Privacy Policy
Last updated: 8 May 2026
Sail Onward HK ("we", "us", "our") is a sailing program operating under the Hong Kong Dragon Class Association in cooperation with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Charity Foundation. We take your privacy seriously and handle your personal data in accordance with Hong Kong's Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486).
This page explains what we collect, why we collect it, who has access to it, and how to get in touch if you'd like your data changed or removed. It covers only the website www.sailonward.org; data you provide through a school or partner organisation is governed separately.
What we collect, and why:
We collect personal data only when you choose to provide it to us. In practice, that means:
When you sign up for our newsletter (footer email field), we collect your email address - why: to send you occasional updates about the programme. Nothing else, ever.
When you send us a message via the “Get Involved” form, we collect your name, email, and any other details you choose to share (phone, organisation, message) - why: so we can reply to you.
When you make a donation through the Donate page, we collect your name, email, donation amount, and instructions - why: to process your donation, issue your tax receipt, and stay in touch about how your gift is used.
When you browse the site, we collect standard analytics data (anonymised IP, browser, pages visited, referrer) - why: to understand which pages are useful and fix what isn't.
We do not collect or process information about children under 13 on this website. Information about students enrolled in the Sail Onward HK programme is collected and handled offline, with the consent of a parent or guardian, and is not linked to any content on this site.
The tools we use:
We deliberately keep our tool stack small, and we tell you who they are so there are no surprises:
Squarespace hosts our website, runs our forms, and stores newsletter subscribers and contact-form submissions. Squarespace's privacy practices are available at squarespace.com/privacy.
Google (Gmail and Google Workspace) hosts our team email. If you write to us, your message is stored in Gmail until we no longer need it.
TrustArc powers the cookie consent banner you see on your first visit.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data, and we do not share it with anyone outside this list except as required by law.
Cookies:
We use a small number of cookies, all of which fall into one of the following categories:
Strictly necessary: keep the site working (login, cart, language). Always on.
Analytics: help us see how the site is used in aggregate. Off until you accept them via the cookie banner.
Functional: remember your preferences (e.g. dismissing the banner).
How long do we keep your data:
Newsletter subscribers: until you unsubscribe (each email includes a one-click unsubscribe link).
Contact-form messages: retained for up to 24 months after our last meaningful exchange, then deleted.
Donation records: retained for as long as Hong Kong tax and accounting law requires (typically 7 years), then deleted.
Analytics data: retained only in aggregated, non-identifying form.
Your rights under the PDPO:
You have the right to:
Ask what personal data we hold about you.
Correct any incorrect data.
Withdraw your consent at any time, for newsletters, by clicking unsubscribe; for anything else, by emailing us.
Ask us to delete your data, unless we're required by law to retain it (e.g. donation records).
We aim to respond to any of these requests within 40 days, as required by the Ordinance. There is no charge for a reasonable request.
Children's privacy:
Our website is intended for adults (parents, teachers, donors, volunteers, and supporters). If you are under 18, please ask a parent or guardian before sending us any personal information.
We collect data on students enrolled in the Sail Onward HK program (such as name, year group, emergency contact, sailing progress, and consent forms) entirely offline via partner schools, with the written consent of a parent or guardian. None of this information is linked to this website.
Security:
We take reasonable, industry-standard measures to keep your data secure, including HTTPS encryption on every page, restricted staff access to forms and donation data, and the security controls provided by Squarespace and Google. No system is perfectly secure; if we ever discover a data breach affecting you, we will promptly notify you and the Privacy Commissioner.
Changes to this policy:
If we make any material changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where the change is significant, notify our newsletter subscribers.
Contact us:
For any privacy questions, corrections, or data requests:
Sail Onward HK c/o Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Charity Foundation,
Kellett Island, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong SAR
If you believe we have not handled your personal data properly, you may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong at pcpd.org.hk.