Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) Privacy Statement for BICA Members and Contractors
The Institute is committed to treating information about its members, and contractors with the utmost care and confidentiality. The Institute’s commitment to protecting the privacy of anyone whose personal data is held is in line with the Botswana Data Protection Act, 2024.
In accordance with the Data Protection Act, 2024, BICA members and contractors have the right to be informed of how the Institute collects, processes, stores and manages personal data. This Privacy Statement outlines how the Institute collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards its members’ and contractors’ data in compliance with applicable privacy laws.
Personal data collected by the Institute
Personal data is information recorded in any format that relates to an identified or identifiable living person. An identifiable living person is someone who can be identified directly or indirectly from an identifier such as a name, identification number, location information or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, economic or social identity.
As part of its operations, the Institute needs to obtain and process personal data, which has been grouped as per the below;
- Identity data- such as names, identification numbers, date of birth, gender, nationality, marital status etc.
- Contact details- phone numbers, email addresses, correspondence addresses etc.
- Educational data- including qualifications etc.
- Professional/employment data- including membership details, employment history etc.
- Financial data- Payment details for membership fees and services e.g. credit/debit card numbers, account numbers and bank statements.
- System unique identifiers
- Location data- physical addresses etc.
- Web tracking data- Information about how our website is used.
- Social media data
- Consent and preferences
- Business information for contractors- including company name, registration details, VAT number
The Institute may collect sensitive personal data, this is personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation and includes personal data relating to a data subject which reveals —
- Commission or any alleged commission by him or her of any offence;
- Any proceedings for any offence committed or alleged to have been committed by him or her, the disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings; and
- Genetic data, biometric data, and personal data of a minor.
How personal data is collected by the Institute
The Institute collects personal data through various methods to manage its operations and provide services to its Members and contractors.
- Membership Services: When individuals apply for membership and renewals, they provide personal information such as name, contact details, educational background, and professional experience etc.
- Online Portals and Websites: Personal data is collected when members create accounts, log in, and use online services provided by the Institute, such as membership registrations, membership renewals, accessing resources or updating their profiles.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs: Members participating in CPD programs may need to register and provide personal details, including attendance records and course completion status.
- Events and Conferences: When Members register for events, seminars, or conferences, they provide personal information such as contact details and payment information.
- BICA Qualification: Personal data is collected during the registration for exams, including identification details, exam results, and certification status.
- Apprenticeship: Personal data is collected for student placement purposes at Authorised Training Employers (ATEs).
- Networking and Mentorship Programs: Personal information is collected when Members participate in networking events or mentorship programs.
- Surveys and Feedback Forms: The Institute may conduct surveys or request feedback from Members, collecting data on their experiences, preferences, and professional needs.
- Communication and Correspondence: Personal information is gathered through emails, phone calls, and other forms of communication between the Institute, its Members and contractors.
- Payment and Billing Information: When Members pay for services, membership fees, or event registrations, their payment details are collected and processed.
- Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Actions: Data related to professional conduct, complaints, and disciplinary actions may be collected and stored.
- Managing supplier relationships: This includes collecting contact details to communicate about project updates etc.
- Processing orders and payments for contractors: This includes processing payment information to issue invoices and make payments etc.
- Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements: This includes processing the contractor’s information to comply with the relevant laws etc.
How the Institute Use Information
The Institute uses personal information to:
- Provide and manage membership and related services.
- Communicate updates, events, and services.
- Process payments and manage financial transactions.
- Improve our services and website functionality.
- Manage supplier relationships.
- Process orders and payments.
- Communicate on contracts and services.
- To ensure Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Why the Institute Collects and Use Personal Information- Legal Basis for using data.
- Membership Management: For registration/registration renewal purposes and to maintain accurate records of Members, including their qualifications, contact details, and professional status.
- Professional Development: To track and manage continuing professional education and training requirements.
- Communication: To provide Members with updates, newsletters, and other relevant information.
- Service improvement: To gather feedback and improve service offered to Members.
- Contract Management: To manage contracts and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
- Payment Processing: To process payments and manage financial transactions.
- Regulatory Compliance: To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as the Accountants Act, 2010, Accountants (Amendment) Act, 2020, Accountants Regulations, 2013, Accountants (Amendment) Regulations, 2021, Financial Intelligence (Amendment) Act, 2025, Financial Intelligence Regulations, 2022, Public Procurement Act, Income Tax Act and other relevant laws.
- Performance Monitoring: To monitor and evaluate the performance of contractors.
- Consent: Personal information is collected where consent to process personal data as per section 26(a) or where explicit consent is given in terms of section 30 (2) (a) of the Data Protection Act, 2024.
- Contractual Necessity: Information is collected to fulfill contractual obligations, such as membership agreements.
- Legitimate Interests: The Institute may process personal data based on legitimate interests to support its mission and provide valuable services to its members and stakeholders. These may include member communication, service improvement to understand member needs and preferences better, event management, regulatory compliance, research and analysis etc.
Disclosure of Your Information
The Institute may share information with:
- Service providers who assist us in delivering our services.
- Regulatory bodies and authorities as required by law.
- Legal and professional advisors
- Employers
Automated Decision Making
The Institute will not take any decisions about its members and contractors that are based solely on automated processing or profiling.
How Long is Personal Data Kept
The Institute will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined above or as required by law. Records related to qualifications and membership may be retained for archival and verification purposes.
Data Security
The Institute implements appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes;
- Secure storage systems
- Access controls
- Regular security audits etc
Rights
The Institute will uphold the rights of its members and contractors as per the below: Information on any action taken on data subjects’ requests will be provided without undue delay.
- The right to view their personal data, as well as request copies of their personal data.
- The right to request modifications to their data where they believe it is not current or accurate.
- The right to have their personal data erased when it is no longer needed by the Institute i.e. if the data has been unlawfully processed or if one withdraws their consent, unless there is an overriding legal or public interest in continuing to process the data.
- The right to restrict the processing of their data in certain circumstances – where they are contesting the accuracy of the data, processing is unlawful, the Institute no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of processing but the data subject needs the data for legal claims or they have objected pending the verification of whether the legitimate grounds of the Institute override those of the data controller.
- The right to request data portability- This right allows the Institute to share personal data with the data subject where the information was provided by consent by the data subject, and they can request for the machine-readable copy or for the information to be sent to another data controller.
- To withdraw one’s consent at any time where the Institute has consent to process personal data as per section 26(a) or you have given explicit consent in terms of section 30 (2) (a) of the Data Protection Act, 2024. Kindly access the BICA Consent Withdrawal Form here.
- The right to complain to the Institute on the contact details provided below.
Requests should be forwarded to dpo@bica.org.bw using this form – BICA Data Subject Request form.
Should you still feel your data protection rights have been violated, or that the Institute did not act in accordance with the Act, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information and Data Protection Commission.
Changes to This Privacy Statement
This Privacy Statement may be updated from time to time. Any changes will be posted on BICA website, and Individuals will be notified of significant updates.
Data Protection Officer and contact details
The Institute has appointed the Data Protection Officer. For any questions or concerns about this Privacy Statement on BICA’s data practices, please contact us at:
Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants
Fairgrounds Financial Centre, Plot number- 50374, Block 3,
Private Bag 0021, Gaborone
dpo@bica.org.bw
Tel: [+267] 397 2992
Fax: [+267] 397 2982
