1. Introduction

Diamond Guild Australia (“Diamond Guild”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is an industry association dedicated to promoting excellence and integrity within the diamond and jewellery industry. We operate the website www.diamondguild.com.au (the “Website”).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our Website, become a member, or interact with us. We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), as well as applicable international privacy laws for our global members and contacts.

By using our Website or providing us with your personal information, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Contact and Membership Information:

  • Name, job title, and organisation name
  • Email address, phone number, and postal address
  • Membership application details and industry credentials

Payment Information:

  • Billing details required to process membership fees or event registrations
  • Payment card information — processed securely via Stripe. We do not store your full card details on our systems

Communications and Marketing:

  • Email address and communication preferences for our newsletters and industry updates
  • Records of your correspondence with us

Website Usage Data:

  • IP address, browser type, and device information
  • Pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs
  • Cookie and analytics data collected via Google Analytics
3. How We Collect Information

We collect information:

  • Directly from you when you complete membership applications, registration forms, or contact us
  • When you subscribe to our newsletters or email communications
  • When you make payments for membership fees or events
  • Automatically through cookies and analytics tools when you visit our Website
  • From publicly available sources for industry-related purposes
4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

  • Process and manage your membership application and ongoing membership
  • Process payments for membership fees, events, or other services via Stripe
  • Send you industry news, newsletters, and communications you have opted into
  • Notify you of events, conferences, and professional development opportunities
  • Respond to your enquiries and provide member support
  • Improve our Website and services using aggregated analytics data
  • Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
  • Enforce our membership terms and association rules
5. Email Marketing and Newsletters

We send newsletters and industry updates to members and subscribers who have opted in to receive communications from us. Each email we send includes an unsubscribe link. You may opt out at any time by:

  • Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any of our emails
  • Contacting us directly at privacy@diamondguild.com.au

We use reputable third-party email service providers to send our communications. These providers process your email address on our behalf and are bound by confidentiality obligations.

6. Payment Processing via Stripe

We use Stripe, a third-party payment processor, to securely handle all payment transactions. When you provide payment information, it is transmitted directly to Stripe using industry-standard encryption (TLS/SSL). Diamond Guild does not store, process, or have access to your full payment card details.

Stripe’s handling of your payment data is governed by Stripe’s own Privacy Policy, available at stripe.com/privacy. Stripe is PCI DSS compliant. By making a payment through our Website, you also agree to Stripe’s terms.

7. Cookies and Google Analytics

Our Website uses cookies and Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Website and to improve the user experience.

Google Analytics collects anonymised data including:

  • Pages visited and time on site
  • General geographic location (country/city level)
  • Device and browser type
  • Traffic sources (how you found our site)

We do not use this data to identify you personally. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout).

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect some Website functionality.

8. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information with:

  • Service providers who assist us in operating our Website and delivering services (including Stripe for payments, email service providers, and analytics providers) — these parties are bound by confidentiality obligations
  • Law enforcement or regulatory bodies where required by law
  • Other parties with your explicit consent

Where we share data with third-party providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

9. International Data Transfers

Diamond Guild has members and contacts worldwide. Some of our third-party service providers (including Stripe and Google) may store or process your data outside of Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected to a standard comparable to Australian privacy law requirements.

If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, additional protections may apply under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR. Please contact us if you have questions about how your data is handled.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. Membership records are generally retained for the duration of membership plus seven years for legal and accounting purposes. You may request deletion of your data at any time (subject to our legal obligations).

11. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures include SSL/TLS encryption, secure payment processing via Stripe, and restricted access to member data.

However, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Your Rights

Under Australian privacy law, and where applicable international laws, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
  • Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
  • Opt out of marketing communications at any time
  • Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

13. Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

14. Children’s Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us so we can delete it.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the Effective Date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our Website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

Diamond Guild Australia

Website: www.diamondguild.com.au

Email: contact@diamondguild.com.au

We aim to respond to all privacy enquiries within 30 days.