Last Modified: February 20, 2023
This privacy policy sets out how Method Procurement, LLC (“Method”) collects, uses and protects any information that you give Method when you use Method’s websites, mobile apps, social media pages, or any other products or services offered by Method (“Services”). Method is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. If Method asks you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will be used only in accordance with this privacy statement, as updated from time to time.
In some countries, including in the European Economic Area, some of this information may be considered “personal data” under applicable data protection laws.
Your information may be supplemented with additional information from other companies such as publicly available information, information about households and other information that Method may append or match to your information.
We may also receive or collect certain technical information when you use Method’s Services. This may include your browser or operating system, your manner of connecting to the Internet and the name of your Internet service provider or wireless carrier; your Internet protocol (IP) address; information about referring websites or services (websites or services you used immediately prior to using Method’s websites or other Services; exiting websites or services (immediately after using Method’s website or other Services); and data relating to malfunctions or problems occurring when you use Method’s Services. Additionally, Method may collect information about other software on your device for the limited purpose of protecting your security or improving your online experience.
Some web browsers incorporate a “Do Not Track” feature that signals to websites and Services that you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Each browser communicates “Do Not Track” signals to websites differently, making it unworkable to honor each and every request correctly. In order to alleviate any communication error between browsers and Method’s Services, Method does not respond to or honor “Do Not Track” signals at this time. As the technology and communication between browser and website improves, Method may elect in Method’s discretion to reevaluate the ability to honor “Do Not Track” signals and may make changes to Method’s policy. You may adjust your browser or operating system settings to limit this tracking or to decline cookies, but by doing so, you may not be able to use certain features on the Services or take full advantage of all of Method’s offerings. Check the “Help” menu of your browser or operating system to learn how to adjust your tracking settings or cookie preferences. To learn more about the use of cookies or other technologies to deliver more relevant advertising and your choices about not having this information used by certain Service Providers (defined below), please click here. On your mobile device, you can adjust your privacy and advertising settings to limit your tracking for advertising or control whether you receive more relevant advertising. Note that Method’s systems may not recognize Do Not Track headers or requests from some or all browsers.
We may use cookies, flash cookies, local shared objects, web beacons, pixels, single pixel GIFs, clear GIFs, and/or other technologies along with your information to enhance and personalize your experience and gather information that helps Method optimizes Method’s Services. You can choose to accept or decline some cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. However, it is important to remember that many of Method’s Services may not function properly if your cookies are disabled.
We reserve the right to make full use of Usage Data. For example, Method may use Usage Data to provide better service to Service visitors or end users, customize the Services based on your preferences, compile and analyze statistics and trends about the use of Method’s Services and otherwise administer and improve Method’s Services.
We do not rent or sell your personally identifiable information (such as name, address, telephone number and credit card information) to third parties for their marketing purposes. Method may share your information with third parties to provide products and services you have requested, when Method has your consent, or as described in this Privacy Policy.
Method may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information, publicly and with Method’s business partners like publishers, advertisers or connected sites. For example, Method may share information publicly to show trends about the general use of Method’s websites and/or other products or services.
The contents of your online communications, as well as other information about you as a user of Method’s Services, may be accessed and disclosed under the following circumstances: in response to lawful governmental requests or legal process (for example, a court order, search warrant or subpoena), in other circumstances in which Method has a good-faith belief that a crime has been or is being committed by a user of Method’s Services, that an emergency exists that poses a threat to the safety of you or another person, when necessary to protect either Method’s rights or Method’s property or for Method to render the service you have requested.
Many of Method’s Services let you share information with others. Remember that when you share information publicly, others besides Method has access to it, and it may be indexable by search engines, or copied, forwarded, saved or archived by others.
Our offerings may include features or functionalities provided by third parties, or may integrate or interact with third-party products and services (including, without limitation, via APIs, plug ins, links, frames, embedding, or other interactions). In the process of providing such functionalities within Method’s services, your browser or other tools or technology may send certain information to the third-party provider. The use of these third-party-provided features or functionalities is subject to their own privacy policies. For example, without limitation, Method may use a third party for ad serving, retargeting, remarketing and/or for analytics, in which case such third party may have access to your data, subject to its policies, or (y) use or partner with third party Group Purchasing Organizations (“GPOs”) ,third party consultants, or other third parties, and those third parties may have access to your transactional data. These third-party vendors may use their own cookies and/or other third-party cookies together to (a) inform, optimize, and serve ads across the web based on your past visits to Method’s Services and others and (b) report to Method how your ad impressions, other uses of ad services, and interactions with these ad impressions and ad services are related to visits to Method’s site. If and to the extent from time to time Method uses Double Click or another Google brand for ad serving, analytics, remarketing, retargeting, etc., you can set certain preferences and opt-outs using Google Ads Settings, and Google Analytics’, found here https://www.google.com/ads/preferences/ and here https://adssettings.google.com/.
Third parties may receive data about groups of Method’s users, but except as otherwise permitted herein, do not receive information that personally identifies you. Method may use agents and contractors in order to help operate Method’s Services. Their use of information is limited to these purposes, except as otherwise permitted herein.
In the event that ownership of Method was to change as a result of a merger, acquisition, or transfer to another company, your information may be transferred. If such a transfer results in a material change in the use of your information, you will be provided notice (which may be via updates to this page) about your ability to decline to permit such a transfer.
Any personal information which Method may collect via the Services may be stored and processed in Method’s servers located in the United States or in any other country in which we, or Method’s affiliates, subsidiaries or agents, maintain facilities. You consent to any such transfer of personal information outside your country of residence to any such location.
General Disclosure Policy. Method reserves the right to disclose your personal information as described below. Method reserves the right to disclose Usage Data without restriction.
Affiliated Entities. Method reserves the right to provide your personal information and Usage Data to any affiliated entities Method may have, including Method’s subsidiaries. Affiliated entities are entities that Method controls or that control Method. Service Providers. Method reserves the right to provide access to your personal information and Usage Data to Method’s trusted service providers that assist Method with the operation and maintenance of Method’s sites and services. For example, Method may contract with third parties to process payments, host Method’s servers, provide security and provide production, fulfillment, optimization, analytics and reporting services. Method will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that Method’s service providers will be given access to your information only as is reasonably necessary to provide the services for which they are contracted.
Successors. If Method sells or otherwise transfer part or all of Method’s business or assets to another organization, such as in the course of an acquisition, merger, bankruptcy or liquidation, Method may transfer your personal information and Usage Data.
Legal Process, Enforcement and Security Notice. Method reserves the right to disclose your personal information and Usage Data if Method has a good-faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary (i) to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request (such as for example, to comply with a subpoena or court order), (ii) to detect, prevent, and address fraud or other illegal activity and (iii) to investigate, respond to, or enforce violations of Method’s rights or the security of Method’s sites and services.
When Method Participates in a Joint Venture with Marketing Partners. Method may participate with another entity or individual for purposes of jointly promoting Method’s products, services, promotions or contests or their products, services, promotions or contests. Method reserves the right to disclose your information to them for purposes of (i) compensation, transaction processing, fulfillment and support, and (ii) for purposes of offering you other products, services, promotions and contests.
Your information may be used for the presentation of advertisements. Method may use ad networks to customize and display advertising on Method’s Services. Method may share certain information about you as a user (such as age, zip code or other information Method has collected or received) with certain ad network and service providers to help them deliver more relevant content and advertisements through their networks. Method may from time to time work with other companies for certain services such as analytics or advertising, and you may be subject to their privacy policies as well, though you may opt out through them directly or contact Method with questions.
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your information in the following ways:
We have established safeguards to help prevent unauthorized access to or misuse of your information, but cannot guarantee that your information will never be disclosed in a manner inconsistent with this Privacy Policy (for example, as a result of unauthorized acts by third parties that violate applicable law or Method’s and Method’s affiliated providers’ policies). To protect your privacy and security, Method may use passwords or other technologies to register or authenticate you and enable you to take advantage of Method’s Services, and before granting access or making corrections to your information.
For California residents: Method may share your information with third parties and affiliated third parties (such as local, state and regional affiliates and affiliate alliances) Method for direct marketing purposes. As these third parties and this category of affiliated third parties are considered an unaffiliated party under California law, you may opt-out of Method’s disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To opt out, please contact Method as described in the “How to Contact Us” Section below.
We will continue to provide your information to local, state and regional affiliates and affiliate alliances identified in your membership application or account for the purpose of processing your membership in such affiliate and affiliate alliance programs.
If you are a European resident, Method’s legal basis for collecting and using your personal data or information is to do so with your consent; where Method needs the personal data or information for performance of a contract, or where the collection and use is in Method’s legitimate interests and not overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights and freedoms. In some cases, Method may also have a legal obligation to collect the personal information in question. If Method collected your personal data or information with your consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time.
You also have the right to:
Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing Method conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent.
If Method asks you to provide personal data to Method to comply with a legal requirement or enter into a contract, Method will inform you of this and let you know whether providing Method with your personal data is required and if not, the consequences of not sharing your personal data with us.
Similarly, if Method collects and uses your personal information in reliance on Method’s or a third party’s legitimate interests and those interests are not already listed above (see “Information Use” section), Method will let you know what those legitimate interests are.
Your personal information is stored on servers in the United States and may also be stored or processed in other countries by Method’s service providers, if and to the extent compliant with law. You understand and agree that Method may collect, use, disclose, and otherwise process the information you provide as described in this Privacy Statement even if you are from an area outside the United States. Your personal information may be disclosed in response to inquiries or requests from government authorities or to respond to judicial process in the United States. Method will retain your personal information for as long as it is needed to provide you with the Services, or to fulfill any legal or contractual obligations Method may have.
If you are a resident of the EEA: Your personal information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which has data protection laws that are different than those in your country and may not be as protective.
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or its implementation, you may contact Method at connect@methodusa.com. If you believe your information is wrong, Method strives to give you ways to update it quickly or to delete it unless Method has to keep that information for legitimate business or legal purposes. When updating your personal information, Method may ask you to verify your identity before Method can act on your request. Method may reject requests that are unreasonably repetitive, require disproportionate technical effort (for example, developing a new system or fundamentally changing an existing practice), risk the privacy of others, or would be extremely impractical (for instance, requests for information residing on backup tapes).
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, and so you should review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of any Services constitutes your acceptance of any such changes.
Last Updated: February 20, 2023
