As an international organisation, personal data may be accessed by AASI representatives or assessors located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including the USA.

Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections in line with GDPR requirements.

7. How we store and protect data

All personal data is stored using Microsoft 365 secure, cloud-based systems. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures, including:

• Access controls and role-based permissions
• Secure cloud infrastructure
• Data minimisation and need-to-know access

8. Data sharing

We do not sell personal data.

Personal data may be shared only where necessary with:

• AASI administrators, board, and authorised assessors
• Trusted service providers supporting our systems (e.g. Microsoft)

All third parties are required to process personal data in accordance with GDPR.

9. Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including membership and accreditation administration. Data is securely deleted or anonymised when no longer required.

10. Your data protection rights

Under GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request erasure of your data (where applicable)
• Restrict or object to processing in certain circumstances
• Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

11. Contact details

If you have questions about this Privacy Notice or how AASI handles personal data, please contact us here – https://aas-int.org/contact/

12. Changes to this notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The most current version will always be published on our website.