The Abbeyfield Society (trading as Abbeyfield Living Society) is the data controller for the information you provide during the process unless otherwise stated. If you have any queries about the process or how we handle your information please contact us at post@abbeyfield.com
What will we do with the information you provide to us?
All of the information you provide during the process will only be used for the purpose of progressing your application, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary.
We will not share any of the information you provide during the recruitment process with any third parties for marketing purposes or store any of your information outside of the European Economic Area. The information you provide will be held securely by us and/or our data processors whether the information is in electronic or physical format. We will use the contact details you provide to us to contact you to progress your application.
We will use the other information you provide to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.
What information do we ask for, and why?
We do not collect more information than we need to fulfill our stated purposes and will not retain it for longer than is necessary.
The information we ask for is used to assess your suitability for employment. You don’t have to provide what we ask for but it might affect your application if you don’t.
Application stage
If you use our online application system, this information will be collected via the system.
We ask you for your personal details including name and contact details. We will also ask you about your previous experience, education, referees and for answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for. Those directly involved in the recruitment process will have access to all of this information.
You will also be asked to provide equal opportunities information. This is not mandatory information – if you don’t provide it, it will not affect your application. This information will not be made available to any staff outside of our recruitment team, including hiring managers, in a way which can identify you. Any information you do provide, will be used only to produce and monitor equal opportunities statistics.
Shortlisting
Our hiring managers shortlist applications for interview. They will not be provided with your equal opportunities information, if you have provided it.
Assessments
We might ask you to participate in assessment days; complete tests or occupational personality profile questionnaires; and/or to attend an interview – or a combination of these. Information will be generated by you and by us. For example, you might complete a written test or we might take interview notes. This information is held by The Abbeyfield Society (trading as Abbeyfield Living Society).
If you attend an assessment day (or similar) on-site at an Abbeyfield property, you will be subject to the Privacy Notice for Visitors.
If you are unsuccessful following assessment for the position you have applied for, we may ask if you would like your details to be retained in our talent pool for a period of six months. If you say yes, we would proactively contact you should any further suitable vacancies arise.
Conditional offer
If we make a conditional offer of employment we will ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. You must successfully complete pre-employment checks to progress to a final offer. We are required to confirm the identity of our staff, their right to work in the United Kingdom and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity and reliability.
You will therefore be required to provide:
- Proof of your identity – you will be asked to attend our office before your employment start date with original documents, we will take copies.
- Proof of your qualifications – you will be asked to attend our office with original documents, we will take copies.
- You will be asked to complete a criminal records declaration to declare any unspent convictions.
- If the role requires, we will provide your details to our provider, who will contact you to complete an application for a Criminal Record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.
- We will contact your referees, using the details you provide in your application, directly to obtain references.
- We may also ask you to complete a questionnaire about your health. This is to establish your fitness to work. This is done through a data processor (please see below).
- Where appropriate, we may ask candidates for a copy of their driving licence and motor insurance covering business use, where they are claiming mileage or have a car allowance.
If we make a final offer, we will also ask you for the following:
- Bank details – to process salary payments
- Emergency contact and next of kin details – so we know who to contact in case you have an emergency at work.
Use of data processors
Data processors are third parties who provide elements of our recruitment service for us. We have contracts in place with our data processors. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.
Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 introduced new obligations in relation to slavery and human trafficking. The Society is fully supportive of the new legislation as it is in keeping with our ethos and principals. Whilst the Society has a low risk of being exposed to suppliers who utilise human trafficking or slavery, we are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking, where we can. We enforce controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Changes to our Privacy Notice
Our Privacy Notice is regularly kept up to date and this version was updated on 27 October 2022.