Privacy statement

Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Statement applies to all users of our services, websites, applications, features, or other services anywhere in the world, unless covered by a separate privacy policy.

This Privacy Statement applies to the following categories of individuals,

• Shippers: shippers including their employees, or individuals who send a shipment;
• Shipment receivers: any individual who receives a shipment;
• Persons showing interest in our company and our services, or those who pay for these;
• Business partners: business partners, including their employees;
• Employment candidates: individuals that apply for a job with us;
• Employees.

Our procedures for data protection are subject to the applicable laws and regulations in the locations we are active. The procedures described in this Privacy Statement are only implemented if this is permitted by regional or local laws and regulations for data protection.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Statement because our services, the manner in which we process our personal data, or the applicable laws and regulations change. Therefore, we advise you to read through our Privacy Statement regularly.

Who is responsible

The legal entity that acts as your data controller determines how and why your personal data will be processed:

Types of data we process

We only process your personal data when required for a specific and allowed purpose.

Why we process your personal data

At DHL eCommerce, we only process your personal data when required for a specific and allowed purpose, namely:

• to perform a contract or when you take steps to enter into a contract with us;
• to comply with legal obligations;
• to pursue legitimate interests and to protect your and our interests. Through these means, we look to improve customer satisfaction, our services, and to make it easier to communicate and interact with us. We also want to provide you with a fast, simple, and cheap service, as well as strengthen our relationship with you and manage the possibilities arising from that. This allows us to optimize our routes, to protect your personal data, and to ensure that no prohibited and unacceptable goods find their way into our network. We will ensure that there is a balance between these legitimate interests. Where applicable, you have the right to object;
• consent that you can withdraw at any time.

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

For you as our customer 

To supply our products and services:

To manage our relationship with you, including:

To protect our / your products, including:

For you as a receiver

To be able to deliver your parcel 

For you as our business partner 

To provide services to us, including:

For you as an employment candidate 

To welcome you to our company, including:

For you as an employee

To welcome you to our company, including:

For everyone

To protect and secure your personal data, including:

Visiting our Website 

When you visit our web pages, we register your personal data that we need to allow you to access the website (e.g. IP address. date. and duration of your visit). Log files are kept to safeguard the functionality of our websites, as well as the security of our systems. We have a legitimate interest in processing your personal data. We delete your personal data as soon as they are no longer needed to achieve the purpose for which they were collected.

Using Various Apps or Web Applications

When you use one of our apps, we register the personal data that we need so you can use the app. We also register any preferences or keep track of certain data in these apps. If the web application in question is intended for customer or consumer use, any delivered and/or shipped parcels will be linked to your account. 

Screening a shipment

Shipments are screened to verify their contents, to check whether they correspond with the detailed description, to check their value, and to ascertain whether they comply with the applicable laws and regulations as well as our terms and conditions. We screen all shipments for security reasons to prevent any prohibited and unacceptable items entering into our network, and to detect any criminal offences or abuse. We have a legitimate interest for processing this data, as it ensures that you will benefit from the effective operation of our services and continual improvement of our products. 

Exceptions in the shipment process

DHL endeavors to deliver your shipment with the utmost of care and without delay. If we cannot deliver your shipment, it will be returned to the original sender. If no address can be found, then the shipment will be processed by us at the department set up solely for that purpose. We are permitted to open your shipment to find a return or delivery address.

Screening of refused parties

Refused parties are individuals or entities that have been placed on a list of refused individuals by a legislative authority, and who are prohibited from importing and exporting. These parties may have also been sanctioned by the legislative authority on the grounds of illegal activities such as engaging in terrorism, drug dealing, money laundering, or proliferation of weapons. Shipping to or from these refused parties is often prohibited.

Each shipment in the DHL eCommerce network is screened for refused parties. Shipment to or from potential refused parties may be stopped for further checks to determine whether the shipment is indeed prohibited. To speed up the release of the shipment, we may ask for a copy of your identity document.

Acting on the basis of your and DHL eCommerce’s legitimate interests, we process your personal data and are permitted to retain strictly necessary data for a limited period of time. This prevents any future shipments you send from experiencing delays due to the screening process. You retain the right to make a verbal or written complaint.

If you have any question concerning regulations, trade sanctions, and declined parties, please visit the websites of the authorities concerned, such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the US Government.

Telephone conversations and recording conversations

In certain situations, DHL may phone you to clarify contractual specifications, for feedback, or for marketing purposes. The legality of this is to perform a contract, act on the basis of a legitimate interest, or gain consent. 

When you phone us or we phone you, the conversation can be recorded in relation to a shipment, for training purposes, or for quality standards. We will process the recordings of your conversations with us in accordance with the laws and regulations for data protection and telecommunication. If your consent is needed to record the conversation, the recording will only start once you have given consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time. From that moment, the recording of all communication will cease. In countries where recording conversation is subject to a legitimate interest, you can object to the recording.

Customer feedback 

DHL may contact you to register your feedback and experience with us. Your comments help us improve our products and services. 

Digital communication channels

To make communication between yourself and DHL easier, we offer the option of contacting us using third-party communication channels (e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook), as well as through our own communication channels e.g. the chat or chatbot. These systems reply on the basis of key words, or redirect your request to an employee in a live chat. This is a quick and simple way to find out the status of your shipment or to obtain information on our products and services. DHL has a legitimate interest in processing your personal data for facilitating our communication. If you do not wish to communicate using this type of communication channel, please contact customer services. For more information on data protection practices by communication channel providers, please visit their website.

Cookies and similar technologies

DHL makes use of various technologies to store your user preferences or other information to ensure that you can use our services in the best possible and most efficient way. When you visit our website(s), you will be informed by means of a preference menu that we require your permission to use certain cookies, such as analytical cookies or similar technologies.

Geographical location

DHL collects your location data directly from you. We offer you an improved user experience on our systems by integrating map systems (e.g. Google Maps, Microsoft Bing Maps...). Your location can also be used for tracking shipments, finding locations, and delivering to DHL ServicePoints when you choose to divert your shipment. 

Video Surveillance “CCTV”

DHL has installed video surveillance cameras to monitor access to our buildings and other locations such as parking lots, as well as to monitor our business operations. Video surveillance is used to prevent unlawful acts and to guarantee the safety of our visitors, personnel, as well as our own and your property, and to monitor the operational processes at our facilities. Therefore, we have a legitimate interest for security and access control purposes that are necessary for the management of DHL’s buildings and those used by business partners during the entire logistics process.

Social media

We make our social media pages available, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn to improve our relation management with you and to communicate with you. Therefore, we have a legitimate interest in processing your personal data. 

DHL ServicePoints

It is possible for you to collect and send your shipments from ServicePoints located throughout the Netherlands. These DHL ServicePoints may be directly owned by DHL or a third party business partner (e.g. your local newsagents). If you choose to make use of a DHL ServicePoint, DHL will only process the minimum amount of strictly necessary personal data to comply with our contractual obligations. This may be to deliver your shipment to your chosen DHL ServicePoint or to send your shipment to the chosen receiver.

Payment partners

DHL offers you various payment options to simplify the process. We accept all major debit and credit cards, as well as payments via online payment systems. Your payment details will be processed according to the payment industry’s processing standards, to provide the service you requested, and to meet our contractual obligations.

How we collect your personal data

Firstly, we collect and use your personal data to collect, transport, and deliver your shipment.

We can collect your personal data directly or indirectly. When you actively share information with us e.g. by creating an account, contacting us, filling out a form on our website, or completing a questionnaire, we receive your personal data directly from you. When we receive your personal data from an external third party (e.g. a sender), then we receive your personal data indirectly. In this case, it is the responsibility of the supplier of data to ensure its accuracy and to transfer them according to the applicable laws and regulations.

Information for our business partners

We process personal data on your behalf as one of our business partners so that we can manage our contracts with you and receive services from you.

We only collect and receive personal data that is necessary for our agreed contractual purposes and will only share personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection laws and regulations, and limited to the agreed purposes.

We use your services to better serve our employees and our customers. This way, DHL guarantees that our customers receive a quality collection and delivery service for their shipments, shipment data management services, safety and security partners, audits, payment providers, and IT hosting.

How long we store your personal data

We will store your personal data for no longer than necessary to fulfil our purposes, perform our contracts, and comply with any legal obligations. 

We determine an appropriate and reasonable retention period by taking in to account the nature, sensitivity, and necessity of your personal data in conjunction with the legal requirements that are applicable in the various different countries.

We continually strive to limit the storage of your personal data to a minimum when the purpose, law, or contracts allow us to do so. 

How we protect your personal data

DHL takes the security of your personal data very seriously. We have implemented various strategies, controls, policies, and measures to keep your personal data secure. Our security measures and continuously being improved. We use safeguards such as firewalls, network intrusion detection systems, and application monitoring. Where appropriate, we secure your personal data by using pseudonymization and encryption techniques when storing and transferring your personal data. We ensure that there are strict, physical access controls in our buildings and certified data centers.

As part of our security strategy, we have set up audit programs to make sure that our systems and services comply with DHL Group’s information security policy, and by extension the ISO 27001 standard.

In addition, we are taking a number of ongoing measures to reduce risk, such as (but not limited to) training our employees regularly and organizing incident simulation exercises by our Cyber Defense Center.

The purpose behind this is to ensure the continuing operation of the IT system and the prevention of unauthorized use or loss of personal data.

Who we share your personal data with

DHL will only share or transfer your personal data as part of performing the objectives set out in this Privacy Policy, when this is permitted by the applicable laws and regulations, and when the appropriate safeguards are place.

We share your personal data to the following categories of receivers: 

• DHL Group entities: sharing is necessary among the companies of the DHL Group to deliver and improve our products and services. We can also share your data to manage our relationship with you, to identify you, and to comply with your rights on privacy.
• Business partners: transferring data is limited to what is necessary and allowed (e.g. to collect your shipment or to deliver a shipment to a DHL ServicePoint, in some regions to collect and deliver your shipment.)
• Government agencies: transferal is required according to the applicable law and regulations (e.g. to comply with legal obligations when processing of your shipment)

Your personal data is only transferred outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) to other entities within the DHL Group, external business partners, or government agencies, when this is permitted by the applicable personal data protection laws and regulations. In such cases, we will ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place when transferring your personal data (e.g. our binding corporate rules, standard contractual clauses). 

The DHL Group Data Privacy Policy on data protection governs our standards for the processing of your personal data.

We respect your rights

Legislation on data protection lays down several right that you can exercise:

Right to Obtain

You have the right to be informed about the data we hold on you and to view it.

This includes your right to request additional information about the categories of personal data that we process, for what purposes, the categories of business partners to whom the data may be sent, and your other rights regarding our use of your personal data.

We will respond within one month of your request, and if necessary, this period can be extended twice by one month.

Right to Rectification

You have the right to rectify objectively inaccurate personal data.

Right to Object

You have the right to object to certain types of data processing when this is based on a legitimate interest such as direct marketing.

Right to Withdraw Your Consent

You have the right to withdraw your consent with effect for the future at any time, if you have previously granted it.

Withdrawing your consent will not affect any previous processing since you had given your consent at that time. 

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to transfer your personal data to another controller. We will give you an exported file of the data that you have provided to us.

Right to Erasure/To Be Forgotten

You have the right, in certain circumstances, to have your personal data removed. When your right to be forgotten is valid, and only if necessary, a minimum of personal data on you can be retained to ensure that you are not contacted again. If you use our services again, you will then be treated as a new customer.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to request a restriction on how your personal data is used.

Right with regards to Automated Individual Decision-making including Profiling

Currently, DHL does not make any automated decisions that can lead to legal or other consequences concerning you. If we do so in the future, we will do so in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. You have the right to request a review of automated processing.

Please direct your request based on the above rights or any other queries related to the Privacy Policy to our Data Privacy Official (DPO), via this form.

DHL will not be able to process your request without sufficient proof of identity. Please note that the applicable data protection laws may impose conditions to exercise the above rights.

Privacy Requests and Inquiries (GDPR)

We handle all your requests and inquiries related to your privacy rights and the GDPR with the care they deserve. For questions about the processing of your personal data and your privacy, you can contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO).

Contact us

If we do not resolve your issues, you can file a complaint with your local data protection authority. For the Netherlands, this is the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens), and for Belgium, it is the Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit).

This privacy statement was last updated: April 2024.

Glossary

• Customer: Relating to this privacy policy, customer means both business and private customer 
• Business partner: Third parties providing services to us
  Communication channel providers: Third parties that provide their communication channels for our use
• Controller: The controller determines how your personal data is processed and for which purposes
• Data: Any personal data relating to an individual who can be directly or indirectly identified or who is identifiable
• DHL eCommerce: DHL, we, us, our
• DPO: The data protection officer ensures that data protection rules are adhered to by the company
• Processor: The processor processes personal data solely on behalf of the controller
• Shipment recipients: The party to whom the shipment is delivered, for example the receiver, neighbors
• Sender: The party sending a shipment through us