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Privacy Policy

  • Privacy Policy

Rocky Mountain Institute (“RMI,” “we” or “us” or “our”), understands your concerns about privacy and how your information is used and safeguarded, and we want to provide you with more information on these topics. This Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”) describes the practices, policies and procedures related to the website located at www.rmi.org (the “Website”), including the types of personal information we collect on the Website, how we may use that information, and with whom we share it.  Please note that this Privacy Policy applies only to our online information-gathering and dissemination practices and does not apply to any of our practices conducted offline. By visiting the Website, you are accepting the practices and policies described below, and you are further indicating that you agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not visit or use the Website. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, so please check this Privacy Policy periodically for changes.

SUMMARY

The notifications provided by this Privacy Policy include:

  • What personally identifiable information we collect through the Website
  • How we use the information we collect
  • With whom the information may be shared
  • The kind of procedures we employ in an effort to hinder the unauthorized access, use or disclosure of information you provide to us
  • Information related to third-party website
  • The laws that apply to those accessing the Website
  • How you can learn about changes to the Privacy Policy
  • How you can amend the information we collect on you
  • Rights related to the Colorado Privacy Act
  • Rights related to the General Data Protection Act

 

THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Personal Information You Provide and

You may freely visit our Website anonymously and without being required to provide us with any personal information.   However, certain requests do require that you provide us with some personally identifying information as more particularly described below. Do not send confidential information to us directly through this Website, or by email to any of the contact email addresses listed on this Website.  Please note we only collect personal information directly from you when you provide it to us.

  • personal contact details such as name, address, telephone number and e-mail address;
  • if you make a donation through the Website via “donate” button, you will be asked to provide certain personally identifying information, such as your phone number, name and home address, as well as your credit card billing informationin order to process the donation.
  • if you sign up for an email newsletter, we will collect your email address.
  • if you download one of our many “reports”, we will ask that you provide your name and email address.
  • if you contact us through the contact form option on the Website, we ask that you provide your name and email address, and you will have the option to provide additional information in your communication with us;

Non-Personal Information We Collect by Automated Means and How We Use It

We may collect non-personal information via a variety of means, including surveys, satisfaction questionnaires, etc. We also use automated means to collect various types of non-personal information (data in a form that does not support direct association with any specific person or individual). Much of this information is collected through the use of third-party tracking services, which includes Google Analytics. When gathered, this data, if used, is used in the aggregate, and not in a manner that is intended to identify you personally. This type of aggregate information may be shared with third parties at any time.  In addition to the third-party tracking services mentioned above, we also collect this information through various other means, including “cookies” and IP addresses, as further explained below.

Cookies

What are cookies?

A cookie is a piece of information that a web server may place on your computer when you visit a website. Cookies are commonly used by websites to improve the user experience. Many cookies last only through a single website session, or visit. Others may have an expiration date or may remain on your computer until you delete them. Most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to be notified when you receive a new cookie, and how to disable existing cookies. (Our cookies do not gather personally identifiable information. For more details about how we use these and your choices in relation to these tracking technologies, please see below.

How do we use cookies?
As most of the online services, our website uses first-party and third-party cookies for several purposes. First-party cookies are mostly necessary for the Website to function the right way, and they do not collect any of your personally identifiable data. The third-party cookies used on our Website are mainly for understanding how the Website performs, how you interact with our Website, providing advertisements that are relevant to you, and to provide a better and improved user experience and help speed up your future interactions with our Website.

Types of cookies we use.

  • Necessary: Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
  • Functional: Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
  • Analytics: Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
  • Performance: Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
  • Advertisement: Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns (for additional information, please see below).
  • Uncategorized: Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as of yet.

How to manage cookie preferences
You can change your cookie preferences any time by clicking the above button. This will let you revisit the cookie consent banner and change your preferences or withdraw your consent right away. In addition to this, different browsers provide different methods to block and delete cookies used by websites. You can change the settings of your browser to block/delete the cookies. Listed below are the links to the support documents on how to manage and delete cookies from the major web browsers.

 

If you are using any other web browser, please visit your browser’s official support documents

Cookies & third-party advertising

Please note, we may also work with third-party vendors – including Google – to use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to our Website, or other websites.  In regard to Google, its use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our Website and/or other Websites on the Internet. (You may opt out of personalized advertising from Google by visiting Ads Settings).  As mentioned, we may work with other third-party advertising vendors as well – you can opt out of some of these third-party vendors’ uses of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.

IP Addresses

When you visit and interact with the App, RMI and third parties with whom we have contracted to provide services for us, may collect Internet Protocol addresses (each an “IP Address”), as well as browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and page navigation. An IP Address is a unique identifier number that certain electronic devices use to identify and to communicate with each other on the Internet; your Internet Service Provider automatically assigns an IP Address to the computer that you are using. We gather this information to track web site visitor movement in the aggregate, and to gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. Our goal in gathering this information is to learn how our customers and the public are using our App. We may use this information to enhance our App or for other lawful purposes. 

Do Not Track Notice

Some web browsers incorporate a “Do Not Track” feature that signals to websites that you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked.  How browsers communicate and respond to the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. For this reason, like many web websites, the Website does not currently respond to or alter its practices when it receives a Do Not Track signal. Please note that third parties may collect personal information about your online activities over time and across different websites when you visit our Website or other online websites and services. To find out more about “Do Not Track,” you may wish to visit http://www.allaboutdnt.com.

HOW WE MAY SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We may disclose all the information (described herein) we collect, as stated in this Privacy Policy including in accordance with the terms set forth in this section. RMI works with a variety of third-party partners to make the Website available to you, to host and store the information we collect from you, to collect and process donations, and to provide certain functionality and features.

Except as stated in this Privacy Policy, we do not reveal personally identifiable information about you to third parties for their independent use unless: (1) you expressly authorize RMI to do so, (2) it is necessary to allow RMI and its service providers or agents to provide services on RMI’s behalf, (3) it is to provide products or services to you, (4) it is disclosed to entities that perform marketing, advertising or data aggregation services for RMI (including direct marketing via postal mail), (5) it is necessary in connection with a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of RMI or the merger of RMI into another entity or any consolidation, share exchange, combination, reorganization, or like transaction in which RMI is not the survivor, (6) RMI is required or permitted to do so for any or all of the following reasons: (i) to comply with a subpoena, legal process, government request or any other legal obligation, (ii) to prevent, investigate, detect, or prosecute criminal offenses or attacks on the technical integrity of the Website or our network, and/or (iii) to protect the rights, privacy, property, business, or safety of RMI, its partners and employees or the visitors to the Website.

HOW WE SAFEGUARD YOUR INFORMATION

We maintain – and ask that any third-party partners who may store information on our behalf to maintain – administrative, technical and physical safeguards for the Website designed to protect your personal information against theft, loss, misuse or unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction of the personal information that we collect from you. However, no website, application or transmission can guarantee security. Thus, while we have established and maintain what we believe to be reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personally identifying information obtained through the Website, and we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us.

CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personally identifiable information about visitors younger than 13 years of age. If you are under the age of 13, you are expressly prohibited from accessing/viewing the Website. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 13 years of age and believe that they have disclosed personally identifiable information to us, please contact us at outreach@rmi.org so that we may delete your child’s information.

THIRD PARTY WEBSITES

We may also provide links to a variety of third-party social media sites and/or websites – such as LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and others – as a service to you, and in order to provide you additional information and/or content related to the work that we do, or additional venues in which you can learn about and discuss the activities of RMI.  Please note that we have no affiliation with any of these other parties and/or websites, and cannot control and are not responsible for the information collection, use, and disclosure practices of such third parties; we encourage you to review and understand their privacy practices and policies, if any, before using providing any personally identifying information to them or initiating any financial transactions.

UPDATING YOUR INFORMATION

You can update the information you have shared with us by emailing outreach@rmi.org, calling, or sending us a letter (please include your address and phone number in written communications). Just let us know what has changed and we’ll keep it up to date. As a part of our RMI family, we’d like to know when you move or have changes in your family, or if you’d just like to hear from us in a different way. If you are one of our donors who makes a monthly recurring donation through a credit card, please let us know when your bank sends you a new credit card with a new number or expiration date so we don’t miss a month in the transition.

You can also ask at any time for a copy of or to delete all of the information that we have collected from you by emailing outreach@rmi.org.

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to revise this Privacy Policy at any time by updating this posting. Please check back regularly and to see if there have been any changes to this policy, which you can determine by reviewing the Effective Date listed below. By continuing to use the Website after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.

HOW TO CONTACT US

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, or if you would like us to update or correct information you have provided to us, please contact us by email at outreach@rmi.org.

GRATITUDE

As always, we welcome you to join us in driving the clean energy revolution, and we are grateful for your support.  We are proud to recognize our supporters in our annual report, with the exception of those who wish to remain anonymous.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO COLORADO RESIDENTS

This notice describes how we collect, use, and share your personal data in our capacity as a “Controller” under Colorado’s Privacy Act (“CPA”) and the rights that you have with respect to your personal data, including sensitive personal data. For purposes of this section, “personal data” and “sensitive data” have the meaning given in the CPA and do not include information excluded from the CPA’s scope. The personal data we collect about you will depend upon how you interact with our Website and the information you voluntarily provide us. Accordingly, we may not collect all of the below information about you. To the extent that we collect personal data subject to the CPA, that information, our practices, and your rights are described below.

WHAT PERSONAL DATA DO WE COLLECT, PROCESS, AND SHARE?

Consistent with the “Information We Collect” and “How We Use Information” sections in this Privacy Policy, the below information provides additional detail about certain information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable individual consumer we process, the purposes for processing this data, and the personal data that we share with third parties as defined by the CPA.

Personal Data We Collect

Personal data means any information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable individual. Personal data does not include de-identified data or publicly available information.  We collect your name, phone number(s), postal address(es), and email address(es). We collect online activity data.  Our service providers collect a credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information you submit to process donations.

Purpose for Processing Personal Data: To fulfill or meet the reason for which the information was provided to us, and as further specified in the “How We may Share Your Information” section above.

Third Parties with Which We Share Personal Data: Service providers such as payment processors and other third-party vendors, as further elaborated above.

Profiling Information We Collect

Profiling Information means any form of automated processing performed on personal data to evaluate, analyze, or predict personal aspects related to an identified or identifiable individual’s economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements. We do not profile as defined by the Colorado Privacy Act.

Sensitive Data We Collect

Sensitive data means personal data that includes data revealing (A) racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health condition or diagnosis, sex life, sexual orientation or citizenship or immigration status, (B) genetic or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, or (C) personal data from a known child. We do not collect sensitive data – please do not send us sensitive data.

WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?

Right to Access Information/Correct Inaccurate Personal Data

You have the right to request access to personal data collected about you and information regarding the purposes for which we collect it and the third parties and service providers with which we share it. Additionally, you have the right to correct inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data. You may submit such a request as described below.

Right to Obtain a Copy of Personal Data

You have the right to request a copy of the personal data you previously provided to us as controller in a portable format no more than two times per calendar year. Our collection, use, disclosure, and sale of personal data is described in this Privacy Policy.

Right to Deletion of Personal Data

You have the right to request in certain circumstances that we delete any personal data that we have collected directly from you or from a third party. You may submit such a request as described below. We may have a reason under the law why we do not have to comply with your request or why we may comply in a more limited way than you anticipated. If we do, we will explain that to you in our response.

Right to Opt Out

You have the right to opt out of processing personal data for the purposes of and as defined by the CPA: (A) Targeted Advertising based on your Personal Data obtained from your activities over time and across websites or applications; or (B) The Sale of Personal Data to third parties. We do not use targeted advertising, nor do we sell your Personal Data, as defined by the Colorado Privacy Act.

Right to Appeal

If we decline to take action on any request that you submit in connection with the rights described in the above sections, you may ask that we reconsider our response by sending an email to the same email box (referenced in section below) from which you receive the decision. You must ask us to reconsider our decision within 45 days after we send you our decision. You may contact the Attorney General if you have concerns about the appeal.

HOW DO I EXERCISE MY RIGHTS?

You may submit a request to exercise your rights above by emailing us at outreach@rmi.org. When you email, please help us locate your data by including information you provided to us.

AUTHENTICATION PROCESS

To protect consumers’ personal data and to comply with the CPA, we will use an authentication process to confirm your identity before we act on your request. You or your authorized agent may make an authenticated consumer request related to your personal data. If you use an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf, we may require that you (1) provide the authorized agent’s written permission to do so and (2) provide a copy of the authorization or a copy of a power of attorney. In authenticating requests, we employ reasonable measures to detect fraudulent requests and prevent unauthorized access to your personal information. To meet our obligations, we are required to authenticate your identity and the identity of your authorized agent, if the request is submitted via an agent, by associating the information provided in your request to personal data previously collected by us. If we suspect fraudulent or malicious activity on or from the password-protected account, we may decline a request or request that you provide further authenticating information. Making an authenticated consumer request does not require you to create an account with us. We will only use personal data provided in an authenticated consumer request to authenticate your identity or authority to make the request.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO EUROPEAN UNION AREA, SWITZERLAND AND UNITED KINGDOM USERS

The following provisions applies only to users residing in the European Union Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Please note, pursuant to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), we are required to provide those residing in the EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (hereinafter, the “EU Users”) additional information and rights related to the Personal Data we collect about them.  We summarize such information and rights below. For the purposes of this GDPR Privacy Notice section, “Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable person.

PURPOSE FOR INFORMATION COLLECTION

As noted in this Privacy Policy, you may visit our Website without being required to provide us with any Personal Data.  However, should you decide to provide such information, the information we collect will be used to meet your requests, or to provide you with the applicable information or service requested, and as further described herein.

LEGAL GROUNDS FOR PROCESSING PERSONAL DATA

RMI will process personal data that we receive from EU Visitors only if it is in our legitimate interest for the effective administration of the Website, to fulfill and/or address your requests, or to provide certain services.

SHARING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We may share your Personal Data as further described in this Privacy Policy.

YOUR INFORMATION AND YOUR CHOICES; WITHDRAWAL OF CONSENT

GDPR provides EU Visitors with the following rights in respect to the Personal Data we hold about you, including:

  • The right of access
    If you ask us, we will confirm whether we are processing your Personal Data and, if necessary, provide you with a copy of that Personal Data (along with certain other details).
  • Your right to correction (rectification)
    If the Personal Data we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you are entitled to request to have it corrected.
  • Your right to erasure
    You can ask us to delete or remove your Personal Data in some circumstances, such as where we no longer need it or if you withdraw your consent (where applicable).
  • Your right to data portability
    You have the right, in certain circumstances, to receive a copy of Personal Data we have obtained from you or otherwise collected.
  • Your right to withdraw consent
    If we rely on your consent (or explicit consent) as our legal basis for processing your Personal Data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
  • Your right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority
    If you have a concern about any aspect of our privacy practices, including the way we have handled your Personal Data, you can report it to the relevant supervisory authority.

Upon appropriate written request we will update or amend your Personal Data, but we reserve the right to use any information previously obtained to verify your identity or take other actions that we believe are appropriate and lawful. You may access, correct, or request deletion of your Personal Data – or request that we stop any processing of your Personal Data – by contacting us. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.  Certain requests – like being removed from our e-newsletter mailing list – can also be accomplished via our unsubscribe links.

We may need to retain certain information for record keeping purposes, and there may also be residual information that will remain within our databases and other records, which will not be removed from such locations.  Additionally, there may be circumstances in which we are not legally required to comply with your request because of the laws in your jurisdiction or because of exemptions provided in data protection legislation in general, and GDPR in particular. Finally, we are not responsible for removing or deleting information from the databases of third parties (such as service providers) with whom we have shared information about you, but we will make the request on your behalf for such removal/deletion.

DATA RETENTION

We will retain your information for as long as needed to provide you services, or otherwise as is reasonable and customary given the nature of the relationship you have with RMI. We may need to retain certain information for record keeping purposes, and there may also be residual information that will remain within our databases and other records, which will not be removed from such locations.   Otherwise, we will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, operate/promote our Website, and to foster our relationship with our users. We have a data retention and destruction plan that dictates the policies and procedures related to deletion and/or destruction of all information/.

CHILDREN’S PRIVACY/NOTE TO PARENTS OF CHILDREN RESIDING IN THE EEA, SWITZERLAND AND UNITED KINGDOM

We do not intentionally or knowingly collect, use, or disclose personally identifiable information about EU Visitors to our Website that are less than 16 years of age. If a child under the age of 16 submits information to us through any part of the Websites and RMI becomes aware that the user submitting the information is under the age of 16, the information provided will be deleted as soon as it is discovered and not used for any purpose. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 years of age and believe that they have disclosed personally identifiable information to us, please contact us, and please include in your message the same name and email address that you believe your child submitted, if applicable.

HOW TO CONTACT US

RMI is the owner and operator of the Website. If you need to contact us for any reason related to this Privacy Policy or your use of the Website, please contact us at outreach@rmi.org.

PRIVACY POLICY EFFECTIVE DATE

This Privacy Policy is effective as of August 26, 2024.

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