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Gransolar

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use and protect your personal information, in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

Solar O&M respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what we collect, why we collect it, and what you can ask us to do about it.

Who we are

Solar O&M provides operations and maintenance services for utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants in South Africa. We operate through a number of Special Purpose Vehicle companies and form part of the Gransolar Group. Under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), we are the responsible party for the personal information described here.

Information we collect

We collect personal information that you provide to us, together with limited technical information collected automatically when you browse the site. We do not buy personal information from third parties.

  • When you contact us: your name, email address, telephone number, company name and whatever you tell us in your message.
  • When you apply for a role or the HELP programme: your CV, qualifications, employment history, institution and field of study.
  • If you are a client or supplier: business contact details, contractual correspondence and billing information.
  • If you visit one of our plants: identification details, vehicle registration and site induction records, which safety rules require us to keep.
  • Automatically, through cookies:  your IP address, browser type, device and the pages you visit. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through this website.

How we use your information

We process your personal information only for purposes directly related to your engagement with us.

  • To respond to your enquiry and provide the information, quote or plant assessment you requested.
  • To assess and process career or internship applications, including through our HELP programme.
  • To manage our commercial relationship with clients, asset owners and suppliers.
  • To improve the performance, security and usability of this website.
  • To comply with our legal, regulatory and contractual obligations.

Our lawful basis for processing 

We process personal information where permitted by POPIA, including where you have consented to the processing, where it is necessary to provide a service or perform a contract, where we are required to do so by law, or where another lawful basis under POPIA applies.

When we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only where necessary, and only with parties who are required to protect it.

  • Within the Gransolar Group, where a group company supports the service you have engaged us for.
  • With service providers who host our website, manage our email systems or provide recruitment support, acting as operators on our instruction.
  • With professional advisors, auditors or insurers where required.
  • With regulators, courts or law enforcement where we are legally obliged to disclose information.

Information sent outside of South Africa 

As part of an international group, some of our systems and service providers are located outside South Africa. Where we transfer personal information outside South Africa, we do so in accordance with POPIA and take appropriate steps to ensure that your information remains protected.

How long we keep it 

We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected for, or for as long as the law requires us to retain it. Contact enquiries are typically retained for up to two years. Unsuccessful job and internship applications are retained for up to twelve months so that we can consider you for future opportunities, unless you ask us to remove them sooner. Records relating to contracts and commercial relationships are retained for the periods prescribed by South African law.

How we protect it 

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to keep personal information safe from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. These include:
  • Access controls and encryption in transit
  • Secure hosting
  • Confidentiality obligations for our staff
  • Security practices aligned with our ISO 27001 certified management system
  • No online system can be guaranteed completely secure. If we experience a security compromise that requires notification under POPIA, we will notify affected data subjects and the Information Regulator as required by law.

Cookies

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to keep the site working correctly and to understand how visitors use it. Essential cookies are necessary for the site to function. Analytics cookies help us see which pages are useful, and are only set with your consent.


You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect how parts of the site work.

Your rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to be told what personal information we hold about you, to request access to it, and to ask us to correct or delete information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date or unlawfully obtained. You may also object to processing in certain circumstances and lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.


To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

Changes to this policy 

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, our services or the law. The current version will always be published on this page.

Questions about your information? 

If you would like to access, correct or delete your personal information, object to how we use it, or lodge a complaint, please contact our Information Officer. We will respond within a reasonable period.