SBN Privacy Policy
This page is maintained by the Safer Business Network (SBN) to explain how the SBN intelligence platform (this application) collects, uses, shares and protects personal data when it is used by SBN Staff, SBN Members and SBN Partners.
Last updated: 22 July 2026.
Who we are
The SBN platform is operated on behalf of the Safer Business Network to help staff log member visits, help members raise concerns and submit intelligence, and help partners share Safe Haven reports, patrol activity and operational updates. Depending on the arrangement with the local scheme or partner organisation, SBN may act as a data controller, or as a data processor working under an information-sharing or data processing agreement with that scheme.
Scope of this notice
This policy applies to personal data collected through:
- the SBN web application (dashboards, maps, bulletins, tasking);
- the SBN reporting workflows for Staff, Members and Partners;
- Safe Haven reporting submitted by partner venues;
- account, sign-in and support communications with SBN.
The data we collect
Account data
- Name and email address used to sign in;
- Role in the network (staff, member, partner, admin);
- Organisation, business or venue you are associated with.
Operational report data
- Report type (staff visit, member concern, partner update, Safe Haven case);
- Business or member visited, engagement type, issues identified, actions agreed and any follow-up date;
- Safe Haven visitor details entered by partner venues (age band, reasons for attendance, actions taken, partners contacted, outcome, fear score, arrival time);
- Free-text descriptions and notes you choose to enter;
- Photos you choose to attach to a report;
- Approximate location (address, latitude, longitude) of the incident or venue when provided.
Technical data
- Timestamps of records you create or update;
- Session and authentication tokens needed to keep you signed in;
- Basic device and browser information generated by ordinary web requests.
How we use your data
We use the data described above to operate the SBN service, to build the shared intelligence picture across staff, members and partners, and to help SBN co-ordinate an operational response. The main purposes are:
Purpose 1
Running the SBN platform and your account
- Data collected
- Name, email, role, organisation, sign-in tokens.
- Source
- From you when you are invited to the platform or sign in.
- Lawful basis
- Legitimate interests in operating the SBN service, or performance of the agreement between SBN and the participating scheme/organisation.
- Shared with
- SBN staff and IT sub-processors that host the platform.
Purpose 2
Capturing operational reports (visits, concerns, incidents, Safe Haven cases)
- Data collected
- Report type, business/member visited, engagement type, issues, actions agreed, follow-ups, Safe Haven visitor details, free-text notes, photos, address and coordinates.
- Source
- From SBN staff, SBN members and SBN partners submitting the report.
- Lawful basis
- Legitimate interests of SBN and its members in preventing and reducing business crime, safeguarding vulnerable people and coordinating an operational response.
- Shared with
- SBN staff and authorised users of the SBN network with a role-based need to see the record.
Purpose 3
Intelligence, dashboards, maps and bulletins
- Data collected
- Aggregated and case-level operational data derived from the reports above.
- Source
- Generated from the records described in Purpose 2.
- Lawful basis
- Legitimate interests in providing SBN staff, members and partners with an accurate operational picture.
- Shared with
- Authorised SBN users; aggregated/anonymised summaries may be shared more widely in bulletins.
Purpose 4
SBN Decision Engine (AI-assisted recommendations)
- Data collected
- Operational report data described in Purpose 2, processed through a third-party AI gateway to produce briefings, service reviews and bulletin drafts.
- Source
- Generated from the records described in Purpose 2.
- Lawful basis
- Legitimate interests in helping SBN prioritise visits, patrols and member briefings.
- Shared with
- The AI gateway sub-processor used to generate the recommendation. Recommendations are visible to authorised SBN users only. Automated outputs are advisory; a human user reviews and decides.
Purpose 5
Security, audit and abuse prevention
- Data collected
- Account activity, sign-in events, changes made to records.
- Source
- From your interactions with the platform.
- Lawful basis
- Legitimate interests in protecting the platform and the data it holds.
- Shared with
- SBN staff and, where necessary, our hosting sub-processor.
Purpose 6
Legal obligations and lawful requests
- Data collected
- Any relevant information as requested.
- Source
- From your account and records of your interactions with SBN.
- Lawful basis
- Compliance with a legal obligation.
- Shared with
- A court, government body or law enforcement agency.
Sensitive information
SBN does not ask you to enter special category (sensitive) personal data. Free-text notes, photos and Safe Haven visitor descriptions may nevertheless contain information about health, vulnerability or alleged offences. Only enter what is necessary for the operational purpose of the report, and follow your local SBN scheme's guidance on what to record.
Sharing your data
Operational reports are visible to authorised users of the SBN network according to their role. We do not sell personal data. We may share data with:
- SBN staff and authorised member/partner users with a need to see the record;
- Our hosting and database sub-processor and the AI gateway sub-processor used by the SBN Decision Engine;
- Police, courts, regulators or other authorities where we are legally required to;
- Another organisation if the SBN service is transferred to it.
How we protect your data
- Role-based access controls and row-level security on operational tables;
- Encrypted transport (HTTPS) for all traffic to the platform;
- Authenticated access only to intelligence, maps, dashboards and reports;
- Least-privilege access for staff and sub-processors.
How long we keep your data
Operational reports and Safe Haven cases are retained for as long as they remain useful to the SBN operational picture, and after that in line with SBN's retention schedule and any legal obligation to retain records. Account data is retained while your account is active and then removed or anonymised when it is no longer needed.
International transfers
Data is hosted in the United Kingdom and/or European Economic Area. Where a sub-processor (for example the AI gateway) processes data outside the UK/EEA, we rely on adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses to protect it.
Your rights
- Be informed about how your data is used;
- Access the personal data we hold about you;
- Have inaccurate data corrected or completed;
- Have your data erased where the law allows;
- Restrict or object to certain processing;
- Data portability where applicable;
- Rights in relation to solely automated decision-making — the SBN Decision Engine is advisory and does not make automated decisions about you on its own.
You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children
The SBN platform is an operational tool for adult staff, members and partners. It is not intended for use by children.
Changes to this policy
We review this notice periodically and will update the "Last updated" date at the top of the page when we make changes.
Contact
privacy queries: your local SBN scheme administrator, or the SBN admin listed inside the platform.
Security concerns should be reported to the same contact and clearly marked as security.
For information about your SBN membership, contact your scheme directly.