Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Ascension Strategy Solutions LLC ("Company," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our websites (ascensionstrategy.solutions, durabilityscore.com, growai.academy), use our assessment tools, purchase our products, or engage our services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using our Services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our Services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways depending on how you interact with us:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, organization name, and mailing address when you contact us, request a consultation, or sign up for our services
• Assessment Responses: Information you provide when completing our Operational Durability Assessment or other assessment tools, including organization type, staff size, current tools, security practices, and concerns
• Account Information: Email address, password, and profile details when you create an account for our digital products (such as GrowAI Academy)
• Payment Information: Billing address and payment method details when you purchase our products or services (payment card information is processed by our third-party payment processor and is not stored on our servers)
• Communications: Content of emails, messages, or other communications you send to us
• Client Engagement Data: Information shared during discovery calls, consultations, and service engagements, which may include sensitive organizational information

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access our websites, we automatically collect limited technical information necessary for site functionality:

• Session Data: Temporary identifiers to maintain your session while using our sites (e.g., keeping you logged in, preserving assessment progress)
• Server Logs: Basic access logs including IP address, browser type, and pages requested, retained for security and troubleshooting purposes

We do not use third-party analytics services or tracking technologies.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive limited information about you from third parties, including:

• Payment processors confirming transaction status
• Business partners referring you to our services

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Providing Services

• Deliver our consulting, implementation, and training services
• Process and complete transactions
• Provide assessment results and recommendations
• Grant access to digital products and course materials
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support

3.2 Communications

• Send transactional emails (purchase confirmations, account updates, service notifications)
• Deliver assessment results and follow-up recommendations
• Send marketing communications about our services and products (with your consent)
• Share relevant content, updates, and resources

3.3 Security and Operations

• Maintain and improve website functionality
• Monitor and prevent fraud or abuse
• Troubleshoot technical issues

3.4 Legal and Compliance

• Comply with legal obligations
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• Respond to lawful requests from public authorities (see Section 6.3)

4. Third-Party Service Providers

We work with a limited number of third-party service providers to operate our business. These providers have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf. We select providers with strong privacy practices and, where possible, choose services based in jurisdictions with robust data protection laws.

4.1 Email Communications

We use Proton Mail (Proton AG, Switzerland) to send transactional emails. Proton Mail provides end-to-end encryption and operates under Swiss privacy law. Your email address is shared with this provider solely to deliver:

• Assessment results
• Booking confirmations and reminders
• Payment receipts
• Service-related notifications

4.2 Payment Processing

We use Square to process payment transactions. Your payment card information is provided directly to Square and is never stored on our servers. Square is PCI-DSS compliant.

4.3 AI and Automation Tools

We use artificial intelligence tools, including Anthropic's Claude API, to enhance our services. This includes:

• Processing discovery call transcripts to extract key information (after anonymization)
• Generating recommendations and analysis
• Powering AI-assisted features in our digital products

Privacy Safeguards: Before any client information is processed through AI tools, we anonymize sensitive data by removing or replacing identifying information such as names, organization names, and specific details. We do not use client data to train AI models. Our use of AI is designed to enhance service delivery while protecting your privacy.

4.4 Video Conferencing

We use 8x8/Jitsi for video meetings. Meeting links are generated for scheduled sessions. We do not record meetings without your explicit consent.

4.5 Hosting and Infrastructure

Our websites and services are hosted on secure servers. We use industry-standard security measures to protect data in transit and at rest.

5. Cookie Policy

5.1 What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit.

5.2 Cookies We Use

We use only essential cookies required for basic website functionality:

• Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that maintain your session while using our sites. These keep you logged in, preserve your assessment progress, and enable security features like CSRF protection. Session cookies are automatically deleted when you close your browser.

We do not use:

• Analytics or tracking cookies
• Advertising or marketing cookies
• Third-party cookies of any kind

5.3 Cookie Consent

Because we only use essential cookies necessary for site functionality, we do not require a cookie consent banner. You can still control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling session cookies may prevent you from logging in or completing assessments.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your data. We do not share your data with third parties for their own purposes. Your information is shared only as specifically described in this policy.

6.1 Service Providers

We share information with the third-party vendors described in Section 4, solely to perform services on our behalf. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the specific purposes we authorize. We do not permit these providers to use your data for their own marketing or other purposes.

6.2 With Your Consent

We may share your information when you give us explicit consent to do so.

6.3 Law Enforcement and Legal Requests

We are committed to protecting your privacy while complying with the law. Our policy regarding legal requests is strict:

• Judicial Oversight Required: We require a valid subpoena, court order, or warrant signed by a judge before disclosing user data to law enforcement or government agencies. We do not respond to informal requests.
• Right to Legal Counsel: We reserve the right to consult with an attorney before responding to any legal request for user data.
• Scope Limitation: We provide only the specific information required by the legal process and nothing more.
• User Notification: Where legally permitted, we will notify affected users of legal requests for their data.
• No Voluntary Collaboration: We do not participate in voluntary data-sharing programs with law enforcement or government agencies. We do not make "good faith" disclosures outside of the strict legal process requirements described above.

6.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.

6.5 Protection of Rights

We may disclose information when necessary to investigate or take action regarding potential violations of our Terms of Service or suspected fraud.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
• Secure server infrastructure with access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• Anonymization of sensitive data before AI processing

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specifically:

• Client Engagement Data: Retained for the duration of our business relationship plus 7 years for legal and tax compliance purposes
• Assessment Data: Retained for 2 years to provide follow-up services, unless you request earlier deletion
• Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for 1 year after account closure
• Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Server Logs: Retained for 90 days for security purposes

You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at info@ascensionstrategy.solutions. We will comply with deletion requests unless we are legally required to retain certain information.

9. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

9.1 Access and Portability

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this information in a commonly used, machine-readable format where technically feasible.

9.2 Correction

You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

9.3 Deletion

You may request that we delete your personal information. We will comply with such requests unless we need to retain the information for legal compliance, to complete a transaction, or for other legitimate business purposes.

9.4 Marketing Opt-Out

You can opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Contacting us at info@ascensionstrategy.solutions

Note that opting out of marketing emails does not affect transactional emails related to your purchases or account.

9.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@ascensionstrategy.solutions. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

10. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: You can request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you
• Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

To submit a CCPA request, contact us at info@ascensionstrategy.solutions or call (888) 683-6576.

11. International Data Transfers

Our services are operated in the United States. Some of our service providers (such as Proton Mail) are based in other jurisdictions with strong privacy protections. If you are located outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries. By using our Services, you consent to this transfer.

We take steps to ensure that your data receives appropriate protection in accordance with this Privacy Policy regardless of where it is processed.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at info@ascensionstrategy.solutions, and we will take steps to delete such information.

13. Third-Party Links

Our websites may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of our Services after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Ascension Strategy Solutions LLC
1100 Peachtree St, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30309
Email: info@ascensionstrategy.solutions
Phone: (888) 683-6576

For privacy-related requests, please include "Privacy Request" in your subject line to help us respond promptly.