When you participate in survey research conducted by our firm, you can be assured that the personal information you share with us stays with us.

• Your individual responses to surveys we conduct will be kept confidential and will never be linked to your personal identifying information.
• We will never try to sell you anything and we will never sell your name to anyone. That is not our business. We are not telemarketers or direct marketers. We are market researchers interested only in your opinions.
• Your decisions about participating in a study, responding to specific questions, or discontinuing participation will be respected without question.
• We will not make any of your personal information available to anyone without your permission, except in the rare instances required by law.

We have developed rigorous privacy standards that are set out in our Privacy Policy. Our policy is consistent with recent federal privacy legislation, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

CTI is a member of the Professional Marketing Research Society (PMRS), whose mission is to be the leader in promoting excellence in the practice of marketing and social research and in the value of market information. The PMRS also helps to set industry standards to which member companies must adhere, and which also protect your privacy. As a member, CTI agrees to abide by the principles outlined in its Code of Conduct . These principles are founded upon the history of practice of marketing research in Canada, the ICC/ESOMAR Code of Marketing and Social Research and the principles underlying the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

If you have any privacy questions or concerns, please contact us via our web form or by mail at 119 West Drive, Brampton, ON, L6T 2J6.


PRIVACY POLICY

Introduction
Contract Testing Inc. (“CTI”) is committed to keeping personal information accurate, confidential, secure and private. This Privacy Policy applies to CTI and its affiliate React Consumer Response. Based on the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), this policy describes how CTI adheres to the ten principles of privacy set out in the PIPEDA. A copy of the PIPEDA is available at the federal Privacy Commissioner’s Web site, www.privcom.gc.ca.

Definition Of Terms Used In This Privacy Policy
“ARCS System Database” means a panel of Canadian households recruited by CTI whose members have agreed to participate in telephone, mail or Internet Survey Research from time to time.

“Interviewer” means an employee of CTI who contacts a member of the public for the purpose of conducting Survey Research.

“Personal Information” means information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title or business address or office telephone number of an employee of an organization.

“Privacy Officer” means the person at CTI who is responsible for ensuring the protection of individuals’ personal information. The Privacy Officer may be contacted via the web or by mail at 119 West Drive, Brampton, ON, L6T 2J6.

“Respondent” means a member of the public who is contacted by an Interviewer for the purpose of conducting Survey Research.

“Survey Research” means telephone surveys, mail surveys, Internet surveys, door to door surveys, ad hoc panels, continuous panels, mall intercepts, business-to-business surveys, qualitative surveys, one-on-one executive interviews, media rating services, employee surveys, and all other types of survey research.
 
The Ten Principles Of Privacy
1. Accountability
An organization is responsible for personal information under its control and shall designate an individual or individuals who are accountable for the organization’s compliance with the following principles. CTI has designated the office of the Privacy Officer to be responsible for overall personal information protection, as well as CTI’s compliance with the PIPEDA. In addition, CTI’s client service personnel are able to respond to most inquiries about the protection of personal information.

2. Identifying Purposes
The purposes for which personal information is collected shall be identified by the organization at or before the time the information is collected. When CTI’s interviewers contact respondents by telephone or in-person, they identify themselves and state the purpose of their contact. They say that CTI is conducting survey research and would like the respondent or other household member to participate in a survey.
When CTI sends written invitations and/or questionnaires to respondents, the invitation/questionnaire clearly identifies us as CTI and explains the purpose of our contact, which is that CTI is conducting survey research and would like the respondent to participate in a survey.
In every case, CTI advises respondents that their responses are used strictly for research purposes.
CTI may provide information from any survey, in aggregate form, to clients who sponsor that survey or to other third parties, such as journalists. Since this information is in aggregate form, it is impossible for clients or other third parties to identify an individual’s specific personal information.

3. Consent 
The knowledge and consent of the individual are required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except when inappropriate. Participation in survey research is entirely voluntary. Consent is obtained when a respondent agrees to participate in survey research. When this happens, and the method of data collection is by telephone or in-person, a CTI interviewer then conducts an interview with the respondent. When the method of data collection is by mail, computer or via the Internet, the respondent completes a questionnaire himself/herself. Generally, personal information collected is not disclosed to other parties. In rare circumstances, however, a client conducting a survey research project may want to contact respondents directly. In these cases, CTI does not disclose a respondent’s personal information to another party unless it has first clearly explained to the respondent the purpose of such disclosure and has obtained the respondent’s express or written consent.
An individual may refuse to answer certain questions, discontinue participation in a study, or withdraw consent at any time. A member of CTI’s ARCS System Database may, at any time, rescind his/her membership.

4. Limiting Collection 
The collection of personal information shall be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by the organization. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means. CTI limits the amount and type of personal information it collects. We collect only the amount and type of information needed for the purposes identified to the individual.
CTI collects personal information about an individual primarily from that individual or a member of that individual’s household. Except as permitted by law, CTI will only collect personal information from external sources, such as client organizations, if individuals have consented to such collection.

5. Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention
Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required by the law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for fulfillment of those purposes. CTI uses or discloses personal information only for the reasons it was collected, unless an individual gives consent to use or disclose it for another reason. Under certain exceptional circumstances, CTI may have a legal duty or right to disclose personal information without the individual’s knowledge or consent. An example of such disclosure would include subpoenas and other court or government orders.
CTI keeps personal information only as long as necessary for the identified purposes. Personal information that is no longer needed for it’s identified purposes or for legal requirements is destroyed, erased or made anonymous.

6. Accuracy 
Personal information shall be as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used. CTI makes reasonable efforts to keep personal information in its possession or control, which is used on an ongoing basis, accurate, complete, current and relevant, based on the most recent information available to CTI.
CTI relies on individuals, such as panel members, to keep certain personal information relating to them accurate, complete and current.
CTI updates personal information only if it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

7. Safeguards
Personal information shall be protected by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. CTI safeguards personal information in its possession or control from loss or theft and from unauthorized access, disclosure, duplication, use or modification. The safeguards CTI employs vary depending on the sensitivity, amount, distribution, format and storage of the personal information. Some information is stored electronically. Recent paper records containing individuals’ personal information are stored onsite at CTI’s offices. Older records containing individuals’ personal information may be stored at an offsite storage facility. CTI gives the highest level of protection to the most sensitive personal information. CTI safeguards personal information in its possession or control through security measures, such as:

• Physical security ­ secure locks on filing cabinets and restricted access to offices
• Organizational security ­ controlled entry in offices and limited access to relevant information
• Electronic security ­ firewalls and passwords

CTI informs employees about its policies and procedures regarding confidentiality, security and privacy, and emphasizes the importance of complying with them.
CTI may transfer personal information to third parties for processing, such as payroll, data processing services, or for other goods and services. CTI requires these third parties to safeguard all personal information in a way that is consistent with CTI’s measures and/or as regulated by law.
CTI uses care when disposing of or destroying personal information in order to prevent unauthorized access to the information.

8. Openness 
An organization shall make readily available to individuals specific information about its policies and practices relating to the management of personal information. CTI is open about its procedures used to manage personal information. Individuals have access to information about these procedures through this Privacy Policy, by contacting client service personnel or by contacting the Privacy Officer.

9. Individual Access 
Upon request, an individual shall be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information and shall be given access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate. When an individual makes a written request to the Privacy Officer, CTI will advise the individual what personal information CTI has in its possession or control about the individual, what it is being used for, and to whom it has been disclosed.
When an individual requests it, CTI will give an individual access to personal information about them, which is in the possession or control of CTI. In certain situations, however, CTI may not be able to give individuals access to all of their personal information. This may occur when:

• Providing access to personal information would be likely to reveal personal information about a third party;
• Disclosing the information would reveal confidential commercial information;
• The information has been collected for the purposes of a legal investigation.

If CTI denies the individual’s request for access to personal information, CTI will advise the individual of the reason for the refusal. The individual may then challenge CTI’s decision.

10. Challenging Compliance 
Individuals may challenge CTI’s compliance with this Privacy Policy. Individuals are advised to direct their complaints and questions in writing to the Privacy Officer. CTI will investigate all complaints and attempt to resolve those that it finds are justified. If necessary, CTI will amend its policies and procedures to ensure that other individuals will not experience the same problem. If individuals are not satisfied with the way CTI responded to their complaint, they can contact the Federal Privacy Commissioner.