Privacy Policy.

This policy explains how Greenshields Studio handles personal data on this website (greenshields.studio). It covers visitors to the site and people who contact us through it. Separate arrangements apply once you become a client — those are set out in your Statement of Work and our Terms & Conditions.

1. Who we are (the data controller)

"Greenshields Studio" is a trading name of Greenshields Studio Ltd ("we", "us", "our"), a private limited company registered in Scotland under company number SC892849. For the purposes of UK GDPR, we are the data controller for personal data collected through this website.

You can reach us about anything in this policy at hello@greenshieldsstudio.com.

2. The short version

• We don't run advertising trackers, marketing pixels, or sell your data — ever.
• We only collect personal data when you choose to send it to us — by submitting a form.
• The only thing stored on your device by default is your light/dark theme choice, which never leaves your browser.
• Analytics cookies are off unless you opt in through the cookie banner.
• If we ever email your business about our services, you can unsubscribe in one click at any time — see our unsubscribe page.
• You can ask us to show, correct, or delete your data at any time.

3. What we collect, and why

a. Information you send us through forms

When you use our contact form, book-a-call form, or review form, we collect the details you enter. Depending on the form, that may include your name, email address, phone number, business name, location, your message or feedback, and a star rating.

We use this only to respond to you, arrange a call, answer your enquiry, or act on your feedback. Legal basis: your consent, and our legitimate interest in responding to enquiries about our services. Forms are delivered to our inbox by our form processor, Formspree (see section 5).

b. Theme preference (stored on your device)

When you switch the site between light and dark mode, we save that single choice in your browser's local storage under the key gs-theme. It contains only the word "light" or "dark", holds no personal data, is never transmitted to us or anyone else, and exists purely so the site remembers your preference on your next visit. Because it's a functional preference you actively chose, it doesn't require consent — but you can clear it any time by clearing your browser storage.

c. Analytics (only if you opt in)

We'd like to understand, in aggregate, how visitors use the site so we can improve it. We do not load any analytics until you click "Accept" on our cookie banner. If you decline, no analytics cookies or scripts are set. If you accept, we may use privacy-respecting analytics to see anonymous, aggregated usage (pages viewed, rough location, device type) — never to identify you personally. Legal basis: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time via the "Cookie settings" link in the footer.

d. Technical data from hosting

Like any website, our host (Cloudflare) automatically processes limited technical data — such as your IP address and browser type — to deliver the site securely and defend against abuse. This is standard server-log activity. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in keeping the site secure and available.

e. Fonts

The site's typefaces (Inter and Inter Tight) are self-hosted — served directly from our own domain. Your browser does not contact any third-party font service, so no font-related data is shared with anyone.

4. Cookies & similar technologies

A "cookie" is a small file a site can store on your device; "local storage" is a similar browser mechanism. Here's the full picture for this site:

• Strictly necessary / functional: your theme preference (gs-theme) and your cookie-consent choice (gs-consent). These keep the site working the way you've set it. No consent required.
• Analytics: off by default. Only set if you click "Accept" on the cookie banner. You can change your mind at any time.
• Advertising / tracking: none. We don't use them.

You can change or withdraw your cookie choice whenever you like using the "Cookie settings" link in the site footer, or by clearing cookies and site storage in your browser settings.

5. Who we share data with

We never sell your data. We share it only with the service providers ("processors") needed to run the site and respond to you, each bound by their own data-protection obligations:

• Formspree — processes and delivers form submissions to us.
• Cloudflare — hosts and protects the website.
• Our email provider — receives and stores the enquiries you send us.

We may also disclose data where we're legally required to (for example, a lawful request from a public authority).

6. International transfers

Some of our processors (such as Formspree) are based in, or store data in, the United States. Where personal data leaves the UK, it is protected by appropriate safeguards — such as the UK extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, or Standard Contractual Clauses — as required by UK GDPR.

7. Marketing communications & unsubscribing

From time to time we contact businesses directly to introduce our services — for example, a small business whose website we think we could genuinely help. Where we do this, we use publicly available business contact details (such as a company email address or website contact form) and we keep it relevant, honest and low-volume. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in offering relevant services to other businesses, balanced against your interests and rights. We do not send marketing to individuals (consumers) without their consent, we never use advertising trackers, and we never sell or share your details with other advertisers.

If you contact us or become a client, we'll only send you service-related messages about your enquiry or project — not marketing — unless you've separately asked to hear from us.

You can opt out of marketing at any time, and it's easy:

• Use the unsubscribe link in any marketing email we send — one click.
• Unsubscribe yourself directly at greenshields.studio/unsubscribe.
• Or simply reply “unsubscribe” to any email, or write to hello@greenshieldsstudio.com.

We action opt-outs promptly — within a few days at most. When you unsubscribe we keep only your email address on a small suppression list, for the sole purpose of making sure we don't contact you again; we don't use it for anything else. This is your right to object to direct marketing under UK GDPR and PECR, and it's absolute — we will always honour it.

8. How long we keep it

We keep enquiry and form data only as long as needed to deal with your request and for a reasonable period afterwards in case you come back to us — typically up to 24 months from our last contact, unless you become a client (in which case our client-records retention applies) or you ask us to delete it sooner. Functional storage on your device lasts until you clear it.

9. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access — ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification — have inaccurate data corrected.
• Erasure — ask us to delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Restriction — ask us to pause processing in certain circumstances.
• Portability — receive your data in a portable format.
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Withdraw consent — at any time, where we rely on your consent.

To exercise any of these, email hello@greenshieldsstudio.com. We'll respond within one month and there's no charge for a reasonable request.

We do not carry out automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you.

10. Complaints

We'd always prefer you come to us first so we can put things right. But you also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.

11. Children

This site is aimed at businesses and is not directed at children. We don't knowingly collect data from anyone under 16. If you believe a child has sent us data, email us and we'll delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version always lives at this URL, with the "Last updated" date shown at the top. Material changes will be reflected here before they take effect.

13. Contact

Questions about your privacy or this policy? Email hello@greenshieldsstudio.com and we'll get back to you within two working days.