Privacy policy

3i respects the privacy of every individual whose personal information it handles. This Privacy Policy explains how 3i collects, stores and uses personal information.

Where used in this Policy, "3i" means 3i Group plc or any of its subsidiaries. For the purposes of applicable legislation, including the UK and EU General Data Protection Regulations and the UK Data Protection Act 2018, each as amended or supplemented from time to time (the “Data Protection Laws”), the 3i company that you have dealings with is the controller of your personal information.

Personal information of business contacts

If you have had contact with 3i, for example through emailing us or meeting a 3i representative, we may store limited amounts of personal information relating to you, such as your name, job title, employer organisation, contact details and any meeting notes. We will collect and store this personal information for the purposes of:

  • maintaining a record of contacts;
  • providing periodic business updates as described below; and
  • inviting you to presentations and events and organising meetings between you and 3i’s representatives.

The personal information we hold about business contacts may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as providers of cloud hosting solutions; and
  • professional advisors, such as accountants, lawyers or other consultants; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for collecting and storing personal information about you is that such processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in running and promoting our business.

Personal information of suppliers, contractors, and professional advisors 

If you are a supplier to 3i, or one of its contractors or professional advisors, we will store limited amounts of personal information relating to you, including your name, job title, qualifications, employer organisation, contact details and any meeting notes. We will store this personal information for the purposes of administering and maintaining records of services or advice we have received, and commissioning further services.

The personal information we hold about suppliers and professional advisors may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as providers of cloud hosting solutions;
  • professional advisors, such as accountants, lawyers or other consultants; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for storing personal information that you provide to us is that such storage is necessary for our legitimate interests in running and promoting our business.

Personal information of actual or potential investors

If you are an investor in, or beneficial owner of, a fund or other vehicle managed by a 3i company, we may store personal information relating to you. This might include your contact and identity information, details of your employment history and professional activities, information relating to your financial status and dealings, nationality information (including copies of identity documents, such as a passport), references provided by third parties, and results of other due diligence carried out. We collect and store this information for the purposes of:

  • maintaining records of investors;
  • administering any fund or other vehicle we establish for investment purposes;
  • assessing your suitability for investing in a fund or other vehicle, including by verifying your identity;
  • complying with our regulatory and legal obligations, including assessing and managing risk;
  • safeguarding our legal rights and interests;
  • seeking and receiving advice from our professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers and other consultants.

The personal information we hold about actual or potential investors (and their beneficial owners) may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as providers of cloud hosting solutions and third party outsourced services providers;
  • credit reference agencies;
  • financial intermediaries;
  • professional advisors, such as accountants, lawyers or other consultants;
  • other persons who have an interest or involvement in, or who are considering an interest or involvement in, a 3i transaction, including co-investors, other providers of finance and investors in 3i’s funds; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for collecting and storing personal information about you is that such processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in running our business, in particular by establishing and administering investment structures. If we establish a fund or other vehicle that you invest it, it will also be necessary for us to process your personal information for the purpose of performing the relevant contract and to comply with our regulatory and legal obligations.

This section applies equally to key contacts of a corporate investor.

Personal information of actual or potential management teams

If you are involved in a transaction that 3i and/or the funds that it manages or advises enters into, or a potential transaction that 3i considers, we may store personal information relating to you. This might include your CV, details of your previous employment history and professional activities, information relating to your financial status and dealings, nationality information (including copies of identity documents, such as a passport), references provided by third parties, and results of other due diligence carried out. We collect and store this information for the purposes of:

  • assessing potential transactions;
  • maintaining records of investments;
  • administering any transaction that we enter into;
  • assessing your suitability for involvement in a transaction, including by verifying your identity;
  • complying with our regulatory and legal obligations, including assessing and managing risk;
  • safeguarding our legal rights and interests;
  • seeking and receiving advice from our professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers and other consultants; and
  • providing periodic business updates, as described below.

The personal information we hold about actual or potential management teams may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as providers of cloud hosting solutions and third party outsourced services providers;
  • credit reference agencies;
  • financial intermediaries;
  • professional advisors, such as accountants, lawyers or other consultants;
  • other persons who have an interest or involvement in, or who are considering an interest or involvement in, a 3i transaction, including co-investors, other providers of finance and investors in 3i’s funds; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for collecting and storing personal information about you is that such processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in running our business, in particular by considering potential investments, and administering transactions that we enter into. If we enter into a transaction that you are involved in, it will also be necessary for us to process your personal information for the purpose of performing that contract and to comply with our regulatory and legal obligations.

Personal information in relation to shareholders

The personal details of all our shareholders who hold shares directly, or details of the nominee accounts in which some retail and institutional shareholders hold their shares, are held and maintained by 3i Group plc’s registrar, Equiniti Limited. Shareholder information is collected and maintained on our behalf for the purposes of:

  • complying with our regulatory and legal obligations;
  • communicating with shareholders (including the mailing, in physical or electronic format, of Annual Reports, AGM or EGM notices or proxy cards, or communications in relation to other corporate actions); and
  • facilitating the payment of dividends.

The personal information we hold about shareholders may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as our shareholder registrar, Equiniti Limited, and providers of cloud hosting solutions;
  • professional advisors, such as accountants, lawyers, proxy advisers or other consultants; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for collecting and storing personal information about you is that such processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in running and operating our business and ensuring effective communications with shareholders.

Personal information of subscribers for 3i Group plc key announcements

For individuals who sign up on our website and request to receive 3i key financial and corporate announcements by email, we will retain your email address. We will use it only to send you alerts about publications of the kind you have requested. You can unsubscribe from receiving these at any time by following the link in each email.

These email addresses may be shared with:

  • companies who process personal information on 3i’s behalf, such as providers of cloud hosting solutions; and
  • other companies in the 3i group.

In accordance with the Data Protection Laws, our legal basis for collecting and storing personal information is that you have consented to our processing of your personal data for these purposes.

Mandatory provision of information

We will explain to you when the provision of particular information is mandatory, including the possible consequences of not providing particular information, for example, preventing us from proceeding with a transaction involving you. 3i will only process the personal information you provide to 3i for the purposes listed above or other specific purposes expressly disclosed to you.

Sensitive or special category personal data

Different rules apply to data concerning race, ethnic origin, political opinions or beliefs, religious or other similar beliefs, trade union membership, physical or mental health, sexual life and any offences committed and sentences or court proceedings relating to actual or potential offences – these are all called sensitive or special category personal data. Please do not send us sensitive personal data as generally we do not need it.

International transfers of personal information

3i has operations throughout the world. As such, the personal information that we hold may be transferred to, and stored at, a country outside of your country of residence, including countries outside of the EEA, such as the U.S. and India. Where we transfer personal information to 3i group companies or other third parties outside of the EEA, we will ensure that those transfers take place in accordance with the Data Protection Laws, including by entering into data transfer agreements with recipients. If you would like more information about how your personal information may be transferred, please contact us using the information below.

Cookies

For details of what cookies are, which ones 3i uses and why, see our Cookies page.

Periodic business updates

We may use personal information that we hold to send you periodic updates about 3i’s business, activities and opportunities, in particular, by email and post. You can opt out of receiving updates at any time by contacting us (see “3i Data Privacy Contacts” below), or by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any email that you receive.

Retention of personal information

3i will only retain your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or reporting requirements. We may retain your personal data for a longer period in the event of a complaint or if we reasonably believe there is a prospect of litigation in relation to our relationship with you.

To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or other requirements. For example, if you provide us with your information in connection with a potential management position with one of our portfolio companies, we may keep your information for up to fifteen (15) years from the date of last contact with you.

Your rights

Individuals whose personal information we hold may be entitled to access their personal information, or to request that it is erased, that its processing is restricted, or that any inaccurate personal information is rectified. You may also have the right to object to the processing of your personal information, or in some circumstances to obtain a copy of the personal information in machine readable format. Any such request should be submitted in writing to the Director, Group Compliance (privacy@3i.com). Individuals also have the right to complain about the use of their personal information to the relevant supervisory authority, which in the UK is the Information Commissioner’s Office (www.ico.org.uk).

Accuracy and security

3i will take all reasonable steps to keep your personal information accurate and, where necessary, up to date. 3i will do this based on information provided by you to 3i and/or based on publicly available sources. If you believe that any of the information that 3i holds about you is incorrect, please notify 3i (see "3i Data Privacy Contacts" below).

3i will take all reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and security of your personal information but cannot guarantee the security of any data you disclose online. You accept the inherent security risks of providing information online over the Internet and will not hold 3i responsible for any breach of security unless this is due to 3i's negligence or wilful default.

3i's websites may contain hypertext links to external websites. 3i is not responsible for and accepts no liability in relation to these websites or their contents. You should read any applicable privacy policy on any such website.

3i Data Privacy Contacts

For all data protection enquiries, please email privacy@3i.com.

Changes to 3i's Privacy Policy

Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be posted here, so please check 3i's Privacy Policy on a regular basis when you visit any 3i website.

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