Data Protection

The Freudenberg Group is pleased by your visit to this portal website and your interest in the companies of the Freudenberg Group. We take the protection of your personal data very seriously. A website is a telemedia service. In accordance with Art. 13 para. 1 TMG (German Telemedia Act), the service provider is obligated to instruct users as to the type, scope and purpose behind the recording and usage of a user’s personal data as well as any processing of said data outside the EU/EEC in an easy-to-understand form. This data protection declaration provides such instructions.

The purpose of the data processing at the freudenberg.com website and its subdomains, such as magazine.freudenberg.com, is to provide the operators of a website portal for companies within the Freudenberg Group with information about the Business Groups and their products and services on offer. Our website thus includes various links to the websites of the individual Freudenberg Business Groups, where you will be directed based on your informational needs. In such cases, the service provider is then the Freudenberg company that operates the company website and your visit will be subject to the data protection declaration filed with the company in question.

(1) In the following, we will provide information about the collection of personal data when using our website. Personal data is all data which can be directly linked to your person, e.g. name, address, email addresses, user behavior. 

(2) The controller pursuant to Art. 4 para. 7 of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is 

Freudenberg SE
Hoehnerweg 2-4
69469 Weinheim
E-Mail: info[at]freudenberg.com

You may contact our data protection officer at:

activeMind.legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft m. b. H.
Potsdamer Straße 3
80802 München
Tel.: +49 89 919294-900
E-Mail: dataprotection-support[at]freudenberg.com

(3) Upon contacting us by email or a contact form, we will store the data you provide (your email address, possibly your name and telephone number) to answer your questions. The data generated in this context will be deleted after storage is no longer necessary, or we shall limit processing should minimum legal storage obligations apply.

(4) Should we use subcontracted service providers for individual functions of our offer, or should your data be used for promotional purposes, we shall inform you in detail in the following about the relevant procedures. In doing so, we will also list the fixed criteria for storage duration.

(1) We shall grant you the following rights pertaining to your personal data:

• Right to information,
• Right to rectification and erasure,
• Right to restriction of the processing,
• Right to object to the processing,
• Right to data portability.

(2) You also have the right to complain to data protection supervisory authorities regarding our processing of your personal data.

(1) When using our website merely for information purposes, or when you have not registered or provided us with information by some other means, we shall only collect the personal data that your browser supplies to our server. Should you want to view our website, we shall record the following data, which are technically required to guarantee the stability and security of our website (legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 S.1 Lit a GDPR):

• IP address 
• Date and time of your query 
• Time zone difference from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) 
• Content of the request (specific page) 
• Access status/http status code 
• The amount of data transferred each time 
• Website where the request comes from 
• Browser
• Operating system and its surface 
• Language and version of the browser software 

(2) In addition to the data named above, our website cookies will be stored on your computer. Cookies are short text files that are stored on your hard disk assigned to the browser you are using and through which certain information is transmitted to the party installing the cookie (in this case us). Cookies cannot run programs or transmit viruses to your computer. They are merely there to make the internet services generally more user friendly and effective.  

(3) Use of Cookies: 

a) This website uses the following types of cookies, whose scope and functionality can be explained as follows: 

Basis cookies

• hideLanguageSuggestOverlay: Functional TYPO3 cookie. This cookie is responsible for suggesting a language based on the browser language settings. (transient)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Freudenberg TYPO3
• cookieconsent_dismissed: Indicates whether the cookie policy has been accepted. (persistent)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Freudenberg TYPO3 
• COOKIE_LVL: functional cookie
  Saves selection in the cookie banner (persistent)
• be_typo_user: Session cookie. This cookie is used to compile all the queries from you and your browser within a session. If you are logged in, this cookie allows you to remain so and be able to view all the pages within in the log-in area. (transient) 
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Freudenberg TYPO3  
• YSC: This cookie allows YouTube to compile usage information for videos hosted by YouTube. (transient)
  Domain: .youtube.com | Feature: YouTube 
• PREF, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE: This cookie allows YouTube to compile usage information for videos hosted by YouTube. (persistent)
  Domain: .youtube.com | Feature: YouTube 
• CONSENT: Consent cookie set by YouTube for iframe content. (persistent)
  Domain: .youtube.com | Feature: YouTube 

Statistic cookies

• siteimprovess: This cookie is used to track the sequence of pages a visitor views during a visit to the site. The cookie contains no personal information and is only used for web analytics. (transient)
  Domain: .siteimproveanalytics.com | Feature: Siteimprove Analytics 
• __cfduid: This cookie is used to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. (persistent)
  Domain: .siteimproveanalytics.com | Feature: Freudenberg TYPO3 
• nmstat: This cookie is used to help record visitors' use of the website.  It is used to collect statistics about site usage such as when the visitor last visited the site.  The cookie contains no personal information and is only used for web analytics. (persistent)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Siteimprove

Comfort cookies

• _ga: _ga is used to distinguish users and expires after two years. (persistent)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Google Analytics 
• _gid: _gid is used to distinguish users and has an expiration of 24 hours. (persistent) 
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Google Analytics 
• _gat_UA-33026049-1: _gat is used to limit requests and has an expiration of 10-minutes. (persistent)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Google Analytics 
• _gat_UA-XXX: This cookie is used by the Google Tag Manager library to store the website's user account number of the associated “Google Analytics” account. This cookie is not used to identify individuals using the website. (persistent)
  Domain: .freudenberg.com | Feature: Google Tag Manager 
• bcookie: linkedin.com 
  Used by the LinkedIn social networking service to track the use of embedded services.  (persistent)
• lidc: linkedin.com 
  Used for LinkedIn Ad Analytics to determine the user’s routing. (persistent)
• personalization_id: twitter.com 
  This cookie is stored as a result of Twitter integration and associated possibilities for sharing in social media. (persistent)
• UserMatchHistory: linkedin.com 
  Used for LinkedIn Ad Analytics to distinguish between users. / Used to track visitors to multiple websites to present relevant advertising based on visitor preferences. (persistent)
• _fbp: facebook.com
  Used by Facebook to display a range of advertising products, such as real-time offers from third party advertisers. (persistent)
• fr: facebook.com
  Used by Facebook to display a range of advertising products, such as real-time offers from third party advertisers. (persistent)
• lang: linkedin.com cookie (session)
  lang: ads.linkedin.com (session)
  This cookie stores the language version of a website the user selects.

b) Transient cookies are automatically deleted when you close the browser. These specifically include the session cookies. They store a so-called session ID, which allow the classification of the various requests from your browser based to the collective session. Doing so allows your computer to be recognized should you return to our website. Session cookies are deleted once you log out or close the browser. 

c) Persistent cookies are automatically deleted after a specific period, which may differ depending on the cookie. You can delete cookies at any time in your browser’s security settings. 

d) You can configure your browser settings as you wish and refuse to accept third-party cookies or all cookies. Please note that you may not be able to use all the functions on this website if you do so. 

e) [The flash cookies used are not collected by your browser but by your flash plug-in. We still use HTML5 storage objects that can be stored on your end device. These objects store the necessary data independent of the browser type and do not have an automatic expiration date. If you do not want any processing of the flash cookies, you need to install a corresponding add-on, e.g. “Better Privacy” for Mozilla Firefox (https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/) or the Adobe Flash Killer Cookie for Google Chrome. You can prevent the usage of HTML5 storage objects by switching your browser into privacy mode. We also recommend regular manual deletion of your browser history and your cookies.]

(1) We offer various services in addition to the pure information on our website, which you can use if interested. To do so, you generally must provide personal data, which we will then use to provide services, and these are subject to the data processing principles named above.

(2) We sometimes use external service providers to process your data. We select and contract these third-party companies with due care. They are strictly bound by our instructions and are regularly monitored.

(3) We sometimes may also use third parties to process your data if joint promotional campaigns, contests, contract finalizations or other services are provided jointly with partners. You will receive more information upon submission of your personal data or in the following description of the service.

(4) To the extent our service providers or partners are domiciled in a state outside of the European Economic Community (EEC), we shall information about the consequences of these circumstances in the service description.

(1) Should you have issued consent to have your data processed, you may revoke this consent at any time. Such revocations influence the permissibility of the processing of your personal data, after you have issued the revocation to us.

(2) To the extent we justify the processing of your personal data in our own interests, you may object to the processing of said data. This may specifically apply if the fulfillment of an agreement with you is not contingent upon said processing, which we have then presented in the subsequent description of the function. When exercising such an objection, we request you provide the grounds why we should not process your data as we have done. In the event of a justified objection, we shall examine the facts and either cease with data processing or adjust the data processing or provide you with our grounds deserving of protection, creating the basis for continued processing.

(3) Of course, you may object to having your personal data used for promotional and data analysis purposes at any time. You may inform us of your objections at the following contact:

Freudenberg SE
Hoehnerweg 2-4
69469 Weinheim
Tel.: +49 6201 80 0
Fax: +49 6201 88 0
Email: info[at]freudenberg.com

(1) This website uses, subject to your active consent, Google Analytics, a web analytical service from Google Inc. (Google). Google Analytics uses so-called cookies – text files – that are saved on your computer and allow for an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookies about your usage of this website is usually transferred to and stored on a server in the USA. In the event IP anonymization is activated for this website, Google will shorten your IP address within a member state of the European Union or in another treaty state to the European Economic Community beforehand. Only by way of exception will the complete IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. At the request of this website operator, Google will use this information to assess your use of the website to compile a report about website activities and provide further services associated with the website usage and internet services to the website operator. 

(2) The IP address your browser provides as part of Google Analytics will not be merged in with other data from Google. 

(3) You can prevent the storage of cookies by making appropriate changes to your browser software settings; please note these settings may limit the full availability of all the functions on this website. In addition, you can prevent the disclosure of the data collected by the cookie regarding your use of the website (including your IP address) to Google and Google’s processing of this data by going to the following link and downloading and installing the available browser plug-in.

(4) This website uses Google Analytics with the “_anonymizeIp()” plug in. This shortens the IP addresses prior to processing, meaning they cannot be traced back to a specific person. Should any personal data be revealed, this will be removed immediately, and the personal data thus deleted right away. 

(5) We use Google Analytics to analyze the usage of our website and make regular improvements. The statistics allows us to improve our website design and make it more interesting for users.

(6) Information about the third-party service provider: Google Dublin, Google Ireland Ltd., Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Fax: +353 (1) 436 1001.

User conditions

Data protection overview

data protection declaration

(7) This website also uses Google Analytics to analyze visitor flows across devices using a single user ID. In your customer account, you can use the “My Data” settings to deactivate the analysis of your usage across devices.

(8) Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution that allows marketers to manage website tags through a single interface. The Tool Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) is a cookieless domain and does not collect any personal data.  The tool triggers other tags, which in turn may collect data. Google Tag Manager does not access this data.  If deactivation has been made at the domain or cookie level, it remains for all tracking tags implemented with Google Tag Manager.

When submitting forms we use the service reCAPTCHA of the company Google Inc. This is used to distinguish whether the input is made by a natural person or abusive by robots or automated processing. To do this, the browser you use must connect to Google's servers. As a result, Google learns that our website has been accessed via your IP address. The use of Google reCAPTCHA is in the interest of the proper use of the forms. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of GDPR Art. 6 (1) f. This information is governed by the privacy policies of Google Inc. For more information about the privacy policies of Google Inc., please visit Privacy Policy or Terms of Service.

YouTube

(1) We have integrated YouTube videos in our online offerings and these are saved at www.YouTube.com and can be played directly from our website. These are all in the “expanded data protection” mode, i.e. no data about you as a user will be transferred to YouTube if you do not play the videos. Only after you play the videos, will the data listed in paragraph 2 be transferred. We have no influence on this data transfer.

The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 para. 1 S.1 Lit f GDPR.

(2) Through your visit to the website, YouTube will be informed that you have opened on the corresponding subpage of our website. In addition, the data named in §3 of this declaration will be transmitted. This will happen regardless of whether you are logged in to a YouTube user account, or if there is not user account at all. If you are logged into Google, your data will be assigned directly to your account. If you do not want your data immediately assigned to your account, you must log out before activating the button. YouTube will store the data as a user profile and use it for promotional purposes, market research and/or the user-friendly design of its website. Such assessments are primarily made to provide tailored advertisements (even for users who are not logged in) and to inform other users in the social network about your activities on our website. You have the right to object to the creation of a user profile; however, you must address these objections to YouTube. 

(3) You can find out more about the purpose and scope of the data collection and its processing by YouTube in the data protection declaration. You will find more information about your rights and possible settings to protect your privacy. 

Facebook

Privacy information when using Facebook plug-ins:

The Freudenberg website contains programs and plug-ins from the social network Facebook. This is the button with the Facebook logo and the corresponding “Share on” message. The social network is operated by Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA (hereinafter Facebook).  All data processing processes in this context are not carried out by us, but rather by Facebook.  It is not known exactly what data processing operations Facebook performs when and after a fan page is called up by a user.  Therefore, we can only provide the following information based on the currently available level of knowledge:

When you are logged in to Facebook, Facebook collects information about your actions, interactions and movements within its social network, which Facebook Inc. uses to optimize its personalized direct marketing profile for each user for its own business purposes and links to your profile and registration information and other information provided by you or others within the social network. For the purpose and scope of data collection by Facebook and for further processing and use of your data there, as well as your rights and setting options in this regard, which you have to protect your privacy, we refer to the Facebook data protection information, over which we have no control.

Even if you are not logged in to Facebook, Facebook Inc. stores and uses data on the operating system, the browser version, IP address and the place of origin derived from it. In addition, Facebook can also recognize you as an unlogged/non-registered user via “cookies” and use the statistical data obtained from your next login or your first registration with Facebook to form your profile.

The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 para. 1 S.1 Lit a GDPR.

Twitter und LinkedIn

“Tailored Audiences” and “Conversion Tracking” by Twitter and LinkedIn offer the opportunity to target existing users and customers who have visited the Freudenberg website with relevant campaigns. This is done by Twitter and LinkedIn using a website tag to store anonymized user data. When a user visits our website, a Twitter or LinkedIn cookie is placed in the browser.

Freudenberg adheres to the guidelines for Conversion Tracking and Tailored Audiences of the company Twitter. Users who wish to deactivate interest-based advertising on Twitter can do so, for example, via the respective unsubscribe mechanism defined by Twitter. You can change your privacy settings on Twitter.

Data protection note

At LinkedIn, you can decline interest-based advertising here. Please note that rejection of such advertisements will not remove any ads from the pages you visit. It simply means that the ads you are shown are not necessarily tailored to your personal interests. If you are not a member of LinkedIn, you will find the Cookie Privacy Policy.

The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 para. 1 S.1 Lit a GDPR.

This website uses, with your active consent, Siteimprove Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Siteimprove. Siteimprove Analytics uses “Cookies” (see above), which are text files placed on your computer or smartphone, to help Freudenberg analyze how visitors use the site. The information generated by the cookies about the visitors’ use of the website will be stored and processed by Siteimprove on servers in Denmark. IP addresses are anonymized irreversibly before data is made available for Freudenberg via the Siteimprove Suite. It is not possible to reverse the anonymization of IP addresses or to assign IP addresses to collected data.

Freudenberg will use this information for evaluating the visitors’ use of the website, compiling reports on website activity, and ultimately for improving the website experience for its visitors. Siteimprove will not transmit this information to third parties or use it for any marketing or advertising purposes.

By using this website, the visitor consents to the processing of data about him/her by Siteimprove in the manner and for the purposes set out above. 

This website uses so-called retargeting technologies with your active consent. This technology makes it possible to address internet users who have already shown interest in our products with targeted advertising on our partners’ websites. The insertion of these advertising materials on our partners’ pages is based on a cookie technology and analysis of the previous usage behavior. This form of advertising is anonymous. No user profiles are merged with your personal data. By using our site, you consent to the use of so-called cookies and thus to the collection, storage and use of your user data. Furthermore, your data is stored in cookies beyond the end of the browser session so that it can be retrieved the next time you visit the website. You can revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future by refusing to accept cookies in your browser settings.

We use the “Microsoft Teams” or “Zoom” tool to conduct telephone conferences, online meetings, video conferences and/or webinars. “Microsoft Teams” is a service of Microsoft Corporation. “Zoom” is a service of Zoom Video Communications, Inc. You can find the data protection information in here.

We use "Microsoft Forms" to conduct customer and employee surveys. "Microsoft Forms" is a service of Microsoft Corporation. You can find information on data protection here.

(1) We offer you the opportunity to register for a newsletter. The purpose of the newsletter is to inform interested parties and employees about news about Freudenberg. You have the option to cancel the mailing by using the "Unsubscribe" function.

The legal basis for processing your data as an interested party is Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a DS-GVO, your active consent upon registration. We use the DoubleOptIn procedure during registration to ensure your consent. The sending of the newsletter to employees at Freudenberg is based on the legal basis para. 1 p. 1 lit. f DS-GVO, the legitimate interest in employee information. 

(2) Through your registration, your data (e-mail address) will be transmitted to our service provider SendInBlue GmbH, Köpenicker Straße 126, 10179 Berlin, Germany. We have concluded an order processing agreement with SendInBlue GmbH, which guarantees the protection of your data.

(3) You can obtain information on data protection from SendInBlue GmbH at  https://de.sendinblue.com/legal/privacypolicy.