Scope Search Solutions Ltd – Privacy Notice

1. Introduction

Scope Search Solutions Ltd ("we", "us" or "Scope Search Solutions") are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

As a recruitment business, we rely upon having access to a database of qualified candidates and client contacts to provide our services. This Privacy Notice, together with our Terms of Business, sets out the basis on which we collect, store, and process personal data in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

You should read this Privacy Notice if you are a Candidate, Client Contact or Supplier Representative. If you are an employee, you should refer to our internal privacy notice instead.

For the purposes of data protection legislation, the data controller is Scope Search Solutions Ltd, registered at 4 Charlcombe Rise, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 8NB. Our nominated data protection contact is Tom Henley, Director (tom@scopesearchsolutions.com).

2. Who We Are & What We Do

We are a recruitment agency and recruitment business as defined in the Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. We collect and process the personal data of the following groups to allow us to operate:

• Prospective and placed candidates for permanent roles.
• Prospective and live client contacts.
• Supplier representatives.
• Employees and consultants (covered by a separate notice).

3. How We Obtain Personal Data

We may obtain personal data from a variety of sources, depending on whether you are a Candidate, Client Contact or Supplier Representative.

3.1 Candidates:
Directly from you if you have:
• Applied for a vacancy via us.
• Uploaded your CV to our website or provided it by email.
• Asked us to provide recruitment services.
• Engaged with us through networking or events.
Indirectly from:
• Online professional sites such as LinkedIn.
• Job boards.
• Referees providing information about you.
• Employer or industry websites.
• Publicly available business directories.

3.2 Client Contacts:
• Directly in the course of business relationships.
• Indirectly from professional networking sites, company websites, referrals.

3.3 Supplier Representatives:
• Directly during the provision of services.
• Indirectly from networking or business directories.

4. Types of Personal Data We Collect

4.1 Candidates:
• Contact details (name, title, email, phone, address).
• CVs, employment history, qualifications, references.
• Current or most recent role details (title, responsibilities, salary, notice period).
• Motivation and career aspirations.
• Information provided during interviews or assessments.
We do not routinely collect sensitive personal data (e.g., health, ethnicity, criminal records) unless explicitly required by a client and with your consent.

4.2 Client Contacts:
• Contact details (name, title, email, phone).
• Job title, position and requirements.
• Feedback provided in relation to candidates.

4.3 Supplier Representatives:
• Contact details (name, title, email, phone).
• Role within the supplier organisation.
• Information provided during the course of service delivery.

5. How We Use Personal Data

We may process personal data to:
• Assess suitability of candidates for roles.
• Contact candidates regarding opportunities.
• Introduce candidates to clients.
• Manage client relationships and requirements.
• Liaise with suppliers.
• Conduct business development and outreach.
• Maintain compliance with legal obligations.

6. Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on the following lawful bases:
• Contractual necessity – to deliver services to clients and candidates.
• Legitimate interest – to operate as a recruitment business, sourcing and introducing candidates.
• Consent – for marketing and for holding candidate data beyond 12 months.

7. AI & Automation

We use AI and automation tools to improve efficiency in our services:
• Automated outreach to identify and contact candidates.
All final decisions about candidate suitability are made by human consultants. We do not rely solely on automated decision-making.

8. Data Sharing

We may share data with:
• Clients – when presenting candidates for vacancies.
• Third-party service providers (CRM, ATS, cloud services, IT support).
• Regulatory or government authorities where legally required.
We never sell personal data.

9. Where We Process Data

Personal data is primarily stored and processed in the United Kingdom. Where international transfers occur (e.g., use of cloud platforms such as HubSpot, Manatal, MailerLite), we ensure safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses are in place.

10. Data Retention

Candidate CVs and qualifications are retained for up to 12 months unless we have explicit consent to hold them longer. Client and supplier data is held as required by law and business needs. Data may be anonymised for statistical purposes.

11. Data Security

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data, including:
• Restricted access controls.
• Password protection and encryption.
• Secure cloud storage.
We have procedures to deal with suspected data breaches and will notify affected parties and regulators where required.

12. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, individuals have rights to:
• Access the data we hold (Subject Access Request).
• Request correction or deletion.
• Restrict or object to processing.
• Withdraw consent for processing where consent is the lawful basis.
Requests can be made via tom@scopesearchsolutions.com.

13. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we process your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk

14. Updates

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The current version will always be available on our website. Where significant changes are made, we will notify individuals where appropriate.

15. Definitions

Candidate – a person registered with Scope Search Solutions as seeking or potentially seeking new employment or engagement.
Client – a business that has engaged Scope Search Solutions to provide services or has been identified as a potential business partner.
Client Contact – an individual employed or engaged by a Client and liaised with by Scope Search Solutions.
Supplier – a business providing services to Scope Search Solutions.
Supplier Representative – an individual employed or engaged by a Supplier.
Third-Party Services Provider – any external service provider (CRM, ATS, IT support, analytics, etc.) engaged to support our business operations.

16. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Notice, please contact:

Scope Search Solutions Ltd
4 Charlcombe Rise, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 8NB
Email: tom@scopesearchsolutions.com