Privacy policy

Effective date: 10 September 2025

Controller: Embracing Imperfection Ltd (“ we ”, “ us ”, “ our ”)

Registered in England & Wales: 16571876

Registered office: 86-90, Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom

Contact: hello@embracingimperfection.com

This notice explains how we handle your personal data when you use:

• Embracing Imperfection Academy at courses.embracingimperfection.com (our LearnWorlds school for accounts, courses, community and checkout), and
  

• embracingimperfection.com (our MailerLite-powered marketing website, forms, blog and newsletter).
  

We are the data controller for both sites under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1) What we collect

1.1 You give to us

• Account & profile (Academy): name, email, password, optional photo/biography.
  

• Purchases & enrolments (Academy): course(s) you buy or enrol in, coupons used, billing country.
  

• Community (Academy): posts, comments, messages and any content you upload.
  

• Forms & newsletter (Marketing site): name (optional), email, topics of interest, consent choices.
  

• Support: information you send to our help inbox or contact forms.
  

We do not store full payment card numbers. Card data is handled by our payment provider.

1.2 Collected automatically

• Device & log data: IP address, device/browser type, operating system, time zone.
  

• Usage data (Academy): pages viewed, buttons clicked, course progress, dates/times.
  

• Email analytics (marketing only): opens, clicks, unsubscribes (if you opt in).
  

1.3 From third parties

• Payment status from our payment processor (e.g., success, failure, refund).
  

• Security/anti-fraud signals from service providers.
  

2) Why we use your data (lawful bases)

We process personal data only where we have a legal basis:

• Contract — to create your account; provide access to courses, downloads and community; process payments; provide support; issue certificates.
  

• Legitimate interests — to operate, secure and improve the sites; prevent abuse/fraud; understand what content is helpful; maintain business records. We balance these interests against your rights.
  

• Consent — to send newsletters/marketing; to set non-essential cookies or similar technologies. You can withdraw consent at any time.
  

• Legal obligation — tax, accounting and compliance with lawful requests.
  

We do not make solely automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects.

3) How we use your data

• Deliver and personalise courses and site features.
  

• Process orders, payments, refunds and receipts.
  

• Provide community spaces and moderate content per our Terms.
  

• Send service emails (e.g., enrolment confirmations, password resets, course notices).
  

• Send marketing emails only if you opt in (you can unsubscribe at any time).
  

• Analyse aggregated usage to improve learning experience and site usability.
  

• Protect the security and integrity of the services and investigate misuse.
  

4) Cookies & similar technologies

We use cookies to run the sites (e.g., sign-in, checkout) and—if you consent—to measure performance and improve marketing. See our Cookie Policy for details and manage preferences via Cookie Settings on either site.

5) Who processes your data for us (processors)

We share data with trusted providers who act on our instructions:

• LearnWorlds — course hosting, community and progress tracking (Academy).
  

• Stripe — secure payment processing and fraud prevention (Academy checkout).
  

• MailerLite — website hosting (marketing site), forms and newsletters (if you subscribe).
  

• Analytics & security tools we configure (e.g., Google Analytics 4, error logging).
  

We may also share data with professional advisers (accountants, legal) under confidentiality, with authorities where required by law, or in connection with a business reorganisation. We do not sell your personal data.

6) International transfers

Some providers may process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we use UK-approved safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or standard contractual clauses, plus additional measures where appropriate.

7) How long we keep data

• Account & course records: while your account is active, then typically up to 6 years for tax/audit.
  

• Community content: until you delete it or close your account (we may retain minimal logs for security/legal purposes).
  

• Support enquiries: up to 24 months from last contact.
  

• Marketing data: until you unsubscribe or object.
  

• Analytics data: typically 14–26 months, per tool settings.
  

We delete or anonymise data when no longer needed.

8) Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures (encryption in transit, role-based admin access, least-privilege, supplier reviews). No online service is 100% secure; please keep your password confidential and tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorised access.

9) Your rights

You can:

• Access a copy of your personal data;
  

• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data;
  

• Erase data in certain circumstances;
  

• Restrict or object to some processing (including direct marketing);
  

• Port certain data;
  

• Withdraw consent at any time (for marketing/cookies).
  

To exercise rights, email [hello@embracingimperfection.com]. We may ask for proof of identity and aim to respond within one month.
You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk | 0303 123 1113.

10) Children

Our services are not directed at children under 13. Purchases can only be made by individuals 18+ (or with parent/guardian permission). If you believe we hold data about a child under 13 without appropriate consent, contact us and we’ll delete it.

11) Links to other sites

We may link to third-party websites. Their privacy practices are their own; please read their notices.

12) Changes to this notice

We may update this policy from time to time. We’ll post the new version here and change the Effective date above. For significant changes we may also notify you by email or site banner.

13) Contact us