Section I Applying to join (initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining).
Section II Use of Freemasons’ data by Masonic entities.
Section III Use of Freemasons’ data for events
Section IV Use of Freemasons’ data by Masonic charities.
Section V Use of criminal convictions data.
Section VI Use of data for archive purposes in the public interest and for historical research.
Section VII Sharing your data with another recognised Grand Lodge.
Section IX Sharing your data with another Masonic Order.
The Appendix lists the categories of data processed under sections I – IX.

If you have any questions about this notice then please contact [email protected] or write to The Data Protection Officer, Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta, 6&7, Triq Marsamexett, Valletta, Malta.

I. Applying to join (initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining)
If you express interest in joining Freemasonry and provide data to a Masonic Entity, that data will be used to assess your eligibility and to try to find the right Lodge for you. The data may be shared by the Masonic Entity which collected the data with other Masonic Entities local to where you live or spend time.
As a candidate, you consent to the processing, retention and sharing of your personal data submitted on or with your application, including details of criminal convictions if applicable, for the purpose of assessing your membership application and any other membership applications you may make to Masonic entities. If you choose to answer the optional questions about your religion and ethnicity these will not be visible to those assessing your membership application(s) and will be used for the sole purpose of equalities monitoring.
The assessment of your application will include printing some of your personal details on the summons which is sent to all of the members of the Lodge or Chapter to which you are applying. Those details are your full name, age, profession or occupation (if any), place or places of abode, business address or addresses and names of your proposer and seconder. Your details will be checked against records of current members and of members who have resigned or been expelled for the purpose of verifying that you are eligible to make your application.

If you apply from outside the Malta then your data will be transferred to the Malta and processed for the purpose of assessing your application. It may be transferred from the Malta to Masonic entities local to you for the purpose of assessing your application.
The personal data in expressions of interest and membership applications is processed on the basis of consent. You can cancel your application at any time prior to your initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining by notifying whoever you provided your data to, or to your proposer and seconder. If you provide your data but do not complete your application within two years, it will be deleted. If you complete an application but are not initiated within ten years, it will be deleted. If you wish to delete your application data sooner then please contact [email protected].

II. Use of Freemasons’ data by Masonic entities
Masonic entities will never sell your data.
As a Freemason your data will be processed, retained and shared for any reasonable purposes required by the Book of Constitutions, the Royal Arch Regulations or the bodies they sanction from time to time. These purposes include, but are not limited to, the following purposes:
Assessing any membership applications you make to Masonic entities;
Registering you as a member of Freemasonry;
Sending communications which you are entitled to receive as a Mason;
Recording the progress of your career in Freemasonry including memberships of Masonic entities, offices held, roles performed and meetings attended;
Masonic disciplinary processes;
If you resign or are expelled from membership, maintaining records to prevent you from improperly re-applying for membership; and
Maintaining records of your career in Freemasonry for archive and historical purposes.
The legal basis on which your personal data will be used for these purposes is the legitimate interests of Masonic entities as not for profit membership organisations. Additional data is commonly held by Masonic entities on the basis of consent. Examples of this include any photographs or videos in which you feature. If you have provided your religion or ethnicity this data is also held on the basis of consent.

Sharing your data
Please note that data provided to any Masonic entity will be shared with any other Masonic entity for which it is relevant. Also data about you created by a Masonic entity will be shared with any other Masonic entity for which it is relevant.
The proceedings of Freemasonry are not public but the quarterly meetings of Grand Lodge and of Supreme Grand Chapter are recorded in minute books which are made available to the public. If you choose to speak at these meetings then your name will be recorded in the minutes.
If you are a member of a Masonic entity based outside the Malta then your data may be transmitted to, processed and stored in the jurisdiction of that Masonic entity. Your data will also be stored and processed in the MALTA for the purposes set out in this Section II.

Resignation
You may stop your data from being used for all purposes except 6. and 7. above by resigning from the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta and, if applicable, the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Malta using the processes prescribed by their respective constitutions. If you resign or are expelled, personal data relating to your membership will normally be retained and processed by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta for 100 years for purpose 6. and indefinitely for purpose 7. Other Masonic entities may also keep historic records, for example once you cease to be a member of a Lodge your personal details will remain in Lodge minute books which cover the period in which you were a subscribing member.
Your data may also be used within one year of your resignation from a Lodge or Chapter to contact you for the purposes of understanding why you resigned and if applicable to assist you in finding an appropriate Lodge or Chapter to join.
If you resign while owing money to a Masonic entity, then your data may be used to contact you to seek payment.
If you resign from all of your Lodges and Chapters but remain a Freemason then Masonic entities may contact you by post to make you aware of Masonic events happening in your area.

Data Rights
You may request access to the data held about you by each Masonic entity, and rectification of that data if applicable, or object to the processing of that data, by submitting a request to the relevant Masonic entity. Where data is held on the basis of your consent, you may also request that it be deleted.
The secretary of your Lodge and, if applicable, Scribe E. of your Chapter will provide on request details of your data controllers and their contact details. Their data protection officer can be contacted at [email protected].

III. Use of Freemasons’ data for events
If you choose to attend events organised by Masonic entities your data will be processed, retained and shared to administer those events. This commonly includes your name on seating plans and attendance lists, details of your mobility needs and dietary preferences and your payment information and, if you owe money, your contact details. This data is processed on the basis of your consent except for the payment information and any personal data arising from seeking or obtaining payment, which is processed on the basis of the performance of a contract. This data is held up to 7 years after the event and is commonly shared with the venue and, if applicable, the caterers to the extent necessary for them to provide their respective services.

IV. by Masonic charities
Masonic charities need to keep their donor databases accurate and up to date. If you choose to donate to a Masonic charity, then Masonic entities may permit that Masonic charity to access your name and address data to verify your information. The legal basis for this processing is the legitimate interests of that charity.
Masonic charities provide, among other work, support to Freemasons, former Freemasons, their relatives, and dependants. When a Masonic charity receives an application for relief which is dependent on your status as a Freemason or former Freemason, for fraud prevention purposes it may be granted access to your personal data held by relevant Masonic entities. The charity may only use this personal data to verify your status as a Freemason to the extent that it is relevant for an application for relief it has received.

V. Criminal convictions
Criminal conviction data will only be used by your Lodge and the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta to:
determine your suitability to become a Freemason;
determine your suitability to remain a Freemason; or
maintain records to prevent you from improperly re-applying for membership if you have ceased to be a Freemason by resignation or expulsion.
Freemasons are expected to conform to high standards. In relation to purpose 1. above, as a candidate you must disclose any criminal convictions, except that you may choose whether to disclose a conviction if it is spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. The legal basis on which this data is processed is your consent. You can withdraw your consent and request erasure of your criminal conviction data at any time by notifying your proposer and seconder that you wish to cancel your application.
If convicted of an offence when a Freemason, you must report certain criminal convictions to your Lodge Master or the Grand Secretary in accordance with the Book of Constitutions. The Master of your Lodge or others may also report such convictions to other Masonic entities in accordance with the Book of Constitutions and the disciplinary processes of Freemasonry. The data in these reports and in any historical application forms is used for purpose 2. above and data in them can be retained for purpose 3. above. The legal basis on which this data is processed is the legitimate interests of the Masonic entities as membership organisations in upholding their values. The processing falls within the “processing by not-for-profit bodies” exemption to permit processing of criminal convictions data.

VI. Archiving and historical research
Many Masonic records which may contain your data are archived for the public interest and kept for historical research. When they are no longer needed by the relevant Masonic Entity they are loaned or given to the Library and Museum of SGLOM.

VII. Other Recognised Grand Lodges
If you are a Freemason and you choose to apply to join other Masonic Orders, they may request that you consent to Masonic entities sharing the details of your Masonic career, including certificates of good standing, with them for the purposes of enabling them to assess your application. If you do not consent, then we recommend that you make this clear on your application to that Masonic Order.
If you are subject to a Masonic disciplinary sanction then your name, address and sanction may be shared with other Masonic Orders or sent by other Masonic Orders to Masonic entities. The legal basis on which this data is processed is the legitimate interests of the Masonic entities as membership organisations in upholding their common values in accordance with the Book of Constitutions.

VIII. Other Masonic Orders
If you are a Freemason and you choose to apply to join other Masonic Orders, they may request that you consent to Masonic entities sharing the details of your Masonic career, including certificates of good standing, with them for the purposes of enabling them to assess your application. If you do not consent, then we recommend that you make this clear on your application to that Masonic Order.
If you are subject to a Masonic disciplinary sanction then your name, address and sanction may be shared with other Masonic Orders or sent by other Masonic Orders to Masonic entities. The legal basis on which this data is processed is the legitimate interests of the Masonic entities as membership organisations in upholding their common values in accordance with the Book of Constitutions.

IX. Other uses
Communications – If you communicate with the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta or the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Malta they may monitor, record, store and use any telephone, email, webform or other communication with you in order to communicate with you in relation to your query, respond to the issues raised or deal with them in accordance with the Book of Constitutions or Royal Arch Regulations, check any information you have provided, maintain records of recent communications for legal reasons and improve the quality of the services they offer. The legal basis for this processing is the legitimate interests of each as a membership organisation.
Surveys – If you complete any of the surveys that the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta or the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Malta use to collect feedback then the data you submit may be used to contact you if there are specific concerns raised but otherwise will be used in aggregated, anonymised form. The legal basis for this processing is your consent.
Volunteering – If you volunteer for any committees or other roles at the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta or the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Malta then they will process your name, contact details and any other personal data relevant to the role for the purposes of enabling that role to be performed safely and efficiently including security passes and login details if applicable. The legal basis for this processing is your consent.

The Appendix
Data of applicant/ someone who has expressed interest in joining
Category of Data: Name and contact details
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To determine eligibility for membership and to communicate with you about your application and about Freemasonry and any relevant local Masonic events
Category of Data: Post Code/ Country
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To identify local Lodges that might suit you
Category of Data: Date of birth, belief in a supreme being, profession/occupation, employer, business address, how long known by Proposer and Seconder
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To determine eligibility for membership
Category of Data: Criminal proceedings or convictions and professional, trade or other tribunal proceedings or convictions and findings of dishonest/ disgraceful conduct
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To determine eligibility for membership
Category of Data: Membership of similar organisations
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To determine eligibility for membership
Category of Data: Ethnicity and religion
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: For equalities monitoring
Data of a Freemason
Category of Data: Name, address, email and telephone number
Basis of processing: Legitimate Interests
Purpose of processing: To communicate with you and for the purposes required by the Book of Constitutions, the Royal Arch Regulations or the bodies they sanction from time to time (see Section II for detail)
To verify your details for a Masonic charity (see Section III)
Category of Data: Date of birth, age, occupation, information for official visits, administrative comments
Basis of processing: Legitimate Interests
Purpose of processing: For the purposes required by the Book of Constitutions, the Royal Arch Regulations or the bodies they sanction from time to time (see Section II for detail)
Category of Data: Title, preferred name, post nominals, alternative contact details
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To communicate with you in the manner you wish
Category of Data: Masonic career (comprising length of service, prefix, status, certificate number, dates of initiation, passing and raising, ranks, awards, posts, current offices, Lodge and Chapter memberships, foreign constitutions, meeting attendances, roles performed at ceremonies, references such as visiting officer reports or honours candidate comments) and memberships of mailing groups
Basis of processing: Legitimate Interests
Purpose of processing: For the purposes required by the Book of Constitutions, the Royal Arch Regulations or the bodies they sanction from time to time (see Section II for detail)
To share with masonic charities to which you or your relatives or dependants have applied for relief, to confirm your or their entitlement to that relief (see Section III for detail).
Category of Data: Photographs, quotes and videos
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To enable others to recognise you or to add your photo to briefings for visiting officers. To use for newsletters or publicity to which you have consented
Category of Data: Event attendance, seating plans, mobility needs and dietary preferences
Basis of processing: Consent
Purpose of processing: To administer events which you have chosen to attend
Category of Data: Payment information (personal payments)
Basis of processing: Performance of a contract
Purpose of processing: To administer events which you have chosen to attend and to collect payment.