Join AFME

AFME · PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 5 September 2026

The Association of Food Manufacturing Engineers (“AFME”) is operated by Lestrad Group Ltd. This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you use the AFME website, apply for or hold membership, contact us, participate in AFME services, submit content, advertise or otherwise interact with AFME.

1. Who is responsible for your information?

Data controller: Lestrad Group Ltd, operating the Association of Food Manufacturing Engineers (AFME).

For privacy enquiries, data protection requests or questions about this notice, please contact AFME through the Contact Us page. We will add any further statutory company and data-protection contact particulars to this notice as they become applicable.

2. Information we may collect

  • Identity and contact information, including name, email address, telephone number and account details.
  • Professional information, including employer, job title, role, engineering responsibilities, professional interests and membership type.
  • Membership application, approval, account and membership administration records.
  • Profile information that members choose to provide or make visible to other members.
  • Enquiries, correspondence, feedback and records of communications with AFME.
  • Content submitted to AFME, including questions, answers, articles, resources, event information, job information, supplier information and community contributions.
  • Commercial and organisational information supplied by corporate members, industry partners, suppliers, advertisers and other organisations.
  • Technical information generated when the website is used, such as IP address, browser/device information, security logs and cookie or analytics information where applicable.

3. How we use personal information

  • Assessing and administering membership applications.
  • Creating and managing member accounts and the My AFME portal.
  • Providing member services, directories, knowledge resources, events, jobs, community functions and Ask an Engineer services.
  • Responding to enquiries and providing support.
  • Moderating, reviewing and publishing submitted content where appropriate.
  • Administering relationships with corporate members, industry partners, suppliers, advertisers and contributors.
  • Operating, securing, maintaining and improving the AFME website and services.
  • Preventing misuse, spam, fraud and security incidents.
  • Meeting legal, regulatory, accounting and compliance obligations.
  • Sending newsletters, industry updates, event information or other direct marketing where we have an appropriate lawful basis and applicable electronic-marketing requirements are met.

4. Our lawful bases

Depending on the activity, we may rely on one or more lawful bases under UK data protection law:

  • Contract or steps before entering a contract – where information is needed to process membership, provide a requested service or administer an agreed relationship.
  • Legitimate interests – where necessary to operate and improve AFME, administer professional relationships, protect the website, moderate services and support the legitimate operation of a professional engineering association, provided those interests are not overridden by individuals’ rights and interests.
  • Consent – where we specifically ask for consent, including certain optional communications or uses of information. Consent can be withdrawn.
  • Legal obligation – where we need to process information to comply with applicable law.

5. Member profiles and directories

AFME may provide member profile and directory functionality. Information is only displayed in accordance with the relevant AFME profile and privacy controls. Members should not include confidential, sensitive or unnecessary personal information in public or member-visible profile fields.

6. Content you submit

Questions, answers, articles, comments, case studies, resources, supplier information, job information and other contributions may be reviewed or moderated. Where a submission is intended for publication, relevant author, professional or organisational information may be displayed with it. We will distinguish between information supplied for administration and information intended for publication where reasonably practicable.

7. Who we may share information with

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose information where necessary to service providers acting on our behalf, such as website hosting, email, IT, security, analytics, payment or professional-service providers; to other AFME members where a member has chosen appropriate profile visibility; or to authorities and other parties where disclosure is required or permitted by law.

Service providers acting as processors are expected to handle personal information only for authorised purposes and with appropriate safeguards.

8. International transfers

Some technology providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where UK data protection law requires safeguards for an international transfer, we will use an appropriate transfer mechanism or rely on another lawful basis for the transfer.

9. How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including membership administration, service delivery, legitimate business records, dispute handling, security, accounting and legal requirements. Retention periods vary according to the type of record and the reason it is held. Information that is no longer required will be deleted, anonymised or securely disposed of as appropriate.

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure. No internet-based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and users are responsible for protecting their account credentials.

11. Cookies and analytics

The AFME website may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for website operation, security and member authentication. Where non-essential cookies or analytics technologies are used, they will be addressed through our cookie information and consent arrangements as required by applicable law.

12. Direct marketing

Where AFME sends direct marketing, members and other recipients can object to or unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time. We will respect applicable UK data protection and electronic-marketing requirements. Service or membership administration messages that are necessary to manage an account or requested service are not treated in the same way as optional marketing communications.

13. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may have rights to request access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and to object to certain processing. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent. These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exemptions.

You have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.

To exercise a data protection right, contact AFME through the Contact Us page. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how AFME or Lestrad Group Ltd uses your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection.

15. Changes to this notice

We may update this privacy notice when AFME services, legal requirements or our use of personal information changes. The current version will be published on this page and the “Last updated” date will be revised.

Association of Food Manufacturing Engineers (AFME)
Operated by Lestrad Group Ltd
United Kingdom