This Policy explains how the Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management (“SIPMM”, “the Institute”) collects, uses, discloses and protects personal data, in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 of Singapore (“PDPA”). It applies to personal data collected through this website, the Institute’s application and registration forms, and in the course of the Institute’s educational and membership activities.
Personal data the Institute collects
- Identity and contact details — name, NRIC, FIN or passport number where justified (see the next section), date of birth, nationality, email address, telephone number and mailing address.
- Academic and professional information — qualifications, employment details, and documents you upload in support of an application, such as certificates and transcripts.
- Student and membership records — enrolment, attendance, assessment results, academic awards (including information arising from any investigation of academic misconduct), membership grade and professional designations.
- Payment information — payments made through this website are processed by Stripe, the Institute’s payment processor. The Institute receives confirmation of payment but does not store your full card number.
- Verification requests — where an employer or other party uses the Institute’s certificate or membership verification services, the certificate or membership particulars submitted for checking.
- Website usage data — information collected by cookies and similar technologies, described under “Cookies and analytics” below.
- Correspondence — enquiries and other communications you send to the Institute.
NRIC and identity documents
In line with the Personal Data Protection Commission’s advisory guidelines, the Institute collects NRIC, FIN or passport numbers, or copies of identity documents, only where this is required by law or is necessary to establish your identity to a high degree of fidelity — for example, to maintain accurate academic records, to award and verify qualifications and professional designations, and to administer membership. Identity documents are retained only for as long as the purpose requires.
How personal data is collected
The Institute collects personal data when you submit an application, registration, renewal or enquiry form; create or use a member login; register for or attend an Institute event; subscribe to Institute publications, including the Purchasing Managers’ Index bulletins; correspond with the Institute; and, automatically, when you browse this website.
Purposes
The Institute uses personal data to:
- process applications, registrations, renewals and enquiries;
- deliver courses and programmes, conduct assessment, and maintain academic records, including records arising from investigations of misconduct;
- award, maintain and verify qualifications, certificates and professional designations;
- administer individual and corporate membership;
- process payments and maintain proper accounts;
- deliver subscriptions, including the Purchasing Managers’ Index bulletins;
- send you information about courses, programmes, events and activities organised or supported by the Institute, where you have not opted out;
- plan, evaluate and improve the Institute’s courses and services, using aggregated or de-identified information wherever practicable;
- comply with legal and regulatory obligations; and
- purposes reasonably incidental to the above.
Photographs and recordings may be taken at Institute events, including graduation ceremonies, and may be used in Institute publications and on this website.
Disclosure of personal data
The Institute does not sell, trade or rent personal data. Personal data is disclosed only:
- to service providers acting for the Institute, to the extent needed to provide their services — including Stripe (payment processing), Cloudflare (website delivery, security and analytics), Google (website tag management and the reCAPTCHA anti-abuse service) and StatCounter (website analytics), together with the Institute’s IT and professional service providers;
- through verification services — where a party submits certificate or membership particulars for verification, the Institute confirms whether the record is authentic;
- where disclosure is required or authorised by law, or by a regulator or court.
Overseas transfer
Some of the service providers above process data outside Singapore. Where personal data is transferred overseas, the Institute takes steps to ensure it receives a standard of protection comparable to that under the PDPA, as required by section 26 of the Act.
Cookies and analytics
This website uses cookies and similar technologies for site functionality, security, and to understand how the website is used, through Google Tag Manager, StatCounter and Cloudflare Web Analytics. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; parts of the website, such as the member login, may not function correctly without them. Third-party sites linked from this website set their own cookies under their own policies.
Protection and retention
The Institute makes reasonable security arrangements to protect personal data in its possession against unauthorised access, collection, use, disclosure or similar risks. No transmission over the internet is completely secure, and you should take care when sending information online.
Personal data is retained only for as long as it is needed for the purposes above or to meet legal requirements, and is then destroyed or anonymised. Records of academic awards and professional designations are retained on a long-term basis so that qualifications can be verified throughout a holder’s career.
Your rights
You may request access to, or correction of, personal data the Institute holds about you, and you may withdraw consent to its collection, use or disclosure on reasonable notice. Withdrawing consent may affect the Institute’s ability to provide the relevant service — for example, to process an application or maintain a membership. Requests should be made to the Data Protection Officer using the contact details below; the Institute will respond as soon as reasonably practicable.
To stop receiving information about events and activities, use the unsubscribe option in any such email or contact the Data Protection Officer.
Data breaches
The Institute assesses data incidents in accordance with the PDPA and will notify the Personal Data Protection Commission and affected individuals where the Act requires it.
Minors
Where an applicant is a minor, the Institute may require the involvement of a parent or guardian in providing personal data and consent.
Changes to this Policy
The Institute may update this Policy from time to time. The current version, with its date, will always be published on this page.
Contacting the Data Protection Officer
Queries, requests and complaints about personal data should be addressed to:
The Data Protection Officer
Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management
9 Jurong Town Hall Road, #02-28 Trade Association Hub, Singapore 609431
Email: [email protected] · Telephone: +65 6817 1717