Privacy Policy – propela
Legal

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use, store and protect your personal information

Effective date: 28 May 2026 Entity: Propela Limited Location: Cambridge, New Zealand

At propela, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 (New Zealand).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when providing our virtual assistant, administration, bookkeeping, invoicing, social media management and business support services.

By engaging our services or using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1 Our Privacy Officer

propela has appointed a Privacy Officer responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy and the Privacy Act 2020. For all privacy queries, requests, or complaints, please contact our Privacy Officer.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.propela.co.nz

Postal Address: PO Box 141, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, 3240

2 Information We Collect

We may collect personal information including:

  • Full names
  • Email addresses
  • Phone numbers
  • Business and company details
  • Billing and payment information
  • Financial and bookkeeping information
  • Social media account information
  • Customer or client information provided to us as part of delivering services
  • Website enquiry information
  • Any other information voluntarily provided to us

Where required to deliver services, we may also receive information from third parties acting on your behalf.

3 How We Collect Information

We collect information when you:

  • Contact us directly
  • Engage us for services
  • Complete onboarding or enquiry forms
  • Communicate with us by phone, email or social media
  • Provide access to software platforms or systems
  • Visit or interact with our website

We may also collect information through cookies, analytics tools and website tracking technologies.

4 Why We Collect Information

We collect and use personal information to:

  • Provide virtual assistance and business support services
  • Manage client relationships
  • Process invoicing and payments
  • Deliver bookkeeping, administration and marketing services
  • Communicate with clients and suppliers
  • Improve our services and systems
  • Maintain internal business records
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for our business activities.

5 Sharing Your Information

We may share information with trusted third-party providers where necessary to provide our services, including:

  • Cloud-based software providers
  • Accounting and bookkeeping platforms
  • Payment processors
  • IT support providers
  • Contractors and team members engaged by propela
  • Website and marketing service providers

We require our contractors and service providers to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security standards. We do not sell personal information to third parties.

6 Client Customer Data

Where clients provide us with personal information about their own customers, contacts, or staff as part of service delivery, propela handles that information solely for the purpose of delivering the agreed services and in accordance with the client's instructions. Clients are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate authority to share such information with us.

7 Confidentiality Agreements

Where Propela Limited provides a Mutual Non-Disclosure, Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Agreement ("NDA"), clients are required to sign it as a condition of engagement. The NDA governs the handling of confidential information and intellectual property between Propela Limited and the client, and is to be read together with this Privacy Policy and the Business Support Services Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency between the NDA and this Privacy Policy on matters of confidentiality or intellectual property, the NDA prevails.

8 Overseas Disclosure

Some services provided by propela are performed by team members or contractors located in the Philippines. The Philippines has its own Data Privacy Act 2012 (Republic Act 10173), administered by the National Privacy Commission, which provides comparable protections to New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020.

All offshore team members are required to sign confidentiality agreements and comply with propela's privacy and security standards. We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information accessed or handled by overseas personnel is protected by safeguards comparable to those required under New Zealand law.

Some third-party software platforms used by propela may also store or process data on servers located outside New Zealand. We take reasonable steps to select reputable providers with appropriate data protection standards.

9 Storage and Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Security measures may include:

  • Secure cloud-based systems
  • Password protection and multi-factor authentication
  • Restricted access to information
  • Staff and contractor confidentiality obligations
  • Secure file-sharing systems

Access to personal information is limited to authorised team members and contractors who require access to perform their duties. While we take reasonable precautions, no electronic storage or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure.

10 Privacy Breaches

If we become aware of a privacy breach that has caused or is likely to cause serious harm, we will take steps to contain and assess the breach and will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner where required under the Privacy Act 2020.

11 Access and Correction

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and request corrections if you believe the information is inaccurate or incomplete.

Requests can be directed to our Privacy Officer using the contact details in section 1. We will respond to access or correction requests as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 20 working days in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy concern, you have the right to make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at www.privacy.org.nz.

12 Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to improve website functionality and user experience. These tools may collect non-identifiable information such as:

  • Browser type
  • Device information
  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on website
  • General location data

You can disable cookies through your browser settings. Doing so may affect some website functionality.

13 Retention of Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services, meet legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, maintain business records.

As a general guide, we retain information for the following periods:

  • Financial and invoicing records — 7 years (in accordance with the Companies Act 1993 and Income Tax Act 2007)
  • Client engagement records — for the duration of the engagement and 3 years following termination
  • General correspondence and communications — 2 years following last contact
  • Employee and contractor records — 7 years following the end of engagement

When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

14 Third-Party Platforms

Clients may provide propela with access to third-party software and systems including accounting platforms, social media accounts, CRMs and communication tools. propela is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of third-party platforms and recommends clients review the privacy policies of those providers separately.

15 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify clients of material changes by email or notice on our website. The latest version will always be available at www.propela.co.nz. Continued use of our services following reasonable notice of any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

16 Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to request access or correction of your personal information, please contact:

Propela Limited

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.propela.co.nz

Location: Cambridge, New Zealand