Policies

Smart Energy Council Policies

Your Personal Information

1. Our commitment to privacy

We respect each person’s right to privacy and aim to manage any personal information in a transparent and open manner in accordance with applicable laws on data privacy protection and data security, in particular, the Privacy Act (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. This Policy contains some important information about how we deal with personal information and will help you understand what data Smart Energy Council (SEC) may collect, how SEC uses and safeguards that data and with whom we may share it..

2. The personal information we collect

Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual, personal information held by the Smart Energy Council (SEC) may include:

your name, date of birth, current and previous addresses, telephone/mobile phone number, email address, job title, demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests and other details provided by you including a record of Council events attended.

This Personal Information is obtained in many ways including, correspondence, by telephone and facsimile, by email, via our website, from your website, from media and publications, from other publicly available sources, from cookies and from third parties. We don’t guarantee website links or policy of authorised third parties.


You can choose not to supply us with any part of this information although this may limit the level of service we can provide.


3. How we use your personal information

Your personal information may be used to:

  • verify your identity
  • assist you to subscribe to our products or services and to register for events
  • provide the information, products, services or marketing you require through a variety of media
  • administer and manage those services
  • determine the ways the products and services provided to you could be improved
  • inform you of upcoming events, seminars, functions and conferences
  • send you information and commercial offers relevant to the industry and practice of market research.


4. When we disclose your personal information

In order to deliver the products and services you require, SEC may disclose your personal information to organisations outside the Council, which carry out our:

  • printing and delivering activities
  • customer enquiries and database maintenance
  • mailing systems
  • billing and debt-recovery functions and listing on credit defaulter database, once people have moved into arrears
  • information technology services


Your personal information is disclosed to these organisations only in relation to the SEC providing our products, services and information to you. We may also disclose your personal information to:

  • your authorised representatives or your legal advisors (when requested by you to do so)
  • Our professional advisors, including our accountants, auditors and lawyers
  • Government and regulatory authorities and other organisations, as required or authorised by law

Use by Third Parties

  • On a case by case basis we provide mailing lists to third parties for their advertising purposes. Our partners include third party businesses we have entered into contracts with for marketing and client relationship purposes. If we do this we require these parties to protect your information in the same way we do.
  • The SEC may also disclose your information to its service providers and contractors from time to time to help us to provide and market our goods and services to you. Examples of such third party service providers and contractors include software contractors and email/SMS broadcast providers. We may also share your information with third parties who provide prizes for competitions or special offers in connection with our goods and services or advertise with us. If we do this we require these parties to protect your information in the same way we do.


5. Access to your personal information

You may request access to personal information (including your credit information) we hold about you by contacting the Privacy Officer at the address below. Where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will endeavour to provide you with a suitable range of choices as to how access is provided (eg, emailing or mailing it to you).

The Smart Energy Exchange will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.

If at any time you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request amendment of it and we will either amend the information or make a record of your comment, as we think appropriate.


6. Marketing

Where we have obtained your consent to do so, or in circumstances where you would reasonably expect that your personal information would be used or disclosed for this purpose, we may contact you from time to time with marketing material about our other products or services. At any time, you may opt out of receiving this material at any time by:

  1. Logging in to your Smart Energy Council user account and changing your subscription settings;
  2. contacting us on 1300 768 204; or
  3. by email to marketing@smartenergy.org.au.

Your consent to receiving this information will remain current until you advise us otherwise.


7. Questions and complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or believe that we have at any time failed to keep one of our commitments to you to handle your personal information in the manner required by the Privacy Act, then we ask that you contact us immediately using the following contact details:

SEC Privacy and Professional Standards Manager
e: info@smartenergy.org.au

PO box 231, Mawson, ACT, 2607, Australia


We will respond and advise whether we agree with your complaint or not. If we do not agree, we will provide reasons. If we do agree, we will advise what (if any) action we consider it appropriate to take in response. If you are still not satisfied after having contacted us and given us a reasonable time to respond, then we suggest that you contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by:

  • Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call cost, but calls from mobile and pay phones may incur higher charges).
  • If calling from overseas (including Norfolk Island): +61 2 9284 9749
  • TTY: 1800 620 241 (this number is dedicated to the hearing impaired only, no voice calls)
  • TIS: Translating and Interpreting Service: 131 450 (If you don’t speak English or English is your second language and you need assistance and ask for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner)
  • Post: GPO Box 2999 Canberra ACT 2601
  • Fax: +61 2 9284 9666
  • Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au


8. SEC website

When visiting the SEC’s website, the site server makes a record of the visit and logs the following information for statistical and administrative purposes:

  • the user’s server address – to consider the users who use the site regularly and tailor the site to their interests and requirements;
  • the date and time of the visit to the site – this is important for identifying the website’s busy times and ensuring maintenance on the site is conducted outside these periods;
  • pages accessed and documents downloaded – this indicates to the Council which pages or documents are most important to users and also helps identify important information that may be difficult to find;
  • duration of the visit – this indicates to us how interesting and informative the Council’s site is to candidates; the type of browser used – this is important for browser specific coding.

In order to optimize the Council website and better understand it’s usage, we collect the visiting domain name or IP address, Computer Operating System, Browser Type and Screen Resolution.

A cookie is a piece of information that an Internet website sends to your browser when you access information at that site. Cookies are either stored in memory (session cookies) or placed on your hard disk (persistent cookies). The Council Web site does not use persistent cookies. Upon closing your browser the session cookie set by this website is destroyed and no Personal Information is maintained which might identify you should you visit our website at a later date.


9. Retention and destruction of personal information

The Council will destroy or de-identify your Personal Information as soon as practicable once it is longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected. However, we may be required by law to retain your Personal Information after your relationship with us has expired. In this case, your Personal Information will continue to be protected in accordance with this Policy. If we destroy Personal Information we will do so by taking reasonable steps and using up-to-date techniques and processes.


10. Security of information

Council will take reasonable steps to protect your personally identifiable information as you transmit your information from your computer to our website and to protect such information from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

However, you should keep in mind that the transmission of information over the Internet is not completely secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this website may not be secure, and therefore you should take special care in deciding what information you send to us via e-mail.


11. Miscellaneous

In this policy “personal information” has the same meaning as under the Privacy Act.

This policy is effective from 8 July 2021. We may change this policy from time to time without prior notice. Although we intend to observe this Privacy Policy at all times, it is not legally binding on the Council in any way. From time to time we may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy the Council may do so, subject only to any other applicable contractual rights you have and any statutory rights you have under the Privacy Act or other applicable legislation.

This Policy relates to all Smart Energy Council (SEC) events, workshops, roadshows, courses or other paid programs organised by SEC. The Policy will refer to the above as ‘events’ for simplicity. All Event sponsors, partners and exhibitors please see event specific Policies. For all attendees of SEC events please see below for the refund, cancellation and general event policies.

General Cancellation policy

A full refund for cancellations up to 21 days before the scheduled event.

For cancellations up to 7 days prior you will receive a refund subject to a 20% administration fee.

All cancellations past this time will receive no compensation or refund. However, transfers or substitutions are available, please see below for more details.

All cancellations or Transfers must be requested with written notice.

If the event is cancelled by the Smart Energy Council for any reason, you will be refunded your original payment in full.

Smart Energy Council is not liable for any travel, accommodation or other costs that you may have incurred in relation to the cancelled course or workshop. .


Event changes due to COVID-19

If due to an outbreak of COVID-19 restricting travel to, or circulation within the city where the event is being held:
– An event is cancelled, registration will be fully refunded.
– An event is postponed, registrants will be notified immediately and offered equivalent registration for the new date. If the new date is unsuitable, the registration will be fully refunded.
– Move to a virtual event, all delegates will be transferred to the virtual event and all registration will be fully refunded.


Unable to attend

– Delegates who are unable to attend the event due to their location in a declared COVID-19 hot spot will be fully refunded.
– Where it is an organisation’s policy to not allow their employees to attend due to COVID concerns, registration will be fully refunded.
– No refund will be applicable to no shows.


Event attendance guidelines

If you have been in direct or indirect contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days, or if you are experiencing COVID-like symptoms please do not attend the event. Registration will be fully refunded.


Transfer and Substitutions

Transfers or substitutions to other persons will be accepted at any time but must be notified in writing. If a non-member replaces a member, an additional fee will be charged to reflect the current non-member rate to attend.


Inclusions

The registration fee includes all sessions, presentations and where advertised meals and refreshments. The cost of transport, parking and accommodation must be met by the delegate.


Access to Presentations and CPD certificate

To get access to the Presentations and receive CPD certificate post-event (you can access in ‘My Portal’), please ensure that you register for the event in your name.


Photography and Videography

While attending an event you may be photographed or videoed at the event, these photographs and video recordings may be used for promotional purposes.


Privacy Policy

Your name and company name (no contact details) may be provided to the Event Partners in an attendee list for their records.

In registering for Smart Energy Council events, relevant details will be incorporated into the Smart Energy Council database. These details will be used for the purpose of providing information on upcoming events and industry news. You can update your communication preferences or unsubscribe by logging in to your user account or use the links in the footer of a communication.

Some of the information you provide us about yourself may be subject to our privacy policy. For more information please see our Privacy Policy.


Miscellaneous

This policy is effective from 8 July 2021. We may change this policy from time to time without prior notice. Although we intend to observe this Terms of Use Policy at all times, it is not legally binding on the SEC in any way. From time to time we may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy the Council may do so, subject only to any other applicable contractual rights you have and any statutory rights you have under applicable legislation. You agree that these terms of conditions of use are governed by the laws in your State or Country.

The Smart Energy Council is a respected professional and independent not for profit organisation covering the full scope of the smart energy industries.

So it is understandable that other organisations in the energy community may wish to tap into the credibility, goodwill, facilities and capabilities of the Smart Energy Council to their activities.

The Smart Energy Council receive a large volume of requests for support for Press/Media Releases, articles, Events and Social Media every month.

Only press releases that meet our editorial standards will be published on any of our platforms – be it website, e-newsletters, electronic direct mail, our Smart Energy Magazine or our social media channels. While we cannot guarantee to publish every press release, here are some guidelines that will increase your chances of approval.

Content Guide

Smart Energy Council readers are considered our FIRST priority and we aim to support our members and other partners, while always maintaining our independence. As a guide, we publish articles that offer practical, informative and highly valuable information to keep our readers engaged and abreast of developments in the smart energy industry.

As a guide, we publish articles that offer practical, informative and highly valuable information to keep our readers engaged and abreast of developments in the smart energy industry.

Editorial Standards and Press Releases

A good press release is a concise, well-written description of an upcoming event, a timely report of an event that has just occurred; an interesting, significant announcement regarding your organisation or any news item that is of relevance to our community.

The content should be timely, relevant, compelling and newsworthy.

How is it written?

  • Keep releases short. An ideal length is between 400 to 600 words.
  • The headline / title should be no more than 70 characters. It should be short, punchy and written with keywords.
  • Words in the headline should not be capitalised apart from the first word and any names, brands or other proper nouns.
  • Have a clear news angle that is expressed simply and concisely.
  • Make sure the release is properly formatted in a tidy, presentable manner.
  • Write clearly, addressing who, what, where, why and when in the first two paragraphs.
  • The release MUST:
    • be clearly marked as a Media Release;
    • identify the organization or individual sending the release and include the name and contact number;
    • include the city of release;
    • include the date of release/publication; and
    • indicate whether the material is for immediate use or embargoed.
  • If supplying supporting image and/or corporate logo, please supply as a 300ppi JPG, dimensions: 800px W x 450 px H

Mistakes to avoid

  • Writing in technical language, superlatives or jargon.
  • Incomplete or insufficient information provided. Releases must be complete, correct and specific.
  • Convoluted prose. If our team has to spend time editing your press release, it is unlikely to get published.
  • Incorporating more than one image.
  • Always proof read your draft before you send your release – any mistakes reflect badly on your organization.

Keywords

When you submit your release on the site, you can suggest some keywords as tags at the top of your release. These keywords are picked up by our team and attached to your posts and are highly useful for search engines. They might include your company name, the subject of the release, your industry or sector, or any other information relevant to your announcement.

Embedded links

You can also embed html links in the main body of your press release, for example to a video file or your web site.

Legal

It is your responsibility to ensure that all data used in your press release is accurate and up-to-date and that any professional claims can be substantiated.

Submit Your Content

Please email content to: marketing@smartenergy.org.au

The purpose of these Smart Energy Council – Principles for Members & suppliers (Principles) is to communicate the behaviour and standards that Smart Energy Council (SEC) expects of its Members & suppliers. The SEC is committed to working with its Members & suppliers to establish and maintain ethical, sustainable and socially responsible operations and supply chains in accordance with these principles.

Conduct of business

The SEC expects lawful and ethical behaviour from its Board & staff and seeks to engage with Members & suppliers that also operate in a lawful and ethical manner. In particular, the SEC expects that Members & suppliers will:

• conduct business in a manner that is fair, honest, respectful and compliant with all legal requirements of the jurisdictions in which they operate;
• operate transparently by maintaining and retaining appropriate records;
• not engage in any forms of corruption including bribery, fraud, extortion, money laundering and the gaining of improper advantage;
• comply with all applicable laws relating to sanctions, export or import and trade controls;
• maintain confidentiality and privacy of information, except where disclosure is authorised or required by law.

Labour and Workplaces

The SEC values the contributions made by its Board & staff, and seeks to ensure staff are treated with dignity and respect. The SEC expects the same standards of its Members & suppliers, including that they:

• provide a safe working environment;
• provide a workplace that is free from unlawful harassment, discrimination and bullying;
• not under any circumstances use child labour1 or any form of forced, bonded, indentured, involuntary or illegal labour;
• provide fair and appropriate pay, benefits and working conditions, including hours of work, consistent with the laws of the relevant jurisdiction; and
• respect the right for freedom of association and freedom of movement consistent with the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

Sustainability

The SEC is committed to operating sustainably and seeks out opportunities to improve environmental outcomes, including through the increased use of recycled materials and products, consistent with national standards. The SEC encourages its Members & suppliers to operate in a manner consistent with this approach including by:

• reducing the use of energy, water or other resources through efficiency measures;
• implementing renewable energy technologies such as solar, where possible;
• reducing waste, recycling and using recycled products;
• reducing carbon emissions which may include adopting low emissions technologies; and
• reducing the use of hazardous and toxic substances and ensuring their correct disposal.

Communication of these Principles

The SEC encourages its Members & suppliers to communicate these Principles (or an equivalent) to their related entities and employees as appropriate, and to implement and maintain processes that will encourage their direct and indirect suppliers and subcontractors to observe and exceed these Principles.

Reporting

The SEC expects that its Members & suppliers will monitor their compliance with these Principles and provide accessible mechanisms for reporting concerns, including in relation to any material failure to comply with these Principles, and clear and responsible processes for their resolution. The SEC expects its Members & suppliers will notify the SEC of any material failure to comply with these Principles.

The SEC reserves the right to review compliance with these Principles and expects that its Members & suppliers will co-operate and provide such information as the SEC may reasonably require to perform a review.

The SEC is committed to working with its Members & suppliers to help them to implement remediation plans designed to achieve alignment with these Principles. In the event that remedial action is not taken with respect to any material breach by a Member or supplier of these Principles within reasonable timeframes, the SEC reserves its rights to reconsider its business relationship with the Member or supplier.

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1 In accordance with the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 138 relating to the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment.

The Smart Energy Council joins other solar international stakeholders to condemn use of forced labour in all industries wherever such human rights abuses are found.

The Australian solar industry has been working with the Global Solar Council and other peak solar industry bodies to increase supply-chain transparency. Concerns have emerged in recent weeks around allegations of forced labour in the production of feed stock materials such as polysilicon, which is used in the manufacture of solar PV panels.

Solar energy companies and industry representative bodies have expressed their opposition to any human rights abuses taking place anywhere in the global solar energy supply chain.

The Smart Energy Council supports the work being done to develop an industry-led traceability protocol to help to ensure our supply chain is free of human rights abuses. Such a protocol would bring high levels of transparency and sustainability throughout the value chain.

International associations including the Global Solar Council, SolarPower Europe, Solar Energy UK, and the Solar Energy Industries Association in the U.S are cooperating on improving global supply chain transparency. The Smart Energy Council is a Member of the Global Solar Council.

John Grimes, Chief Executive, Smart Energy Council said:

“This is a matter that all solar energy industry members are treating with the utmost seriousness. We expect our industry to follow manufacturing practices which are in line with internationally recognised standards.

Making global supply chains transparent and sustainable is complex and challenging for all industries. We will continue to work with international trade bodies on an industry-led traceability protocol to ensure the global solar energy supply chain is free of human rights abuses.”

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