Website Privacy Statement
August, 2019 - Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation and its affiliated companies (“Cognizant” “we” or “us”) are firmly committed to protecting your privacy. You should understand what we do with personal information we collect when you visit this website (cognizant.com), our country-specific sites or any other websites to which this Cognizant Website Privacy Notice (“Privacy Notice”) applies (collectively, the “Sites”). As a global company, Cognizant has a number of legal entities in different jurisdictions which are responsible for the personal information which they collect independently and which may be processed on their behalf by Cognizant Technology US Corporation and its affiliates. The data controller for personal information collected from a visitor to the Sites is Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corporation, 211 Quality Circle, College Station, Texas, United States of America or the affiliate specified on the Site that references this Privacy Notice.
We may supplement this Privacy Notice to address specific situations. All supplemental notices should be read together with this Privacy Notice.
We may collect the following personal information relating to you:
You do not need to register to use the Sites. However, if you voluntarily register with a Site or submit your personal information to one or more of our Sites in order to receive information from us (e.g., copies of white papers, investor kits, alumni correspondence) or to attend conferences or web sessions organized by us, or if you contact us using the forms or contact details on one of our Sites, or if you log into certain Cognizant web-based applications, you may provide us your identity information and contact details (i.e., your first and last name, physical address, telephone number, e-mail address), professional details (professional title, seniority level, employer, department, your expertise, administrative assistant’s name or contact information), the name and contact details of your emergency contact (if you sign up to attend events conducted by our marketing teams), your marketing preferences, and other personal data that you may wish to share with us.
The Sites automatically collect certain technical information relating to the device you use to visit the Sites. Specifically, we use cookies, web beacons and similar technologies to help us understand your activity on the Sites. A “cookie” is a small piece of data that a website can send to your browser, which may then be stored on your device. Data that we collect automatically includes your internet protocol (“IP”) address, location, your device’s identification information, and the actions taken on any of our Sites (e.g., links that you click) as well as other sites that you may visit. For further information on the cookies and similar technologies we use on our Sites and why we use them, please review our Cookie Notice.
We sometimes collect anonymous information from visits to the Sites. Anonymous information (or click stream data) refers to information that does not and will not directly or indirectly reveal your identity, e.g., aggregated data relating to all of our website visitors. We may use this data to analyze trends and statistics and to help us provide you with a better experience using our Sites.
If you provide us with personal information of third parties (such as the details of your administrative assistant or your emergency contact), you agree to: (a) notify each individual before sharing their personal information with us, (b) explain that their personal information will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Notice, and (c) obtain their consent, where appropriate.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we use your personal information for various purposes, such as to:
- Provide you with the products, services and information that you have requested, including providing copies of white papers, investor kits, and where applicable, processing orders. Manage and maintain our relationship with you, including responding to an inquiry, question or comment made by you and providing you with other customer support.
- Allow you to participate in an event organized or promoted by us and/or our business partners. Communicate important notices to you, such as information about changes to this Privacy Notice, our Sites, and service updates. Carry out analytics and market research and internal reporting to enable us to plan, develop and improve our Sites, our products, services and marketing activities. (For example, we may use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, to administer the Sites, to refine the Sites based on which features people use most often, to help identify Site users (such as you) and gather general demographic information about Site users).
- Inform you of our new products, services and events that we think you will find valuable by sending promotional messages via email, SMS, phone, post and/or other similar communications means. (If you would prefer not to receive these communications, simply follow the unsubscribe instructions on the promotional communications that you receive or contact us as described below). Create a profile about you to help us personalize our communications to you, including to ensure that you receive relevant marketing communications based on your actions on a particular Site or your geographic location based on your IP address.
- Prevent and detect unlawful behavior, and protect or enforce our legal rights, for example defending us in case of legal disputes.
We will not sell your personal information to anyone outside the Cognizant group of companies. However, we may need to disclose your personal information to third parties in the following instances:
- Other Cognizant group companies: Cognizant is a global company and your personal information may be shared with or accessed by other companies within the Cognizant group who will use your personal information for the purposes and in a manner set out in this Privacy Notice.
- Service providers: We will disclose your personal information to companies that provide services to us, such as companies that assist us in operating our Sites and vendors that assist us with marketing campaigns. The service providers are required to keep your personal information confidential and are not permitted to use your personal information for any other purpose than to carry out the services they are performing for us.
- Third parties to meet applicable legal requirements: We may need to disclose your personal information to a third party if it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation or the decision of a judicial authority, a public authority or a government body, or if disclosure is necessary for national security, law enforcement or other public interest. Business partners: We will disclose your personal information to our business partners if it is necessary for providing products and services to you, such as for certain software and related services.
- Third parties in connection with a business sale: If we make a sale or transfer of assets, or are otherwise involved in a merger or business/asset transfer, we may transfer your personal information to one or more third parties as part of that transaction. Other third parties with your consent: We may also share your personal information with other third parties when you separately consent to such sharing.
Due to the global nature of Cognizant’s business, your personal information may be shared, disclosed and transferred between the various Cognizant group companies and other third parties (as described in the above section on To whom we give your personal information) where such transfers are required for legitimate business reasons. Such entities may be located outside your country of residence. The level of protection for personal information is not the same in all countries, however, we will take reasonable steps and implement measures as described in this Privacy Notice to keep your personal information secure.
Your personal information will be retained only for so long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice in accordance with applicable laws, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements.
Cognizant implements appropriate security measures designed to prevent unlawful or unauthorized processing of personal information and accidental loss of or damage to personal information. The data collected via our Sites is stored in a secure server with our ISP who will take periodic backups of such data.
If you would like to exercise your right to modify or remove your personal information from our database or request a copy of your personal information (to the extent these rights are provided by law), you can send us an e-mail at SAR@cognizant.com. For your protection, we may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. We will respond as soon as reasonably practical and within the time frame specified by applicable law. We reserve the right to deny your request based on applicable law and will inform you if we do so.
The Sites contain links to other websites, including sites controlled by third parties independent of us. Cognizant is not responsible for the privacy practices or the contents of such websites. We encourage you to read the privacy notices of such websites before providing any personal information to them. We do not take responsibility for the opinions of third parties expressed on or through our Sites.
Any questions, concerns or complaints about our processing operations and our commitment to this Privacy Notice should be addressed to Cognizant’s Data Protection Officer at DataProtectionOfficer@cognizant.com. In addition to contacting us, in certain countries you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you so choose.
You can also write to us at:
Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corporation
Attention: Data Protection Officer
211 Quality Circle, College Station Texas, 77854
United States of America
You may also write our Data Protection Officer using your local office address. A list of local offices can be found on the “Worldwide” tab accessible here.
We may change and update this Privacy Notice from time to time. Any changes to our Privacy Notice will be posted on this page.
Annex: Additional information for individuals based in the European Economic Area (“EEA Annex”)
This EEA Annex complements and supplements the main body of the Privacy Notice and covers the processing of personal information relating to individuals located in the European Economic Area (“EEA”). In case of any conflicts between the main body of the Privacy Notice and the EEA Annex, the EEA Annex will have precedence.
The main purpose of the EEA Annex is to provide information about our data processing activities in compliance with Regulation 2016/679, also known as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).
We will notify you of any material changes or additions to this Privacy Notice and will provide you with a copy of any amended Privacy Notice(s) by use of your e-mail address provided to us, or by any other suitable means.
If you have any questions relating to this EEA Annex or our processing of your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Officer at: dataprotectionofficer@cognizant.com.
About EEA Annex
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we use your personal information for the purposes identified in the main body of the Privacy Notice based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: We may process your personal information if you consent to such processing, e.g. for receiving promotional messages via phone or electronic communications means from us. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any prior processing based on your consent. Please note that even after withdrawal of your consent we may be entitled to continue processing your personal information if other legal grounds apply. To withdraw your consent, you can use the unsubscribe instructions in the promotional communications you receive.
- Contractual necessity: Where it is necessary to enter into a contract with you for the provision of our products or services or to perform our obligations under that contract. If you do not provide us with your personal information for processing as described below, we may not be able to provide the service, product or information requested.
- Our legitimate interests: We may process your personal information where it is necessary for our legitimate interests as a company, including to manage, promote and improve our business and manage our risk.
| Purposes and Legitimate Interests | Legal Grounds |
|---|---|
| Provide requested products, services and information, e.g., copies of white papers, investor kits, and process orders. | Contractual necessity |
| Provide customer support, e.g., respond to inquiries, questions or comments. | Contractual necessity Legitimate interests |
| Organize and allow participation in an event. | Contractual necessity Legitimate interests |
| Communicate important notices, such as information about changes to this Privacy Notice, our Sites and service updates. | Contractual necessity Legitimate interests |
| Carry out analytics, market research and internal reporting to plan, develop and improve our Sites, products, services and marketing activities. |
Legitimate interests Consent |
| Create user profiles to personalize our products, services, and marketing communications. | Legitimate interests Consent |
| Send promotional messages via email, SMS, phone, post and/or other similar communications means. | Consent or legitimate interests depending on the marketing activity and method Note: If you would prefer not to receive these communications, simply follow the unsubscribe instructions on the promotional communications that you receive to withdraw your consent or object to the processing. |
| Prevent and detect unlawful behavior, and protect or enforce our legal rights. | Contractual necessity Legitimate interests |
Your personal information may be collected, transferred to and stored by us in the United States and by our affiliates in other countries where we operate. Therefore, your personal information may be processed outside the European Economic Area (EEA), and in countries which are not subject to an adequacy decision by the European Commission and which may not provide for the same level of data protection as the EEA. In this event, we will ensure that the recipient of your personal information offers an adequate level of protection, for instance by entering into standard contractual clauses for the transfer of data as approved by the European Commission.
You have the following rights with respect to your personal information that we process, subject to conditions and restrictions set out in the applicable laws:
- To learn whether your personal information is processed by us and to request a copy of your personal information and information relating to the processing of your personal information.
- To request the correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- To request the erasure of your personal information or the restriction of the processing of your personal information. To object to our processing of your personal information. To withdraw consent you have given.
- To demand data portability under certain circumstances. To lodge a complaint with the applicable data protection supervisory authority.
To exercise your rights to the extent allowed under applicable law, please email SAR@cognizant.com.
Your personal information will be retained only for so long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice in accordance with applicable laws, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements.
Supplemental Notices
The Cognizant Privacy Notice applies to the collection and use of personal information relating to clients, vendors, business partners, visitors, marketing contacts and other external individuals with whom we interact, primarily in an offline context.
The Candidate Privacy Notice applies to the collection and use of personal information relating to candidates who seek employment with us.