Privacy Policy – World Cargo Logistics Ltd

1. Who are we?

World Cargo Logistics Ltd (“WCL”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a UK-based international freight forwarding company committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of individuals in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. These include:

• The UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”)
• The Data Protection Act 2018
• The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (“PECR”)
• The Data (Use and Access Act) 2025

As a data controller, WCL determines the purposes for which and the means by which personal data is processed. This role carries legal responsibilities, including ensuring that data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently, and that individuals’ rights are respected. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) and our reference is ZB983815.

This Privacy Notice outlines how we collect, use, share, and protect personal data when you visit our website, engage with our services, provide services to us or apply to work with us.

2. What personal data do we collect?

In accordance with the principles set out in the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 – including lawfulness, fairness and transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity and confidentiality, and accountability – we collect and process personal data across several categories, depending on your relationship with us.

Information on the personal data that we process is outlined below.

• Identity data such as:
  • Full name.
  • Date of birth.
  • Passport or national ID number (where required for customs or employment verification).

• Contact data such as:
  • Email address.
  • Telephone number.
  • Residential or business address.
  • Emergency contact details (for employees or contractors).

• Operational data such as:
  • Freight booking references.
  • Shipping tracking numbers.
  • Cargo descriptions and classifications.
  • Customs documentation and declarations.
  • Delivery instructions.
  • Cargo insurance details.
  • Port and warehouse handling records.

• Transaction data such as:
  • Payment details.
  • Bank account information (for invoicing and refunds).
  • Purchase orders and invoices.
  • VAT and company registration numbers.
  • Credit checks (where applicable).

• Special category data such:
  • Health information (e.g., disabilities or medical conditions requiring reasonable adjustments).
  • Racial or ethnic origin (if disclosed voluntarily for equal opportunities monitoring).

We ensure that all personal data collected is relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes for which it is processed, and we take steps to keep it accurate and up to date. This reflects our commitment to the data minimisation, accuracy, and storage limitation principles under data protection law.

3. How do we collect your personal data?

We collect personal data through a range of interactions and operational processes, depending on how you engage with World Cargo Logistics Ltd. This includes direct and indirect methods, all of which are designed to ensure transparency and compliance with data protection laws. The situations of how and when we collect your personal data are outlined below.

• We collect data directly from you when you interact with our website – for example, by submitting contact forms or requesting service updates. These interactions allow us to gather essential information to respond to your enquiries and provide requested services.
• We also collect data through direct communications, such as when you contact us by phone, email, or in person. In these cases, we record relevant details to manage your enquiry, provide support, and maintain a record of correspondence.
• When you engage our freight forwarding services, we collect operational and transactional data necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations. This includes shipment details, customs documentation, and payment information, which are essential for service delivery and regulatory compliance.
• In some cases, we receive personal data from third-party sources that support our operations. These may include customs agents, carriers, and technology platforms that facilitate logistics, compliance, and communication. We ensure that any data obtained from third parties is processed lawfully and in accordance with our data protection obligations.
• If you apply for a role with us, we collect personal data as part of our recruitment process. This may include information from your CV, application form, interview notes, and results of pre-employment checks. This data helps us assess your suitability for the role and determine whether reasonable adjustments are needed.

4. What is our lawful basis for processing your personal data?

World Cargo Logistics Ltd processes personal data in accordance with the lawful bases set out in data protection law. Each processing activity is assessed to ensure it aligns with one or more of the following legal grounds:

• Contractual necessity – We process personal data where it is required to enter into or perform a contract. This includes activities such as booking shipments, issuing invoices, managing supplier relationships, and administering employment contracts.
• Legal obligation – Certain data must be processed to comply with statutory requirements. This includes customs declarations, tax reporting, employment law compliance, and other regulatory obligations imposed by UK or international authorities.
• Legitimate interests – We may process personal data to support our operational and commercial interests, such as improving service delivery, maintaining IT and network security, preventing fraud, and managing business continuity. We always ensure that our interests are balanced against your rights and freedoms.
• Recognised legitimate interests – In some cases, we rely on legitimate interests that are recognised under law or regulatory guidance. These interests are considered necessary and proportionate.
• Consent – Where required, we seek your clear and informed consent before processing personal data. This applies to activities such as sending marketing communications or using non-essential cookies. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
• Vital interests – In rare and exceptional circumstances, we may process personal data to protect someone’s life or physical safety, such as during a medical emergency involving an employee or third party.
• Public task – Where applicable, we process personal data to carry out tasks in the public interest or to exercise official authority, such as customs reporting or fulfilling obligations under international trade agreements.

5. How do we use your personal data?

We use personal data for clearly defined and lawful purposes, ensuring that each use is necessary, proportionate, and aligned with our business operations and legal obligations. These purposes include:

• To manage freight forwarding and logistics operations, including booking shipments, coordinating transport, tracking deliveries, and resolving operational issues.
• To process customs documentation and ensure regulatory compliance, including fulfilling import/export requirements, submitting declarations, and liaising with border authorities.
• To issue invoices, process payments, and manage financial records, including billing clients, reconciling accounts, and maintaining audit trails.
• To communicate with customers, suppliers, and partners, including responding to enquiries, providing updates, and maintaining service relationships.
• To recruit, onboard, and manage employees and contractors, including reviewing applications, conducting interviews, issuing contracts, and administering HR processes.
• To improve our website, services, and operational efficiency, including analysing usage data, implementing feedback, and enhancing user experience.
• To send service updates and marketing communications, where permitted, including operational notices, newsletters, and promotional materials.
• To detect and prevent fraud, cyber threats, and unauthorised access, including monitoring systems, investigating incidents, and applying security controls.
• To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests, including cooperating with regulators, law enforcement, and courts where required.

6. Who do we share your personal data with?

We may share your personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for operational, legal, or administrative purposes. All recipients are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

• Third-party service providers – These include hauliers, airlines, shipping lines, courier companies, ports, airports, and other freight forwarded, insurance providers, digital media agencies, technology and compliance partners. They process personal data on our behalf under binding contractual terms that include confidentiality obligations and data protection safeguards.
• Recruitment agencies – If you apply for a role via a recruitment agency, we may share relevant personal data with them to facilitate the recruitment process, including interview scheduling, feedback, and onboarding coordination.
• Professional advisers – We may share data with external legal counsel, accountants, auditors, and compliance consultants to ensure our business meets legal, financial, and regulatory standards. These advisers are subject to professional confidentiality duties and contractual restrictions.
• Government authorities – We may disclose personal data to HMRC, border control, law enforcement agencies, and other regulatory bodies where required by law. This may include customs clearance, trade compliance, or responding to formal investigations or legal requests.

7. Do we transfer personal data across borders?

Yes, in the course of providing international freight forwarding services, World Cargo Logistics Ltd may transfer personal data across borders, including to countries outside the United Kingdom (“UK”) and the European Economic Area (“EEA”).

These cross-border transfers are necessary for operational reasons, such as coordinating with overseas carriers, customs authorities, and logistics partners. We take appropriate steps to ensure that any personal data transferred internationally is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

When personal data is transferred from the UK to a country outside the UK:

• If the destination country has been deemed to offer an adequate level of protection by the UK Government (known as an adequacy decision), the transfer may proceed without additional safeguards.
• If no adequacy decision exists, we rely on contractual safeguards, specifically:
  • The UK International Data Transfer Agreement (“IDTA”), or
  • The UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCCs”)
  • These legal instruments impose obligations on the data recipient to ensure that your personal data is handled securely and lawfully.

Where personal data is transferred from the UK and/or the EEA to a third country that does not benefit from an adequacy decision:

• We implement the EU SCCs approved by the European Commission, along with any supplementary measures required to ensure the data remains protected to EU standards.
• For UK-originating data, we also apply the UK Addendum to the EU SCCs to ensure compliance with UK-specific requirements.

We only proceed with transfers where we are satisfied that the personal data will be adequately protected.

8. How long do we retain personal data for?

We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the specific purposes for which it was collected, including meeting contractual obligations, complying with legal and regulatory requirements, and supporting operational needs. Retention periods vary depending on the nature of the data and the context in which it is processed. In line with the data minimisation, storage limitation, and purpose limitation principles under the UK GDPR, we ensure that personal data is:

• Not retained longer than necessary for the relevant processing purpose.
• Periodically reviewed to determine whether continued retention is justified.
• Securely deleted or anonymised when no longer required.

9. What are your rights under data protection law?

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights are designed to give you control over how your data is used and to ensure transparency and accountability in data processing.

• Right of access – You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data, and to obtain a copy of that data along with information about how and why it is processed.
• Right to rectification – You can request that we correct or complete any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
• Right to erasure – You may request the deletion of your personal data where there is no lawful reason for us to continue processing it, subject to certain legal and contractual exceptions.
• Right to restrict processing – You can ask us to limit the way we use your personal data in specific circumstances, such as while a data accuracy dispute is being resolved.
• Right to data portability – You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to request that it be transferred to another controller where technically feasible.
• Right to object – You may object to the processing of your personal data where it is based on our legitimate interests or used for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to withdraw consent – Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
• Right to complain – You have the right to lodge a complaint to us if you believe that your personal data has been processed unlawfully or that your rights have not been respected.

We aim to respond to all valid requests within one calendar month. Where a request is complex, we may extend this period by up to two additional months, in accordance with the law. If an extension is required, we will inform you of the reason and expected timeframe.

To protect your personal data and ensure that rights are exercised appropriately, we may request additional information to verify your identity before processing your request.

All searches and responses will be reasonable and proportionate, and we reserve the right to charge a reasonable fee for requests that are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights, please [click here to fill in our online form] or email us at privacy@wcluk.com.

10. What is our approach to data security?

We use a combination of physical, technical, and administrative measures to protect your personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, and disclosure. Access is restricted to authorised personnel who are bound by confidentiality obligations and act only on our instructions.

We apply data minimisation principles, collecting only what is necessary and retaining it only for as long as required. Personal data is stored securely using encrypted systems (where appropriate and destroyed safely when no longer needed. Our systems are protected by firewalls, access controls, and encryption technologies, and we assess vulnerabilities through audits and testing (where necessary).

We ensure data remains accurate and up to date, and we have procedures in place to detect and respond to any suspected data breaches.

11. What’s our position on cookies?

We use cookies and similar technologies to analyse website traffic and usage patterns and improve site functionality and user experience You can manage your cookie preferences via browser settings or our cookies pop-up.

12. How can you contact us?

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, wish to exercise your data protection rights, or need further information about how we handle personal data, you can contact us using the details below:

World Cargo Logistics Ltd
World Cargo House
36–48 Windsor Street
Chertsey, Surrey
KT16 8AS
United Kingdom
Email: privacy@wcluk.com

Telephone: +44 (0)1932 565616

We aim to respond promptly and professionally to all enquiries relating to privacy, data protection, and your rights under data protection law.

Last Updated: 15 September 2025