PRIVACY POLICY

Hewitt Consulting Group, LLC, also referred to as “HCG,” “we,” “us,” or “our,” respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how HCG collects, uses, discloses, retains, and protects personal information when you visit hcgconsultants.com (the “Site”), communicate with us, subscribe to our communications, schedule a consultation, make a payment, or otherwise interact with our online services.

This Site and HCG’s services are intended for individuals and businesses located in the United States. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services that HCG does not control.

1. Personal Information We Collect

“Personal information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked to an individual or household. It does not include information that has been aggregated or deidentified so that it cannot reasonably be linked to a person.

Depending on how you interact with HCG, we may collect the following categories of information.

Information You Provide Directly

• Contact information, such as your name, business name, job title, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
• Business and professional information, such as your company, industry, business needs, professional role, and information about a potential consulting engagement.
• Inquiry and communication information, including information you submit through contact forms, consultation requests, emails, surveys, questionnaires, or other communications.
• Scheduling information, such as your selected appointment time, time zone, meeting preferences, and related notes.
• Transaction information, such as services purchased, payment amount, billing contact information, transaction date, and payment status. Payment card information may be collected directly by a third-party payment processor. HCG generally does not receive or store your full payment card number.
• Marketing preferences, such as whether you subscribed to a newsletter, requested information, or opted out of marketing communications.
• Client and project information, including records, files, documents, or other information that you provide in connection with an actual or potential consulting engagement.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Site, HCG and its service providers may automatically collect:

• Internet Protocol address;
• browser type and language;
• device type, operating system, and device identifiers;
• referring and exit pages;
• pages viewed, links clicked, and time spent on the Site;
• dates and times of visits;
• approximate location derived from an Internet Protocol address;
• cookie identifiers and similar online identifiers; and
• information about interactions with Site content, forms, and features.

Information Maintained in Our CRM

HCG may use a customer relationship management system, or CRM, to organize and maintain information about prospective clients, clients, business contacts, and other individuals. CRM records may include contact details, communication history, inquiry source, appointment activity, project or service interests, proposal status, client history, marketing preferences, and follow-up notes.

Information From Other Sources

HCG may receive information from scheduling providers, payment processors, analytics and advertising providers, referral sources, professional networking platforms, publicly available sources, or other individuals and organizations that direct you to HCG.

2. Sensitive Personal Information

HCG does not seek to collect Social Security numbers, government identification numbers, account passwords, precise geolocation, medical information, or other highly sensitive personal information through general Site forms. Do not submit sensitive or confidential information through a public form unless HCG has specifically requested it and provided an appropriate method for submission.

Information provided during a consulting engagement may also be governed by the applicable proposal, services agreement, confidentiality agreement, or other client contract.

3. How HCG Uses Personal Information

HCG may use personal information to:

• operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Site;
• respond to inquiries and communicate with you;
• evaluate potential consulting engagements;
• prepare proposals, statements of work, and service recommendations;
• schedule consultations, meetings, and other appointments;
• provide consulting and related services;
• manage prospective-client and client relationships through our CRM;
• process payments and maintain transaction records;
• send newsletters, insights, service updates, and other marketing communications;
• personalize Site content and measure engagement;
• conduct analytics, attribution, advertising, and retargeting;
• detect fraud, misuse, security incidents, or technical problems;
• maintain business and legal records;
• enforce agreements and protect HCG’s rights, property, operations, and users;
• comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, subpoenas, and other lawful processes; and
• complete a merger, financing, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar business transaction.

HCG may use aggregated or deidentified information for analytics, research, planning, service improvement, and other lawful business purposes.

4. Cookies, Analytics, and Similar Technologies

The Site may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, local storage, and similar technologies. These technologies may be used to keep the Site operating, remember preferences, understand Site usage, measure marketing performance, prevent fraud, and support advertising or retargeting.

Google Analytics and Similar Services

HCG may use Google Analytics or similar analytics services to understand how visitors use the Site. These services may collect information such as pages viewed, session activity, browser and device information, approximate location, referral source, and cookie or device identifiers.

Advertising and Retargeting

HCG may use advertising or retargeting technologies to measure advertising performance, build audiences, limit repetitive advertisements, and display advertisements that may be more relevant to visitors. Advertising providers may use cookies, pixels, or similar identifiers to collect information about activity on this Site and other websites over time.

Cookie Choices

You may be able to manage nonessential cookies through the Site’s cookie or privacy-preference tool. You may also adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Blocking cookies may affect the operation of some Site features.

5. Do Not Track and Opt-Out Preference Signals

Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” setting. Because there is no uniform standard for interpreting legacy Do Not Track signals, the Site does not currently respond to those signals.

Certain browsers and extensions transmit legally recognized opt-out preference signals, such as the Global Privacy Control. Where applicable law requires HCG to recognize such a signal, HCG will treat a supported signal as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information or its use for targeted advertising for the browser or device transmitting the signal.

Third-party analytics and advertising providers may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites or online services.

6. How HCG Discloses Personal Information

HCG may disclose personal information to the following categories of recipients when reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:

• Website and technology providers, including hosting, content-management, security, maintenance, data-storage, and technical-support providers.
• CRM providers, which help HCG manage inquiries, business contacts, communications, proposals, client relationships, and marketing preferences.
• Analytics providers, including Google Analytics or similar services.
• Advertising and marketing providers, including providers of email marketing, campaign measurement, advertising, and retargeting services.
• Scheduling and communication providers, including calendar, video-conferencing, telephone, and appointment-management services.
• Payment processors and financial-service providers, which process payments and help prevent fraud.
• Professional advisers, including attorneys, accountants, insurers, auditors, and consultants.
• Government authorities, courts, or other parties, when disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to protect legal rights, safety, or security.
• Parties to a business transaction, such as a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, bankruptcy, or sale of all or part of HCG’s business or assets.
• Other parties at your direction or with your consent.

Depending on the service and applicable law, a recipient may act as HCG’s service provider or contractor, or may independently determine how it processes information.

7. Sale, Sharing, and Targeted Advertising

HCG does not sell personal information in exchange for money.

HCG’s use of advertising, retargeting, analytics, or similar technologies may be considered a “sale,” “sharing,” or use for “targeted advertising” under certain state privacy laws, even when no money is exchanged. Where applicable, you may request to opt out through the Site’s Your Privacy Choices link, cookie-preference tool, a supported opt-out preference signal, or the contact methods listed below.

HCG does not knowingly sell or share the personal information of individuals under 16 years of age.

8. Marketing Communications

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link included in the message or by contacting HCG. HCG may continue to send nonmarketing communications related to appointments, transactions, active services, security, legal notices, or other ongoing business matters.

HCG will not require payment or information beyond what is reasonably necessary to process an opt-out request.

9. Data Retention

HCG retains personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, provide services, maintain business and transaction records, comply with legal and contractual obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, protect against fraud or security incidents, and support legitimate business operations.

Retention periods may vary based on the type and sensitivity of the information, the nature of the relationship, legal requirements, contractual commitments, and whether the information is needed for an actual or anticipated dispute. HCG may retain aggregated or deidentified information when it can no longer reasonably be linked to an individual.

10. Data Security

HCG uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. No website, transmission method, or storage system is completely secure, and HCG cannot guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for using appropriate caution when transmitting information online and for protecting any passwords, devices, or accounts used to communicate with HCG.

11. State Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence and whether the applicable law applies to HCG or the relevant processing activity, you may have the right to:

• confirm whether HCG processes your personal information;
• access or obtain a copy of personal information about you;
• correct inaccurate personal information;
• request deletion of personal information;
• obtain certain information in a portable format;
• opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information;
• opt out of targeted advertising;
• limit certain uses or disclosures of sensitive personal information;
• appeal HCG’s denial of a privacy request; and
• receive equal service and not be unlawfully discriminated against for exercising a privacy right.

To submit a request, contact HCG using the email address or telephone number listed in the Contact Us section. Identify the request as a “Privacy Request” and describe the right you wish to exercise.

HCG may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Verification may require matching information you provide with information HCG already maintains. HCG will use verification information only for verification, fraud prevention, and security purposes. If HCG cannot verify your identity or authority, HCG may deny or limit the request as permitted by law.

Where permitted, you may use an authorized agent to submit a request. HCG may require evidence of the agent’s authority and may ask you to verify your identity directly. To appeal a denied request where applicable, contact HCG and identify the communication as a “Privacy Appeal.”

These rights are subject to exceptions and limitations under applicable law. HCG may retain or decline to delete information when legally permitted or required, including information needed to complete a transaction, provide requested services, maintain security, exercise legal rights, comply with law, or preserve records required for legitimate business purposes.

12. Children’s Privacy

The Site is intended for a business and professional audience and is not directed to children under 13 years of age. HCG does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the Site.

If HCG learns that it collected personal information directly from a child under 13 without legally required authorization, HCG will take reasonable steps to delete the information. A parent or legal guardian who believes a child provided personal information may contact HCG using the information below.

13. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Site may link to third-party websites, platforms, applications, or services. HCG does not control and is not responsible for the privacy, security, content, or practices of those third parties. Review the privacy notices of any third-party service before providing information to it.

14. United States Operations

The Site and HCG’s services are directed to the United States. Personal information collected through the Site may be processed and stored in the United States or in other locations used by HCG’s service providers. If you access the Site from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

HCG may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in its services, technology, vendors, data practices, or legal obligations. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. HCG may provide additional notice when a change is material or when applicable law requires additional notice or consent.

16. Contact Us

Questions, privacy requests, and concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or HCG’s data practices may be directed to: