Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1 April 2025
At Growth Code, your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal and business information when you interact with our website or apply to participate in our programme.  This Privacy Policy builds on our longstanding commitment to protecting your personal information. It reflects our enhanced data practices and compliance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

By using this site or submitting any information through it, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

Growth Code is a business development programme managed by I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR (Pty) Ltd (IAAE) in partnership with FirstRand Bank Limited (FNB). The programme supports qualifying black-owned South African SMEs through mentorship and business growth support.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal and business information:

Personal Information

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Demographic details (if provided)

Business Information

• Business name and registration number
• Business address
• Years in operation
• Number of employees
• Industry sector
• Annual turnover
• Business model and operational summary
• Motivation for applying

Documents and Attachments

• Financial statements
• Company registration documents
• Tax clearance certificates
• Any additional documents you voluntarily upload

Technical and Usage Information

• IP address
• Browser type
• Website usage data through cookies (see Section 8)

3. How We Collect Information

Your data is collected when you:

• Fill out forms on the Growth Code website
• Apply to the Growth Code programme
• Communicate with us via email or other channels
• Interact with our website (automatically collected via cookies and analytics tools)

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We process your personal and business information for the following purposes:

• Application Review: To assess your eligibility and suitability for the Growth Code programme
• Programme Participation: To manage your engagement once selected, including training, events, and mentorship
• Communication: To share updates, outcomes, and requests for additional information
• Compliance: To fulfil legal obligations, including verifying ownership, turnover, and B-BBEE status
• Programme Reporting: For impact tracking and reporting purposes (non-personalised or aggregated where possible)

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your data with:

• Authorised partners, such as FirstRand Bank Limited (FNB), for purposes aligned with the Growth Code programme
• Third-party service providers (e.g. email platforms, cloud storage, analytics) under strict confidentiality agreements
• Regulatory bodies, if legally required
• We will never sell your information to third parties.

6. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correct: Ask us to update or correct inaccurate data
• Delete: Request deletion of your information where appropriate
• Withdraw Consent: At any time, by emailing us at
  growthcode@iamanentrepre eur.co.za (Note: This may affect your participation in the programme)

7. How We Protect Your Information

We use reasonable organisational, technical, and administrative measures to protect your information from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access. Uploaded documents are stored securely and only accessible by authorised personnel.

8. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and third-party analytics tools to:

• Improve website functionality
• Understand visitor behavior
• Track application funnel performance

You can modify your browser settings to block cookies, but this may impact your user experience.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal and business information for as long as necessary to:

• Complete the application process
• Fulfill programme obligations
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Information no longer required will be securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the content or
privacy practices of these sites.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page
and, where appropriate, communicated via email.

12. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, please contact:
Growth Code
Email: growthcode@iamanentrepreneur.co.za
Phone: +27 71 893 2913