We, KWS Seeds Canada, Ltd. (hereafter also referred to as “KWS”, “we” or “us”) appreciate your interest in our company and thank you for visiting our website at Home — KWS Seeds Canada. KWS takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We handle your personal data confidentially and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and legal regulations on data protection within each jurisdiction in which KWS operates, which may include the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada) and the Personal Information Protection Act (province Alberta) (“Privacy Laws”).
This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) sets out how KWS processes (defined as collecting, using, storing, disclosing) personal data about you when you visit our website and, where applicable, the Seed Tracking System online platform. This Policy explains how we handle personal data collected in that context, your rights in relation to your personal data, and how you can contact us about privacy matters.
1. Designated Privacy Contact in KWS Canada
KWS has appointed a designated privacy contact in Canada responsible for overseeing compliance with applicable privacy laws and for responding to privacy‑related inquiries, requests, and complaints.
You may contact our Designated Privacy Contact as follows:
KWS Seeds Canada, Ltd.
Designated Privacy Contact/ Business Manager
Telephone: +1 (403) 926-8861
E-mail: andrii.brizytskyi@kws.com
Address: 909 17 Avenue SW #400, Calgary, AB, T2T 0A4
2. Purposes and types of personal information processed
a) Informative visit of our website
In cases of purely informational use of the website, or in other words if you do not register or otherwise submit information to us, we only collect the personal data that your browser sends to our server.
If you wish to look at our website, we process the following data, which are technically necessary for us to show you our website and ensure it stability and security:
- IP address
- Date and time of the request
- Time zone difference from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- Content of the request (specific site)
- Access status/HTTP status code
- Amount of data transferred each time
- Website from which the request comes
- Browser
- Operating system and its interface
- Language and version of the browser software.
These pieces of information are analyzed exclusively for statistical purposes, facilitating our understanding how our website is accessed and used.
b) Seed Tracking System online platform
When you as a buyer of KWS product register for and use our Seed Tracking System platform, we process the personal data you voluntarily provide for the purposes of being registered with the Seed Tracking System:
- Login data
- First and last name
- Postal code
- Address
- Business contact details
- E-mail address
- Phone number, fax
- Organization/employer (where applicable)
- Account credentials
We use this information to verify identity and access, open and manage your account, provide the platform services, correspond with you about the Seed Tracking System platform, and to meet applicable legal or regulatory requirements. Certain features of the platform may only be available if you provide the personal data required for those features.
By voluntarily submitting the personal information listed above, you consent to KWS collecting, using, storing, and disclosing your personal information for the purposes of registering you on the Seed Tracking System, providing and operating the platform services, communicating with you in connection with the platform, and complying with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
c) Tracking
This website uses various technologies to collect and save data for purposes of marketing and optimization. These data can be used to create user profiles under a pseudonym.
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service from Google LLC (“Google”). The information produced by cookies when you use this website is, as a rule, transmitted to a Google server in the US and saved there. As part of the IP anonymization, your IP address will first be truncated by Google, as is technically feasible. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the US and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to put together reports about website activities, and to provide further services connected to use of the website and the Internet to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser in the context of using Google Analytics will not be combined with other data maintained by Google.
You can find more information on usage terms and conditions and data protection at: https://policies.google.com/?hl=en&gl=fr. Please note that on this website Google Analytics was expanded by the code “anonymizeIp,” in order to guarantee an anonymized collection of IP addresses (“IP masking”).
To withdraw your consent to the processing of your data within the framework of Google Analytics, please click on the blue hexagon in the lower left corner of the browser to adjust the settings in the cookie banner.
For more information about how Google processes personal data in connection with Google Ads cookies, please visit: https://business.safety.google/privacy/.
d) Newsletter
We use and process your contact data, e.g. name, address, fax number, e-mail address or phone number, to send you information about our products and services using the communication methods you have provided (such as mail, fax, e-mail, or phone).
This may include newsletters and other marketing communications about KWS products and services, including product updates, agronomic and technology-related recommendations, special offers, and customer surveys. We aim to keep these communications appropriate, proportionate, and occasional.
We send e-mail newsletters and other marketing electronic communications (e-mail) only where permitted by applicable Canadian anti-spam law. In most cases, this means we need your consent before sending you these messages. Your consent may be express (for example, where you signed up to receive them or otherwise provided it to us directly) or, where permitted by law, implied, including because of an existing business relationship with us.
Our electronic marketing messages identify KWS Seeds Canada as the sender, include valid contact information for KWS Seeds Canada, and contain an unsubscribe mechanism that enables you to withdraw your consent at any time. You may unsubscribe by using the unsubscribe link included in the message or by contacting us at canada.marketing@kws.com. We will give effect to your unsubscribe request without delay and, in any event, no later than 10 business days after it is received.
e) Recommendations on Facebook, G+, Twitter, e-mail, and WhatsApp
You can easily share the information on the KWS website on Facebook, G+, Twitter, e-mail, and WhatsApp using the relevant plugins. These “social bookmark plugins” are Internet bookmarks with which users of this kind of service can collect links and news items. On the KWS website, these are only connected as a link to the services in question. Only after clicking on the associated graphic will you be transferred to the website of the respective provider i.e. only then your user information will be transferred to the respective provider. When you follow a link to an external provider, this Policy no longer applies. KWS is not responsible for the privacy or security practices or the content or form of external websites, services or products. Information about handling of your personal data by these websites can be found in the providers’ data protection statements. We encourage you to read such providers’ data protection statements.
f) Facebook Pixel
Our website has integrated the so-called “Facebook Pixel” (formerly Facebook Pixel) of the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Facebook Pixel is a Java script. When you visit our website and give your consent, the Facebook Pixel allows your browser to automatically establish a direct connection to the Facebook server. As a result, the following data can be recorded and transmitted to Facebook: Your IP address, device and browser properties, URL, referrer URL, Pixel ID and Facebook cookie, as well as information on page views and data entered in input fields.
We use Facebook Pixel to track the actions of visitors to our website, to retarget Facebook advertisements for our website visitors, and to acquire additional information about Facebook members who view our advertisements.
These methods are also used to analyze the visitor structure using Facebook data.
Facebook processes the data within the framework of Facebook’s Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
You can obtain further information and details on Facebook Pixel and its functionality in the Facebook Business Help area: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/651294705016616
3. Cookies
We use cookies on our websites. Cookies are small text files that can be placed on your hard drive when you visit a website. These text files are created and sent to you by the web server with which you have made a connection through your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome). Cookies cannot run any programs or infect your computer with viruses. Their purpose is to make your whole Internet service more user-friendly and effective.
Our websites use the following kinds of cookies. Their scope and how they work is explained as follows:
- Transient cookies (a)
- Persistent cookies (b)
a) Transient cookies are automatically deleted when you close the browser. These include session cookies in particular. They save a “session ID “with which various requests by your browser can be allocated to the whole session. This means your computer can be recognized again when you return to our website. The session cookies are deleted when you log out or close your browser.
b) Persistent cookies are automatically deleted after a predetermined period, which can vary depending on the cookie. You can delete the cookies in the security settings of your browser at any time.
c) You can configure your browser settings according to your preferences and, for example, opt out of third-party cookies or all cookies. However, please note that you might not be able to use all functions of this website.
d) The flash cookies we use are not captured by your browser, but rather by your flash plugin. We also use HTML5 storage objects that are placed on your terminal. These objects save the necessary data independently of the browser you use and have no automatic expiration date. If you do not wish to have flash cookies processed, you must install an add-on for that purpose, e.g. “Ghostery” for Mozilla Firefox (https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/ghostery/) or the Adobe-Flash-Killer-Cookie for Google Chrome. You can prevent the use of HTML5 storage objects by putting your browser in private mode.
4. Recipients of personal data
For the operation of our website and for the provision of personalized services, including the purposes stated above, KWS Canada employs mother company and subsidiaries from the KWS group or external service providers who support us in operating the website, providing personalized services, maintaining Seed Tracking System and providing information to customers. These companies may only use your personal data in fulfilling their tasks on our behalf, for the purposes mentioned above and are obligated to comply with the relevant data protection laws and regulations.
The service provider responsible for maintaining the Seed Tracking System portal is located and registered in Canada.
Transmission of personal data to governmental institutions and authorities takes place only in accordance with and as required by binding legal provisions or if legal or criminal proceedings require them to be passed on. Personal data will not be passed on for any other purposes than stated above.
5. Transmission of personal information to third countries
Personal data that we process in the context of the purposes described above may also be disclosed and transmitted by us to recipients in third countries, who may process your personal data outside of Canada. In that regard, a transmission to and subsequent processing of your personal data may take place in third countries. We will take reasonable steps, through contractual or other reasonable means, to ensure an appropriate level of protection of your personal data when it is processed by such recipients, in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
For example, due to technical support and maintenance activities, limited personal data relating to your visit to this website (such as technical usage data and log information) may be accessed from Germany, where the KWS parent company is headquartered. This access is necessary to provide us with technical support and to maintain this part of the website for our Canadian operations. The purpose of processing will remain statistical, facilitating our understanding of how our website is accessed and used.
In addition, personal data may be accessed and processed in Germany by the KWS parent company and its local subsidiary in Germany for technical support and maintenance of our internal customer relationship management (CRM) systems for the purposes of providing you the Seed Tracking System services, communicating with you in connection with the platform. Our CRM servers are located in the Germany.
As mentioned above, we use Google Analytics in an anonymized manner; in this context, certain technical usage data may be processed on Google servers located in the United States. In connection with the use of the Meta (Facebook) Pixel, certain technical and usage data may be transmitted to and processed by Meta on servers located outside Canada, including in the United States, Ireland.
6. Retention period
KWS protects personal data against such risks as loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction through appropriate security measures. KWS’ security safeguards include access controls, encryption, monitoring, incident‑management processes etc.
In general, we will only store your data for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which we have collected your data, including to perform a service that you have requested or to which you have consented. If there are statutory retention periods, your data will be stored in accordance with these legal specifications.
7. Your rights related to your data
You have the following rights in relation to us regarding your personal data as far as the respective legal requirements are met.
- Right of access: Subject to restrictions as set out in Privacy Laws, you may request to obtain information about all data stored by KWS about you. KWS will process and respond to requests for access in compliance with Privacy Laws.
- Right to rectification: You can request that we correct incorrect personal data and we will amend the information as required. If appropriate, we will send the amended information to external service providers to whom the information has been disclosed.
§ Challenge compliance: You have the right to challenge our compliance with applicable Privacy Laws and to make a complaint regarding our handling of your personal data. Please contact our Designated Privacy Contact first so that we can review and address your concern.
Depending on your use of services, you may have the following choices.
§ Right to opt out of direct marketing: In individual cases we process your data for direct marketing. You have the right to opt out at any time, in whole or in part, from the use of your personal data for direct marketing purposes, including related profiling. If you opt out, your personal data will no longer be used for those purposes.
- Withdrawal of consent: If you gave your consent to the processing of your personal data you can withdraw your consent at any time with future effect. The lawfulness of the processing of your personal data until your withdrawal will not be affected.
How to exercise your rights
To exercise your privacy rights, including submitting requests, inquiries, or complaints regarding your personal data, please contact our Designated Privacy Contact using the contact details provided above.
To opt out (unsubscribe) from direct marketing emails or newsletters, you may do so at any time by sending a request to canada.marketing@kws.com or by using directly the unsubscribe mechanism included in our marketing communications.
We encourage you to contact us first so that we can make all reasonable efforts to resolve the matter first. To protect your information, we will only provide or delete personal data where we can reasonably verify the identity of the requestor. Personal data is kept accurate and, where necessary, updated, and any identified errors are corrected without undue delay.
If we have been unable to resolve your privacy concerns, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the applicable privacy commissioner or ombudsperson, if in your opinion the processing of your personal data is unlawful.
8. External Links
Our online service occasionally contains links that lead to the websites of third parties. If this is not easily recognizable, we indicate that it is an external link. KWS has no influence on or control of the content or form of the websites of external providers. When you follow a link to an external provider, this Privacy Policy therefore has no relevance there. KWS is not responsible for the privacy or security practices or the content of external websites, services or products. We encourage you to read the privacy statements or other disclaimers of such external providers.
9. Amendments to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to change or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. In this regard, please note the current version of our Privacy Policy. By continuing to use our website, products and services, following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes.
Updated: May 22, 2026