This privacy policy describes the fair information practices that govern the collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of personal information on the Hancock-Wood website.

Collection Practices
Like most other websites, Hancock-Wood maintains web logs that automatically record basic information about visitors. This information consists of:

  • Internet domain from which visitors access our website (e.g., aol.com, yourschool.edu, yourcompany.com).
  • IP address. An IP address is automatically assigned to your computer when you surf the web. In some cases, these addresses may be individually identifiable. However, even when an IP address is identifiable, it usually takes additional effort to link a particular IP address to a specific individual. For many users, an IP address cannot be linked to a specific individual.
  • Type of browser and operating system used to access our website.
  • Date and time of access.
  • Pages visited.
  • Address of the website (if any) from which you linked to Hancock-Wood. Hancock-Wood normally only uses web log information in aggregate form to enable us to make the Hancock-Wood website more useful. Hancock-Wood likes to know which features are popular and how visitors locate the site. Web logs may be used to identify visitors who seek to damage the website, use the website in unauthorized ways, or interfere with operations. Information about users who try to engage in any unapproved activities may be shared with law enforcement agencies. Hancock-Wood does not collect any personal information about a routine visitor unless the visitor provides it to Hancock-Wood.

E-mail and Web Forms
If you use the Hancock-Wood website to send Hancock-Wood e-mail, register for a conference or meeting, ask for information, subscribe to a publication or listserv, or if you provide personal information through Hancock-Wood’s website in any other way, Hancock-Wood collects and may maintain the information that you provide. Your information may be shared among Hancock-Wood staff and support services as necessary to respond to your request. Once information reaches the correct office, it will be used in the same manner as comparable information collected in other ways.

Security and Data Quality

  • Hancock-Wood maintains its website and its information with technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect against loss, unauthorized access, destruction, misuse, modification, and improper disclosure. Hancock-Wood is committed to maintaining accurate, timely, relevant, and appropriate information about our users. No computer system can ever be fully protected against every possible hazard. Hancock-Wood provides reasonable and appropriate security to protect against foreseeable hazards.
  • Hancock-Wood requires that employees who have access to personally identifiable information from the website acknowledge in writing that they have read this privacy policy and that they are expected to follow it. Any employee who fails to comply with these rules may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
  • Routine e-mail sent to Hancock-Wood through this website or otherwise is not necessarily secure against interception. If your communication contains personal information that you consider sensitive, you may not want to use e-mail.

Cookies
On the Internet, a cookie is a piece of information that a website transfers to a user's computer for record-keeping purposes. The Hancock-Wood website only uses cookies when a member accesses the cooperatives-only part of the website. The cookie is only active during the session and expires when the user closes the browser.

Uses and Disclosures

  • Hancock-Wood uses its website to provide services and information to its cooperative members, their employees, and members of the public.
  • General Personal information collected through the Hancock-Wood website may be used from time to time by outside auditors, consultants, and others hired by Hancock-Wood to assist in carrying out financial, management, or other activities. Hancock-Wood generally directs recipients to agree to safeguard personal information, to use it only as authorized by Hancock-Wood, and to return it or destroy it when no longer required.
  • Legal Process Hancock-Wood could be required to disclose personal information in response to valid legal process, such as a search warrant, subpoena, or court order. Any record keeper faces this possibility. Disclosures may also be appropriate to protect Hancock-Wood legal rights or during emergencies if physical safety is believed to be at risk. Hancock-Wood believes that these events are unlikely, but they are possible. Hancock-Wood will take reasonable steps to limit the scope and consequences of any of these disclosures.
  • Publications Lists Hancock-Wood does not sell, rent, or otherwise share lists of subscribers to Hancock-Wood publications or listservs.
  • Conferences/Meetings Hancock-Wood may provide online registration for Hancock-Wood meetings or conferences. If you register for a conference online, your registration information will be used by Hancock-Wood employees and support organizations to facilitate your attendance at the conference. Registration information may be shared with other conference participants and may be used and redisclosed by them.
  • Chat Hancock-Wood may sponsor chat services for member cooperatives and their employees. Information shared though a chat service may be read by subscribers to the service and may be used or redisclosed by them. Hancock-Wood cannot control or limit the use or disclosure of any personal information shared through a chat service.

Questions, Access, and Disputes
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, you may send an e-mail to info@hwe.coop or send regular mail to: Marketing & Communications, Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1399 Business Park Drive South, PO Box 190, North Baltimore, Ohio 45872-0190.