Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 1, 2026
Last Updated: March 4, 2026

The STORY Group ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information entrusted to us. As a boutique executive recruitment firm operating in Ontario, Canada, we comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and your rights regarding that information.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information directly from you and, in some cases, from publicly available sources. The types of information we may collect include:

From Candidates

• Full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Resume and cover letter content, including employment history, education, professional qualifications, and skills
• Salary expectations and availability
• References and reference check information (with your consent)
• Information from publicly available professional profiles (e.g., LinkedIn)

From Clients and Business Contacts

• Contact name, job title, company name, email address, and phone number
• Hiring requirements and organizational information relevant to a search engagement
• Billing and payment information for invoicing purposes

From Website Visitors

• Information you voluntarily provide through contact forms or resume submissions (processed via Tally, a third-party form provider)
• Website usage data collected through Google Analytics 4 (only with your consent — see "Cookies and Analytics" below)
• Cookie consent preferences stored locally in your browser

2. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected, or for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances. Specifically, we use your information to:

• Match candidates with suitable employment opportunities at our client organizations
• Communicate with you about recruitment opportunities, application status, or service inquiries
• Conduct reference checks and verify qualifications (with your knowledge and consent)
• Manage client relationships and fulfill our contractual obligations
• Process invoices and payments
• Respond to inquiries submitted through our website
• Analyze website traffic and improve the user experience (with your consent)
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

3. Consent

We obtain your consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal information, except where permitted or required by law. By submitting your resume or contact information to us, you consent to our use of that information for recruitment purposes as described in this policy.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at the address below. Please note that withdrawing consent may limit our ability to provide recruitment services to you.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• With client organizations: When presenting you as a candidate for a specific role, we share relevant portions of your professional profile with the hiring organization. We will inform you before doing so and obtain your consent.
• With service providers: We use trusted third-party services to operate our business, including Tally (form processing), Google Analytics (website analytics), and Netlify (website hosting). These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually obligated to protect your information.
• As required by law: We may disclose personal information if required by a court order, subpoena, or other legal obligation.

5. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses a cookie consent mechanism. When you first visit our site, you are asked whether you accept or decline analytics cookies. Your choice is stored locally in your browser.

• If you accept: We load Google Analytics 4 to collect anonymized data about how visitors use our site, including pages viewed, time on site, and general geographic region. This data helps us improve our website. Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish unique users and sessions.
• If you decline: No analytics cookies are set and no usage data is collected.

We also use localStorage (a browser storage mechanism) to remember your cookie consent preference so you are not asked again on each visit. This is a functional preference only and does not track you across websites.

Our website does not use advertising cookies, remarketing pixels, or social media tracking scripts.

6. Third-Party Services

Our website integrates the following third-party services:

• Tally (tally.so): Processes form submissions for contact inquiries and resume uploads. Tally's privacy policy governs data submitted through their forms. View Tally's Privacy Policy.
• Google Analytics 4: Collects anonymized website usage data (only when you consent). View Google's Privacy Policy.
• Netlify: Hosts our website. Netlify may collect server logs including IP addresses as part of standard web hosting operations. View Netlify's Privacy Policy.
• Google Fonts: Loads typefaces used on our website. Font requests are made directly to Google's servers. View Google Fonts Privacy Information.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law.

• Candidate information: We retain resumes and candidate profiles for up to 3 years from the date of last contact, to match you with future opportunities. You may request earlier deletion at any time.
• Client information: We retain client contact and engagement records for the duration of the business relationship and for a reasonable period afterward to fulfill legal and contractual obligations.
• Website data: Analytics data is retained according to Google Analytics' default retention settings. Cookie consent preferences are stored in your browser until you clear your browsing data.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Restricting access to personal information to authorized personnel who need it to perform their duties
• Using secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS) for all website communications
• Selecting third-party service providers with strong privacy and security practices
• Regularly reviewing our data handling practices

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights Under PIPEDA

Under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

10. Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

We comply with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. We will not send you commercial electronic messages without your consent. If you have provided your contact information in the course of a recruitment engagement, we may contact you about relevant opportunities in accordance with CASL's implied consent provisions. You may unsubscribe from any communications at any time.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a minor, we will promptly delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will post any changes on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your personal information is being handled, please contact us:

The STORY Group
Privacy Officer
2275 Upper Middle Rd E, Suite 101
Oakville, ON L6H 0C3
Email: newchapter@storygroup.ca
Phone: 905-491-6984

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.