1 – Data controller
The data controller for personal data collected through the GARPI™ 2026 benchmark survey is Optimal Group of Companies ("Optimal"), registered in Scotland, operating globally with offices in Aberdeen, UK and Midrand, South Africa.
For all data protection enquiries contact: data@optimal.world
2 – What data we collect and why
| Data element | Purpose | Legal basis (UK GDPR) |
|---|
| Name |
Personalise benchmark report; identify respondent for longitudinal tracking |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Email address |
Deliver benchmark report; annual re-invitation (if consented) |
Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) where used for direct communication |
| Organisation name |
Sector-level aggregation; peer comparison grouping |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Job title |
Role-level segmentation within benchmark analysis |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Industry |
Sector peer group assignment; industry-level benchmark publication |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Country |
Regional segmentation; geographic benchmark comparisons |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Survey responses |
Scoring; benchmark dataset construction; published aggregate findings |
Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)); Consent where report opt-in given |
We do not collect any special category data (health, ethnicity, political opinion, etc.) through this survey.
3 – Anonymisation and published outputs
No individual or organisation is identifiable in any published output. All benchmark reports, sector analyses, and research publications produced from GARPI™ data present aggregated, anonymised findings only. Individual scores are never disclosed to third parties.
Anonymisation is applied before any data is used in published research. The anonymisation process is irreversible – once anonymised, data is no longer considered personal data under UK GDPR and is retained indefinitely as part of the longitudinal dataset.
Your individual responses and personal details remain separate from published outputs at all times.
4 – Data retention
Personal data (name, email, organisation, job title, industry, country) is retained for 12 months from the close of the GARPI™ 2026 survey cycle, after which it is either deleted or irreversibly anonymised, unless you have provided consent for annual re-invitation to future GARPI™ cycles.
You may request deletion of your personal data at any time by emailing data@optimal.world. We will action confirmed deletion requests within 30 days.
Anonymised survey responses (with all personal identifiers removed) are retained as part of the longitudinal benchmark dataset with no time limit.
5 – Third-party data sharing
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with any third party for their own purposes.
Survey responses are processed through SurveyMonkey (Momentive Inc.), which acts as a data processor on our behalf under a Data Processing Agreement. SurveyMonkey processes data in accordance with EU/UK GDPR. Their privacy policy is available at surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy.
No personal data is shared with marketing partners, data brokers, analytics platforms, or any other third party for commercial purposes.
6 – Your rights under UK GDPR
You have the right to: access your personal data; request rectification of inaccurate data; request erasure (right to be forgotten); restrict processing; object to processing based on legitimate interests; and where applicable, request data portability.
To exercise any of these rights, contact data@optimal.world. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
7 – Anonymous participation
Participation without providing personal data is permitted. Selecting the anonymous option on the survey registration page means no personal data is collected; however, a personalised benchmark report cannot be generated for anonymous participants. Anonymous responses contribute equally to the global dataset.
8 – Cookies and tracking
This page uses no third-party tracking cookies. A functional session counter is maintained server-side to display the live participation count. No personal data is stored in browser cookies by Optimal on this page.
9 – Changes to this notice
This notice was last updated March 2026. Material changes will be communicated to registered participants by email. The current version is always available at optimal.world/garpi/.
