Agreement on the use of your personal data
NB: The following provisions outline the entire agreement between you and your Grand Lodge on how your personal data shall be used or processed by Grand Lodge going forwards. This Agreement supersedes all and any previously existing agreements.
Your data
Section I sets out how your data will be used if you apply for initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining a Lodge or Chapter.
Section II sets out how your data will be used if you are a Freemason.
Section III sets out how your data may be used by Masonic charities if you are a Freemason.
Section IV provides more detail about how data about any criminal convictions will be used if applicable.
Section V provides more detail about how your data will be stored for archive purposes in the public interest and for historical research.
Section VI provides more detail about how your data may be used to send any future Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta publication or circular to you if you are a Freemason.
Section VII sets out how your data may be used if you choose to communicate with, volunteer for, serve on the committees of, visit or work for the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta or a Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons.
Section VIII contains some denitions for terms used in this notice.
If you have any questions about this notice then please contact [email protected]
I. Application for initiation, joining or re-joining and exaltation
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 Masonic applications you may make.
The assessment of your application will include discussion of some of your personal details during the proposal which is done in Open Lodge or in 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.
You can withdraw your consent and request erasure of your application data at any time prior to your initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining by notifying your proposer and seconder that you wish to cancel your application.
II. Use of your data when you are a Freemason
As a Freemason your data will be processed, retained and shared for any reasonable purposes required by the Book of Constitution, the Royal Arch Regulations or the bodies they sanction from time to time. These purposes include, but are not limited to, the following purposes:
1. Assessing any Masonic applications you make;
2. Registering you as a member of Freemasonry;
3. Receiving communications to which you are entitled as a Mason;
4. Recording the progress of your career in Freemasonry;
5. Masonic disciplinary processes;
6. If you resign or are expelled from membership, maintaining records to prevent you from improperly re- applying for membership; and
7. Maintaining records of your career in Freemasonry for archive and historical purposes.
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 the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta using the processes prescribed by the respective provision for resignation from Grand Lodge. 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 indenitely 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 immediately after you resign from a Lodge or Chapter to contact you for the purposes of understanding why you resigned and if applicable to assist you in nding an appropriate Lodge to join.
You may request access to the data held about you by each Masonic entity, and rectication of that data if applicable, or object to the processing of that data, by submitting a request to the relevant Masonic entity.
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. The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta and the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta are at 6&7, Triq Marsamxett, Valletta. The data protection ofcer can be contacted at [email protected]
The legal basis on which your personal data will be used in accordance with this Section II are:
a. the legitimate interests of Masonic entities as not for prot membership organisations; and
b. the fullment of contractual obligations owed to you by your Lodge or Chapter supported by itsafliated Masonic entities.
III. Masonic charities
Masonic charities need to keep their donor databases accurate and up to date. If you choose to provide your name and residential address to any Masonic charity initiative, then Masonic entities may permit those Masonic charities to verify their donor databases against your name and address data that Masonic entities hold. The legal basis for this processing is the legitimate interests of that charity.
Masonic charities provide, among other work, support to Masons, former Masons and their relatives. Masonic entities would like to be able to share your personal data with recognised Masonic charities so that the charities can process it:
1. on receipt of an application for relief, to determine whether you or your relatives are eligiblebeneciaries; and
2. where you have separately consented to a Masonic charity contacting you with fundraisingmaterials, to allow that charity to update your contact details in their fundraising database byviewing your contact details held by Masonic entities.
Your data will not be processed by Masonic charities for purposes 1. or 2. of this Section III unless you have provided your consent. You may change these two optional consents at any time by emailing [email protected].
IV. Criminal convictions
Criminal conviction data will only be used by your Lodge or the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta to:
1. determine your suitability to become a Freemason;
2. determine your suitability to remain a Freemason; or
3. maintain records to prevent you from improperly re-applying for membership if you have ceased tobe 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. 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, such criminal conviction must be reported to your Lodge Worshipful Master and the Grand Secretary in accordance as per instructions under the relevant clause on such topic within the Book of Constitution. The Master of your Lodge may also report such convictions to other Masonic entities in accordance with the Book of Constitution and the disciplinary provisions within. These reports are made 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-prot bodies” exemption to permit processing of criminal convictions data.
V. 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 SGLoM Archive. The records which are loaned are transferred permanently to the Archive when the Lodge or Grand Lodge considers appropriate.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta restricts access to the records for 70 years except where they might contain sensitive personal information in which case access is restricted for 100 years. These periods are subject to change to reect best practice. During this time only you or your legal representative will be able to view your personal data.
VI. Possible future SGLoM circulations or periodicals
Every subscribing member of a Lodge may at some point in the future, become entitled to receive a copy of a SGLoM circular or periodical. Were any such publication to materialise, it would be ultimately controlled by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta. If you are entitled to receive a copy then your name and address or email address will be shared with Grand Lodge for the sole purpose of sending the publication, in hard copy or email format to you. The legal basis for this use of your data is the legitimate interests of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta as a membership organisation. If you would prefer not to receive any such publications or circulars in hard copy, please request the Grand Secretary to delete you from any such mail.
VII. Other uses
Communications – If you communicate with the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta or its Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons 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 Constitution or Royal Arch Regulations, check any instructions given to them 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 its Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons may use to collect feedback after their events then the data you submit may be used to contact you if there are specic 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 its Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons 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 efciently including security passes and login details if applicable. The legal basis for this processing is your consent.
If you accept promotion to a Grand Rank then your name and ofce will be printed in relevant Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta Communication Transactions and elsewhere. Your contact details may be included in relevant yearbooks and elsewhere to the extent necessary so that you can be contacted in order to discharge the functions of your ofce.
If you choose to use a public wi internet access belonging to the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta will store and process details of that device for the purpose of providing the wi to you. The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta may also store and process your details and those of websites that you visit using the wi for its monitoring and administrative purposes and for crime prevention purposes.
Employees and contractors
The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta and the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons will use the data of contractors for the purposes of performing their contracts and for any other purposes which are required by the law.
VIII. Denitions
“SGLoM” means the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta.
“Book of Constitution” means the General Laws and Regulations for the Government of the Craft of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta from time to time.
“Masonic entities” includes any Lodges or Chapters you join or have joined, their Grand Lodge and Chapters and the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta. Each applicable Masonic entity will be a data controller.
“Royal Arch Regulations” means the General Regulations of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta Grand Chapter from time to time.
If you have any questions or complaints about how your data is processed please contact the relevant Masonic entity. If you have raised your concerns but not received a satisfactory response you have the right to complain to the
Ofce of the Information & Data Protection Commissioner 2 Airways House Triq il-Kbira,
Sliema – SLM 1549, MALTA Tel: +356 23 287 100