Privacy Policy

American Council of Training and Development

Last Updated: October 23, 2026

1. Introduction

The American Council of Training and Development respects the privacy of individuals, institutions, and organizations that visit our website, contact us, apply for accreditation, enroll in training programs, or use our services.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal, institutional, and financial information in connection with our website and services.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on your interaction with our website and services, we may collect the following categories of information.

2.1 Personal Information

This may include:

Full name
Email address
Telephone number
Country of residence or business location
Professional title and organizational role
Information provided in inquiries, emails, contact forms, and other communications

2.2 Institutional and Business Information

When an institution or organization contacts us or applies for accreditation, we may collect:

Institution or company name
Website address and official contact details
Business registration information and registration documents
Accreditation applications and supporting documentation
Information about educational programs, training activities, and institutional operations
Information required for accreditation evaluation, verification, renewal, and related services

2.3 Financial and Transaction Information

We may collect and maintain financial and transaction records necessary to administer our services, including:

Accreditation and renewal fees
Program accreditation and certificate issuance fees
Invoice details and payment amounts
Payment dates and transaction references
Payment confirmations and receipts
Refunds, outstanding balances, and payment arrangements
Payer and billing information made available to us through payment providers or banking records

We collect only the financial information reasonably necessary for payment verification, accounting, service administration, and related business purposes.

3. How We Collect Information

Information may be collected when you:

Submit an inquiry or contact form on our website
Contact us by email or other communication channels
Submit an institutional or program accreditation application
Request certificate issuance, verification, or renewal services
Make a payment through a third-party payment platform or bank transfer
Interact with our website or advertising, subject to applicable consent requirements
Communicate with our authorized representatives regarding our services

We may also receive relevant information from payment providers, financial institutions, or authorized representatives when necessary to provide our services or verify transactions.

4. How We Use Information

We may use collected information to:

Respond to inquiries and provide customer support
Explain accreditation services, eligibility requirements, procedures, and fees
Receive and evaluate accreditation applications
Verify institutional information and supporting documents
Administer accreditation decisions, renewals, and certificate issuance
Confirm payments and maintain accurate financial records
Prepare invoices, receipts, and payment confirmations
Manage refunds, outstanding balances, and payment arrangements
Maintain institutional accreditation records and relevant verification information
Communicate about applications, services, and business matters
Operate, maintain, and improve our website
Measure website performance and advertising effectiveness, where permitted
Protect our website, prevent fraud, and address misuse of our services
Comply with applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, and recordkeeping obligations

5. Payment Processing and Financial Transactions

Payments for our services are made through third-party payment platforms or bank transfers. We do not directly process online payment card transactions through our website.

5.1 Third-Party Payment Platforms

Online payments are processed by the relevant payment service provider in accordance with its own terms, privacy policy, and security procedures.

We may receive transaction confirmations, payment references, payment amounts, dates, payer details, and other information needed to verify payments and administer the services requested.

Customers should review the applicable payment provider’s privacy policy and terms before completing a transaction.

5.2 Bank Transfers

Bank transfers are processed through the relevant financial institutions. We may receive or maintain information associated with these transactions, such as the payer’s name, transfer reference, payment amount, transaction date, and confirmation of receipt.

5.3 Payment Card Information

We do not intentionally collect or store full payment card numbers or card security codes through our website. Such information is handled by the relevant payment provider where applicable.

6. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell personal information.

We may disclose information when reasonably necessary for legitimate business purposes, including to:

Payment service providers and financial institutions to process, confirm, or reconcile payments
Website hosting providers, technology providers, and other service providers supporting our operations
Authorized personnel and representatives responsible for accreditation evaluation, administration, financial records, and customer support
Relevant authorities or other parties when disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law
Parties involved in addressing fraud, security incidents, disputes, or the protection of legal rights, where appropriate

We seek to limit disclosures to information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose and to comply with applicable privacy requirements.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal, institutional, accreditation, communication, and financial records for as long as reasonably necessary to:

Provide and administer our services
Maintain accreditation and verification records
Confirm payments and maintain accounting records
Manage renewals, disputes, and customer inquiries
Prevent fraud and protect our legitimate business interests
Comply with applicable legal, tax, accounting, and recordkeeping requirements

Retention periods depend on the type of information, the nature of the service, and applicable legal obligations.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted over the internet.

9. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand visitor interactions, improve performance, and measure website usage.

We may use analytics tools to understand traffic, visitor behavior, and website performance. The information processed depends on the tools configured on our website and the applicable consent settings.

You may be able to manage cookies through your browser settings or any cookie consent controls available on our website.

10. Advertising and Lead Generation

We may use online advertising platforms, including Google Ads, to promote our services and receive inquiries from prospective clients.

When you submit information through an advertising lead form or a form on our website, we may use that information to respond to your inquiry and communicate with you regarding the services requested.

Where permitted by applicable law and platform policies, information may also be used to measure advertising performance or support audience-matching and remarketing activities, subject to any required permissions or consents.

We do not sell personal information for advertising purposes.

11. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website or communications may contain links to third-party websites, payment platforms, or other external services.

These services operate under their own privacy policies and terms. We do not control the privacy practices of independent third parties and encourage users to review the relevant policies before providing information or completing transactions.

12. International Data Transfers

We may communicate with institutions, individuals, and service providers located in different countries.

As a result, information may be transferred to or processed in countries other than the country in which it was collected. Where required by applicable law, appropriate safeguards will be considered for such transfers.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

Request access to personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Request deletion of certain personal information
Object to or request restrictions on certain processing activities
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Exercise other rights available under applicable privacy laws

Requests may require identity verification and may be subject to legal, contractual, accounting, accreditation, or recordkeeping obligations that require us to retain certain information.

To make a privacy-related request, please contact us through our official website.

14. Children’s Privacy

Our services are primarily intended for institutions, organizations, professionals, and individuals seeking training or accreditation services.

We do not knowingly collect children’s personal information in violation of applicable law. Where required, appropriate measures will be taken to address the collection or processing of such information.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, website functionality, data practices, or applicable legal requirements.

The updated version will be published on our website with a revised date. We encourage visitors to review this page periodically.