Privacy policy

Smart Group ("Smart Group", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we may collect when you use our website, how we use it, how long we keep it, and the choices available to you.

This policy applies to the Smart Group marketing website and to enquiries directed to the group or any of its subsidiary companies listed on our Companies page. It does not replace contractual terms, service agreements, or privacy notices that may apply when you become a client of a specific company.

1. Who we are

Smart Group is an umbrella organisation based in Lilongwe, Malawi. Our shared business address is Area 6, P.O Box 20480, Lilongwe, Malawi. The companies covered by this policy are:

• Smart Solutions (info@smartsolutions.mw)
• Smart Security Services (info@smartsecurity.mw)
• Smart Transport and General Dealers (stgdealers@gmail.com)

When you contact a specific company, that company is responsible for handling your enquiry and any personal information you provide in that context, subject to this policy and applicable law.

2. Information we collect

We collect only the information needed to operate this website and respond to enquiries. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Information you provide directly

• Contact details — such as your name, email address, phone number, company or organisation name, and the subject and body of your message when you use our contact form or email us directly.
• Recruitment information — if you apply for a role advertised on our Careers page, we may receive your CV, cover letter, and other details you choose to share.
• Accessibility or privacy requests — any information you include when reporting a barrier on this site or asking about your personal information.

Information collected automatically

This website is designed to minimise automatic data collection. We do not currently use analytics, advertising, or behavioural tracking tools on this site. Our hosting infrastructure may process standard server logs (such as IP address, browser type, referring page, and date/time of access) for security, troubleshooting, and service reliability. See our Cookie Policy for details on cookies and similar technologies.

3. How we collect information

• Contact form — submissions open in your email client and are sent to the mailbox you select (Smart Group or a subsidiary). We do not operate a separate database on this website to store form submissions.
• Email and phone — when you email or call us using the details on our Contact page.
• Website use — limited technical data may be generated when pages are loaded, as described above.

4. How we use your information

We use personal information for legitimate business purposes, including to:

• Respond to enquiries, quote requests, and general questions;
• Route messages to the appropriate Smart Group company;
• Process job applications and recruitment correspondence;
• Maintain and improve the security and performance of this website;
• Comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights;
• Address accessibility feedback and privacy-related requests you send to us.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your contact details for unrelated marketing unless you have given clear consent or applicable law permits it.

5. Legal basis for processing

Where Malawian law applies, we process personal information on one or more of the following grounds:

• Consent — for example, when you voluntarily submit an enquiry or application;
• Legitimate interests — to respond to business enquiries, operate our website, and protect our systems, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights;
• Legal obligation — where we must retain or disclose information to comply with applicable law or lawful requests.

Malawi's data protection framework continues to develop. We review this policy as relevant legislation and guidance evolve.

6. How we share information

We may share personal information only in limited circumstances:

• Within Smart Group — to direct your enquiry to the right company or colleague who can assist you;
• Service providers — such as website hosting, email, or IT support providers who process data on our instructions and under appropriate confidentiality arrangements;
• Legal and safety — where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Smart Group, our clients, or others.

We do not share personal information with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

7. International transfers

Smart Group operates primarily in Malawi. Some technology providers we use (for example, website hosting or email services) may process data in other countries. Where information leaves Malawi, we take reasonable steps to ensure it receives a comparable level of protection, including through contractual safeguards where appropriate.

8. Data retention

We keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer period is required by law or needed to resolve a dispute.

• Enquiries — typically retained while an enquiry is active and for a reasonable period afterwards for follow-up and business records;
• Recruitment — retained for the duration of the hiring process and, if unsuccessful, for a limited period unless you ask us to delete it sooner or we need to retain it for legal reasons;
• Server logs — retained for a short rolling period for security and diagnostics, then deleted or anonymised.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Because contact form messages are composed in your email client, you should ensure your own device and email account are secured appropriately.

10. Your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights in relation to your personal information, which can include the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Request deletion of information where there is no good reason to keep it;
• Object to or restrict certain processing;
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• Lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority, where available.

To exercise these rights, contact us using the details in Section 13. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

11. Children

This website is intended for a general business audience and is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

12. Third-party websites

Our site may link to external websites — including subsidiary sites, partner pages, and trusted technology vendors. Those sites have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for how they handle your information.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be reflected on this page. Continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy, where permitted by law.

14. Contact us

For privacy questions, access requests, or complaints about how we handle personal information, contact us via our Contact page or write to:

Smart Group
Area 6, P.O Box 20480
Lilongwe, Malawi
Phone: +265 997 95 77 31 / +265 888 28 61 85

Please indicate which Smart Group company your enquiry relates to, if applicable, so we can respond promptly.