Your privacy

We are committed at every level to making sure that our communications with you are secure, considered and welcome.

All personal data is held and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Academy’s Data Protection Policy and any replacement laws, and, from May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Academy does not sell any of its data to third-party organisations. Data is not disclosed to external organisations other than those acting as agents for the Academy or alumni associations with whom the Academy has data-sharing agreements (ie ASRAM, the American Society for the Royal Academy of Music).

The Royal Academy of Music is committed to protecting your privacy. Any personal data stored in our database is held on the Academy’s secure servers, with access restricted to authorised personnel only. Most information that we hold will have been obtained directly from you, with some from publicly available reputable sources such as the Post Office’s National Change of Address database.

Personal data held and processed by the Philanthropy and Communications, Marketing and Audiences departments may include:

• Biographical information including your name, gender and date of birth
• Contact details and communication preferences
• Affiliations and other connections with the Academy
• Professional activities and employment
• Interests and extra-curricular activities
• Information you have publicly shared on social media
• Any volunteering activity for the Academy including alumni volunteering
• Family and partner/spousal details
• Relationships with other Royal Academy of Music alumni, donors and friends
• Donation history with information about areas of interest and potential to support the Academy
• Records of communications and interactions we have had with you
• Attendance at Academy events

Please note that we do not collect or store any credit/debit card details in our database.

This data is used by the Academy to support a full range of activities for our alumni and friends. We also want to ensure that the ways in which we communicate with you, such as sending Academy publications, information about or invitations to events, or informing you of our alumni benefits and fundraising priorities, adhere to your chosen communication preferences. Digital tools may be used to monitor the impact of the Academy’s communications, such as using email tracking to record when an email we send to you has been opened.

To ensure that our communications are relevant to you and your interests, we may use additional information such as geographical information and measures of affluence where available from external sources to assist us. This enables us to better understand you as our supporter and make appropriate requests for support.

Depending on your privacy settings and interaction with us on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we may cross-check your data to ensure that it is robust and up to date. We may also we may receive non-personally identifying demographic or analytical information from these services that enables us to better understand the reach and effectiveness of our channels and advertising.

The Academy commits to holding this data securely and treating it with sensitivity. Data will only be held for as long as it is necessary for the above purposes. Any significant changes to this Policy or to the way we treat your data will be communicated via the Academy website or by contacting you directly.

For more information, please go to the Privacy section on our website.

Opt out of or update information

If you have any queries, wish to update the information we hold on you, or do not wish to be contacted by the Academy, please inform us by emailing philanthropy@ram.ac.uk

We will, however, need to keep a brief record of your constituent ID to ensure that your data is not used for further processing.

The Royal Academy of Music is committed to treating its donors with care and consideration. However, if you have a complaint regarding fundraising activities, please download this document, which outlines the process.

Fundraising Complaints Policy and Procedures

Your philanthropic gifts are vital to the life of the Academy, and we are very grateful to you for your generous support. We are committed to treating you with care and consideration, as outlined below.

We will:

• use your gifts effectively and, to the best of our ability, as they were intended
• acknowledge your gifts promptly and keep you up to date about the impact your gifts have made
• respect your right to privacy and data security per the General Data Protection Regulation (2018) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (2003). We will never sell your name to a third party. You will find more information about how we manage your data in our Data Protection Statement above.
• maintain the highest standards of excellence in financial management, legal requirements and ethical obligations
• ensure that every gift the Academy accepts complies with our gift acceptance policy
• tell us how you would prefer your gift to be used, which we will honour to the best of our ability in accordance with the Academy’s needs
• remain anonymous
• request that the Academy update contact details and communications preferences at any time
• request a copy of your personal information held by the Academy or the Academy’s annual financial accounts
• confirm the Academy’s exempt educational charitable status
• ensure that the most talented students can attend the Academy, regardless of financial resources
• provide students with the highest-calibre instructors through endowed chairs, fellowships and masterclasses
• prepare students for professional careers by offering state-of-the-art recording studios, professional development services and performance opportunities
• invest in student services and facilities, including our internationally renowned instrument collection and the award-winning Susie Sainsbury Theatre
• bring world-class music to our communities through the Junior and Open Academies and other local initiatives

When the donor restricts the application of their donation, the Academy will apply the gift to the purpose originally stated (subject to the Academy’s acceptance of the gift). Should the Academy’s priorities or needs change, the Academy will seek an alternative use for the donation through the appropriate bodies, including the Charity Commission and the Governing Body of the Academy, and in line with legislation. We will continue to take into account the donor’s original wishes.

If you have any questions about this Charter, please contact the Philanthropy Office on philanthropy@ram.ac.uk or 020 7873 7459.