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Policies

Cobalt understands how valuable ideas and information are, so our policies and professional standards are designed to keep shared information and Intellectual Property (IP) secure and confidential.

As Cobalt is a recognised professional development firm, consulting us about your idea will not compromise any future IP applications which means you can safely discuss your idea under the protection of our Confidentiality Policy (below).

And as well as keeping project information confidential, Cobalt honours our obligation to respect and protect the privacy of personal information of individuals with whom we deal, in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), contained in schedule 1 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act).

However if you have any concerns or questions about these, please:

  • Contact us anytime;  we are happy to personally answer any questions
  • Contact us if you’d like to download our standard NDA (non-disclosure agreement), a specific legal agreement covering sensitive technical and commercial information; or
  • We welcome you providing your own NDA or similar agreement

Confidentiality Policy (Project Information)

 

In the course of planning or providing product design and development services, Cobalt and our clients or prospective clients will share confidential ideas, and other technical, project or commercial information.

Cobalt generally advises clients to establish a formal and mutually acceptable Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) as soon as practical. In the absence of such an NDA, Cobalt will adhere to the following Confidentiality Policy in relation to Project Information.

  1. Cobalt undertakes to keep all Project Information secret and confidential, except
  • As needed to perform our service or as specifically requested or agreed by the disclosing party; or
  • To comply with a legal obligation or government order; or
  • Obtaining professional advice in regard to our service from our insurers, accountants, solicitors or other advisors or from technical suppliers; or
  • Where the project information is readily available from the public domain or already known by Cobalt; or
  • After the project information becomes publicly known, or known through a third party, except where it does so by an unauthorised act or omission by Cobalt.
  1. Cobalt undertakes to return or securely delete/destroy any physical or digital records of project information within 5 business days of a formal request by the disclosing party.
  2. Cobalt acknowledges that intellectual property rights in any ideas, designs, documents, knowledge, drawings and all other intellectual property remain with the creator of that intellectual property
  3. Cobalt will continue the above undertakings for a period of 5 years after the initial disclosure or as varied in writing by both parties. 

Privacy Policy (Personal Information)

 

Collection of Personal Information

Cobalt collects personal information about you as a result of and in connection with our ongoing business relationship with you. Generally we will tell you why we are collecting the information, prior to or when we collect it. We do not collect sensitive personal information (such as health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or sexual preferences) about you. 

We usually collect personal information directly from you, although in exceptional circumstances we may acquire lists from other sources, both from other companies and documents in the public domain.

How personal information is used

We may use or disclose the personal information collected about you for: 

  • Providing you with the relevant Cobalt product or service
  • Managing or administrating the product or service
  • Performing other administrative tasks and functions including managing our business operations
  • Providing information about our products and services which we believe may be of interest to you
  • Helping to develop products and services that may be of interest to you
  • Maintaining our relationship with you

It may not be possible to provide ongoing service to you without the personal information you provide.

Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not give any outside organisations access to our client database. We will not sell or disclose personal information to other organisations, in Australia or overseas, for marketing purposes. 

We may disclose a minimum level of Personal Information to service providers who provide services in conjunction with our business (eg: suppliers, subcontractors, delivery companies), our insurers or financial organisations through which you choose to make payment to us. 

We may release personal information about you where you have consented to the disclosure, where there is a duty to the public to disclose that information, or where we are required to by law.

Opt Out

We will provide you with a low cost way of contacting us if you wish to opt out from receiving further marketing offers, via email or otherwise. Direct marketing offers will contain an opportunity to opt out from receiving further communications of this nature.

Security of Information

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will take reasonable steps to keep personal information protected from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. We use a variety of physical and electronic security measures including restricting physical access to our offices, firewalls, routers, network and host intrusion detection systems, appropriate encryption and secure databases. 

We will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer needed for any purpose.

Access to your Personal Information

You can access your personal information upon request. However, there are occasions where this access may be denied under the exemptions contained in the Privacy Act. If we deny access in some circumstances, we will advise you why.

Quality of Personal Information

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information that we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. You are able to contact us and ask for its correction if you feel the personal information we have about you is inaccurate or incomplete.

Dealing with Cobalt Online

If you visit Cobalt’s website to browse, read or download general information, our system will log these movements. These website logs are not personally identifiable and Cobalt makes no attempt to link them with the individuals browsing the site. 

Cookies

Cookies are data that a website transfers to your hard drive for record keeping purposes. Cookies can facilitate a user’s ongoing access to and use of a site. They allow us to track usage patterns and to compile data that can improve our content. This is anonymous statistical data and does not allow us to identify you. If you do not want information collected through the use of cookies, you may use your browser’s functions to deny or accept the cookie feature.

Availability of Privacy Policy

This policy is available upon request. It will be reviewed from time to time and any amendments will be included in the updated policy.

Privacy Inquiries

If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Policy or any privacy related dealings with us, contact:

Cobalt Design
17 Little Dryburgh Street North
North Melbourne, Victoria 3051, Australia
Ph: 03 9320 2200
Email: [email protected]

Payment Policy

 

Collection of Payments

As a small business ourselves, Cobalt Design believes that paying suppliers on time is not only fair, it keeps businesses productive, and business relationships strong.

Therefore we have proudly become foundation members of the Australian Supplier Payment Code (ASPC), a voluntary, industry-led initiative launched by the Business Council of Australia.

As ASPC signatories, Cobalt commits to these payment practices and policies;

  • Paying eligible Australian small business suppliers within 30 days of receipt of a correct invoice or receipt of a correct product from the supplier.
  • Paying correct invoices from suppliers on time.
  • Providing clear guidance to suppliers about the company’s payment procedures.
  • Working with supplier businesses, where practicable, to apply technologies and practices that will speed up invoice reconciliation, approval and payment processes.
  • Putting in place clear, fair and efficient processes for dealing with complaints and disputes about payment times and practices.
  • Reporting on company policies and practices in place to comply with this code.

Further information: You can read more about the ASPC here.