Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

 

 

This website (“Site”) is provided by Ceres, Inc. (“Ceres”). By accessing or displaying, downloading information or written materials (“Information”) provided through, or making purchases through, the Site (any and all of which constitute your “Use” or “Using” of the Site), you consent to all of the Terms and Conditions of Use of this Site and of this Privacy Policy. Your Use of the Site constitutes your agreement and consent to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, you must stop Using and exit the Site now.

 

Ceres understands the importance of protecting the privacy of information obtained from visitors to our Site. When you Use the Site or send e-mails to us, you are communicating with us electronically. Information obtained and gathered from visitors to the Site may be used for Ceres marketing purposes, including notification of promotions, news and events, offers, and outreach by local Ceres field offices.  You must notify Ceres in writing (at the contact address provided below) if you do not wish for your information to be used for Ceres marketing purposes.

 

 

What information does Ceres collect about visitors to the Site?

 

 

The Site collects two basic types of information: (1) general non-personal browsing information, which we use as aggregated general data base information, and (2) personal voluntary information that can identify you as a specific individual, such as your name, telephone number, or e-mail address, which is voluntarily provided by you. This information is collected in order to help us improve our Site, products and services to meet the needs and interests of our visitors and customers, including without limitation in the following ways:

  • General browsing information:  Anytime you visit the Site, certain non-personally identifiable information is gathered regarding the means you use to access the Site. This non-personally identifiable information includes the date and time of your visit, your referring address (the location from which you come to our Site), your type of Internet browser, and your IP address. We use this information to monitor usage of our Site, determine which areas of the Site are most frequently visited and to tailor the Site to the needs and interests of our Site visitors.
  • Personal information voluntarily provided:  We gather information you voluntarily provide to us, such as your first and last name, contact phone number(s), shipping address, e-mail address and credit card account information, when you request information about a product or service, use a Ceres forum or chat-room, make a purchase, sign up for the Ceres mailing list, voluntarily complete a survey or participate in any sweepstakes or contest.
  • Registration:  To take advantage of certain aspects of our services, such as subscription to the Ceres mailing list or to check current or past order status, you may wish to register on the Site. In the registration process, we request certain information, such as your contact information, the nature and location of your business and other demographic information, so we can provide you with the communications you request, customize your Site experience and customize our contacts with you.

 

 

How does Ceres use the information?

 

 

The information collected by Ceres helps us serve you better, particularly through providing you with valuable information relating to our research and product development. We may also use the information collected for the following purposes:

  • To better understand your needs and preferences, to improve upon the development, advertising, marketing, and/or delivery of our Site, Information, products and services.
  • To conduct surveys, research and evaluations.
  • To contact you, if needed, while processing an order for a product or service you requested through our Site.
  • To tailor your experience on the Site to your interests and geographic region.
  • Ceres may be required by law enforcement or judicial authorities to provide information on individual users to the appropriate governmental authorities.
  • In matters involving a danger to personal or public safety, Ceres may voluntarily provide information to appropriate governmental authorities.

 

Please note that while Ceres will use the e-mail address provided as part of a product purchase made through the Site to send an order confirmation, this e-mail order confirmation will not contain personally identifiable credit card information provided in connection with the order.

 

 

Security

 

 

Ceres will take reasonable and appropriate physical, technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration or destruction. Please be aware that Ceres cannot however guarantee the security of personal information on or transmitted via the Internet.

 

 

Does Ceres share the information it collects with third parties?

 

 

Our policy is not to give, sell or otherwise distribute the information collected through the Site to third parties outside of Ceres and its affiliated companies (unless required by law). However, in some cases, Ceres may use vendors to assist us in collecting, using or otherwise processing the information obtained through this Site. Our practice is to use vendors whose privacy policies, under which such activities are performed, are consistent with this Privacy Policy. Ceres endeavors to ensure that the personal information collected is relevant for the purposes it is intended, is accurate, complete, current and reliable for its intended purpose.

 

 

What happens when I leave your site to visit a linked site?

 

 

In addition to our vendor’s websites as noted above, as a convenience to our visitors, this Site may have links to other third party web sites (“Linked Websites”) that we believe may offer useful information. Such links do not constitute an endorsement by Ceres of those Linked Websites, and please be aware that the policies and procedures that we describe here in our Security Policy do not apply to those other third party Linked Websites. Ceres is not responsible or liable for the independent privacy policies of the Linked Websites. You should consult the privacy policies at the Linked Websites to determine how your information may be used by them.

 

 

Does Ceres use cookie technology?

 

 

Yes, Ceres uses “cookies” to track your preferences and activities on the Site. Cookies are small data files we transfer to your computer’s hard drive to enable us to provide you with a customized browsing experience. They keep a record of your preferences, making your subsequent visits to the Site more efficient. Cookies may store a variety of information, including, the number of times that you access the Site or the number of times that you view a particular page or other item on the Site. The use of cookies is a common practice adopted by most major websites to better serve their clients. Please note that while you may block the ability of your computer to collect cookies, the Site may not work correctly if you do so.

 

 

Policy on Children

 

 

You should be aware that this Site is not intended for, or designed to attract, individuals under the age of 18. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 provides safeguards to protect children who use the Internet by regulating the online collection of personal information from children under the age of 13. To ensure compliance with this law, Ceres does not knowingly collect or maintain information provided by children under the age of 13. Ceres does not sell products or services for purchase by children, and we ask that minors (under the age of 18) do not submit any personal information to us. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child we will make all reasonable efforts to delete that data from our records.

 

 

What if a dispute arises related to this policy?

 

 

Ceres uses a self-assessment approach to assure compliance with this Privacy Policy and periodically verifies that the policy is accurate, comprehensive for the information intended to be covered and implemented and accessible. We encourage interested persons to raise any concerns using the contact information provided and we will investigate and attempt to resolve any complaints or disputes regarding use and disclosure of personal information.

 

If a complaint or dispute cannot be resolved though our internal process set forth below, then we agree to dispute resolution using an independent resource mechanism (a third party resolution provider), as follows:

 

In the event that any dispute arising out of or related to this Privacy Policy is not settled first by direct good faith communication between us, both you and Ceres will then attempt in good faith to resolve such dispute by non-binding mediation in accordance with the American Arbitration Association Commercial Mediation Rules. No litigation for the resolution of such dispute may be commenced until you and Ceres attempt in good faith to settle the dispute by such mediation in accordance with such rules and either you or Ceres has concluded in good faith that, after a reasonable period of time, amicable resolution through continued mediation of the matter does not appear likely. Both you and Ceres will share in the costs of such mediation equally. Any settlement reached by mediation will be recorded in writing, signed by you and Ceres, and will be binding on you and Ceres.

 

This Privacy Policy will be governed and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the State of California, U.S.A., without giving effect to its conflict of laws provisions. You agree to be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the California State Courts having jurisdiction in Los Angeles County, California, or, in the event of federal jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and you agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such courts and not to seek the transfer of any action or proceeding out of such courts.

 

 

International Access and Transfer

 

 

If you are visiting the Site from a location outside of the United States, your connection will be through and to web servers in the United States. Any information you provide during your visit to this specific Site (versus third party sites or vendors) will be processed and maintained on our web servers and/or other internal systems located within the United States. Access to the Site or the information contained therein from territories where the content of the Site is illegal is prohibited. If we transfer your personal information to another country, we will take appropriate measures to protect your privacy and the personal information we transfer.

 

 

How do I contact Ceres?

 

 

To be removed from our contact list, or to access your personal information, ask questions about our Privacy Policy or issue a complaint, please contact us by mail or email as follows:

 

Ceres, Inc.
1535 Rancho Conejo Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 USA
Attn: Legal Department
Email: legaldepartment@ceres.net

 

 

Policy Changes

 

 

Ceres reserves the right to further amend the Privacy Policy at any time with or without notice. Your continued use of the Site and/or the Information or Materials contained in or accessible through the Site following the posting of any changes will constitute your agreement and consent to such changes. Please check back frequently in the event of changes.

 

Last Updated: December 5, 2014