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Our recruitment privacy notice

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This privacy notice describes how your personal data will be collected and used as a candidate for employment with Aberdeen Group plc. It provides details on the personal data required at each stage of the process.  

Who we are

The Aberdeen Group plc is a wealth and investments group that connect investors to the expertise, tools and solutions they need to grow and manage their wealth with confidence.  

We are committed to safeguarding any personal information shared with us. We take privacy seriously and in applying for a position within the Aberdeen group of companies, (“the Company”; “Aberdeen” “us”; “we”), we wish to assure you that your personal information will be safeguarded and processed only where it’s lawful to do so in line with applicable privacy & data protection laws. 

This Privacy Notice applies to all candidates applying for a position within the Company. It contains important information about what personal information we collect; how we use your personal information; who we may share it with and why; and your choices and rights when it comes to the personal information we process about you. 

We keep our Privacy Notice under regular review.  This version was last updated in September 2025. We may need to make changes to this Privacy Notice so please check our website for updates if you are submitting a new application. 

Who controls your information

The controller of your information will depend on the location of the role you have applied for.  Our controllers are: 

UK employing entities

  • Aberdeen Corporate Services Limited
  • abrdn Holding Limited
  • abrdn Investments Limited
  • abrdn Investments Management Limited
  • abrdn Real Estate Operations Limited
  • Finimize Ltd

For ii applicants, please refer to https://www.ii.co.uk/privacy

Americas Employing entities

  • abrdn Inc
  • Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Ltd
  • Aberdeen do Brasil Gestão de Recursos Ltda

EMEA Employing entities

  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited Denmark
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited, Succursale en France
  • abrdn Property Investors France
  • abrdn Investments Deutschland AG
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited, Succursale Italiana
  • abrdn Investments Luxembourg S.A.
  • abrdn Investments Luxembourg Corporate Manager S.à r.l.
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited, Netherlands Branch
  • Aberdeen Property Investors The Netherlands BV
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited Spanish Branch
  • abrdn Investments Limited, Sucursal en España
  • abrdn Investments Ireland Limited, filial Sverige
  • abrdn Investments Switzerland AG
  • abrdn Investments Middle East Limited

APAC Employing entities

  • abrdn Asia Limited
  • abrdn Hong Kong Limited
  • abrdn Japan Limited
  • Aberdeen Asset Management (Thailand) Limited
  • abrdn Malaysia Sdn. Bhd
  • abrdn Islamic Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
  • abrdn Oceania Pty Ltd
  • abrdn Private Fund Management (Shanghai) Company Limited

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, or the information we collect or use about you, please contact:

FAO Data Protection Officer
Aberdeen Group plc
1 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2LL
Email:  DPOffice@aberdeenplc.com

About the information we collect and use

What information we collect and use

Application stage


Information about you that we collect and use during the recruitment process with the Company includes:

  • Information about who you are e.g. your name, date of birth, address, contact details.
  • Confirmation of your right to work in the country where you have applied for a role.
  • Information connected to your education e.g. qualifications and training records.
  • Information about your previous employment history e.g. details of past employment (including start and end date, reasons for leaving, organisations you have worked for, roles held and references).
  • Information about your contact with us e.g. meetings, phone calls, emails / letters, interview comments and notes.
  • Information classified as 'sensitive' personal information e.g. information to support diversity within our company, such as ethnicity, sexual orientation or social mobility data. This information is voluntary to provide and is not considered as part of your application with the company.
  • Other sensitive information relating to your health to ensure we can make reasonable adjustments for you during the application and interview process.

Depending on the role you are applying for you may also be required to complete testing or pre-interview questions. Information about these additional requirements will be provided as part of the job role, or before moving to the interview stage. 

Interview stage


  • Information about your contact with us e.g. meetings, phone calls, emails / letters.
  • Information collected when visiting any of our group offices e.g. visual images collected by closed circuit television (CCTV).
  • Information you provide during your interview to evidence your education, experience or suitability for the role.
  • Interview notes compiled by your interviewer, and assessment of your suitability for the role.
  • Information classified as 'sensitive' personal information e.g. relating to your health. This information will only be collected and used where it's needed to ensure we can make reasonable adjustments for you during the application and interview process.

Offer stage


Where you are offered a contract or agreement of employment, we will also collect and use:

  • Information required for pre-employment screening. This requires us to verify the information you provided about your education and previous experience. We’ll also carry out right to work checks, anti-money laundering checks and media screening checks. This is completed by our selected partner First Advantage. More information about this process will be provided to you upon collection of this additional data.
  • Information classified as 'sensitive' personal information e.g. relating to your health. This information will only be collected and used where it's needed to ensure we can make reasonable adjustments for you once employed.

We’ll also request your photograph/image to create an ID badge/account so you can enter our buildings upon your employment commencing.

Where we collect your information

We will collect your personal information directly from you, or from sources such as recruitment agencies/specialists:


Application stage


  • Directly from you where you apply for employment within the company.
  • Recruitment agencies/specialists who provide us with your details.
  • Directly from you where you phone, email or write to us about an application.

Interview stage


  • From you and the hiring managers/HR team during your interview(s) for employment.
  • From you, via feedback surveys on our recruitment process.

Offer stage


  • From your former employers, educational institutions, or named individuals for reference purposes.
  • From our preferred screening third party, First Advantage who will provide us with the results of their screening.
  • From you, via feedback surveys on our recruitment process.

If your application is unsuccessful, we may invite you to share your feedback through a short survey—participation is entirely optional.

Why we collect and use your information

We take your privacy seriously and we will only ever collect and use information which is personal to you where it is necessary, fair and lawful to do so in line with applicable privacy and data protection laws. We will collect and use your information only if we are able to satisfy one of the lawful processing conditions set out in data protection laws. This will be the case where:


Application stage


  • It's necessary to negotiate a potential contract or agreement of employment with you e.g. you need to provide us with your personal data to engage in the recruitment process.Recruitment agencies/specialists who provide us with your details.
  • You have given us your permission to use your information, for example, where you have not been successful in a particular role but we request to keep your information on our records so we can contact you about other potential opportunities that may arise. Or where you have voluntarily provided us with your diversity information.

We believe that creating a diverse and inclusive culture helps us deliver a great experience for our customers and clients. We ask for your diversity and inclusion information because we are committed to attracting, developing and retaining a broad mix of talent regardless of gender, ethnicity, gender identity, disability, marital or civil partner status, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background. The provision of this information is voluntary and your decision to provide or withhold this information will not impact the outcome of your application; it will only be used for the purposes of diversity monitoring and will not be stored with your application.


Interview stage


  • It's necessary to negotiate a potential contract or agreement of employment with you e.g. you need to provide us with your personal data to engage in the interview process.
  • You have given us your permission to use your information, for example, where you have not been successful in a particular role but we request to keep your information on our records so we can contact you about other potential opportunities that may arise. Or where you have voluntarily provided us with your diversity information.

Offer stage


If you are successful, we will collect and use your information for specific purposes.

These purposes are:

  • It's necessary to provide you with a contract of employment e.g. we will require personal information to do this; data includes your name, address and date of birth
  • It’s necessary for us to meet our legal or regulatory obligations e.g. conducting the necessary right to work checks or to determine any criminal record / convictions which may impact fitness for propriety for employment
  • It's in the legitimate interests of the Company e.g. for recruitment and succession planning. Where the processing is in pursuit of legitimate interests, we will always conduct an assessment to ensure that this use of your personal information is not excessive or unnecessary or otherwise more intrusive than it needs to be.
  • You have given us your permission to use your information, for example, you have voluntarily provided us with your diversity information.

Who we may share your information with and why

We may share your information with third parties for the reasons outlined above in 'Why we collect and use your information’ and only where this is fair and lawful to do so.

We take your privacy seriously and we will only ever collect and use information which is personal to you where it is necessary, fair and lawful to do so in line with applicable privacy and data protection laws. We will collect and use your information only if we are able to satisfy one of the lawful processing conditions set out in data protection laws. This will be the case where:


Application stage

As part of the application process, we will share your information with:

  • Other parts of Aberdeen who support us in the provision of services to our potential employees
  • Companies we have chosen to support us in the recruitment process e.g. recruitment agencies and companies who help us in our contact with you, for example an internet service provider.
  • Law enforcement and other appointed agencies who support us (or where they request the information) for the prevention and detection of crime.
  • Our regulators, such as the UK Financial Conduct Authority, if required for the role you have applied for.

Before disclosing your personal information to third parties we shall take appropriate steps to ensure that those persons are authorised to receive your information, will treat your personal information as confidential and that they will not use such information for any purposes other than within the scope specified by and / or agreed with the Company.

We believe that creating a diverse and inclusive culture helps us deliver a great experience for our customers and clients. We ask for your diversity and inclusion information because we are committed to attracting, developing and retaining a broad mix of talent regardless of gender, ethnicity, gender identity, disability, marital or civil partner status, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background. The provision of this information is voluntary and your decision to provide or withhold this information will not impact the outcome of your application; it will only be used for the purposes of diversity monitoring and will not be stored with your application.


Interview stage


As part of the interview process, we will share your information with:

  • Other parts of Aberdeen who support us in the provision of services to our potential employees.
  • Law enforcement and other appointed agencies who support us (or where they request the information) for the prevention and detection of crime.
  • Our regulators, such as the UK Financial Conduct Authority, if required for the role you have applied for.
  • Our Board, to approve specific roles within the Company. 

Offer stage


Where you have been offered a contract of employment, we may also be required to share your information with:  

  • Our preferred third-party screening provider, First Advantage, in order for them to carry out pre-employment screening/vetting, including credit checks and ID verification.
  • Our Board, to approve specific roles within the Company. 
  • Our regulators, such as the UK Financial Conduct Authority, if required for the role you have applied for.
  • Other third parties who support us in the recruitment process, e.g. companies we use to carry out screening of new employees, such as First Advantage.
  • Our tech partners, such as Enboarder, who support us in sending messages to you about your onboarding journey.
  • Law enforcement and other appointed agencies who support us (or where they request the information) for the prevention and detection of crime.

Where your information is processed

Regardless of the stages of recruitment, most of your personal information will be processed in the country you have applied for a role in.  

The Company is part of a global organisation and to ensure the provision of effective and efficient services and communication throughout our group, we may be required to transfer your data internationally (such as to our group companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America and South America) where necessary as part of the recruitment process. Whenever we require to transfer your personal information outside of your local country, we take additional steps to ensure this is in line with local laws and that your information is protected.

How we protect your information

We take information and system security very seriously and we strive to comply with our obligations at all times. Any personal information which is collected, recorded or used in any way, whether on paper, online or any other media, will have appropriate safeguards applied in line with our data protection obligations. 

Your information is protected by appropriate and reasonable security measures (including restricted access controls) to prevent unauthorised access to, or leakage, destruction or alteration of, your personal information. Our security controls are aligned to industry standards and good practice; providing an appropriate control environment that effectively manages risks to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your information.

How long we keep your information

If you are successful in your application and accept an offer of employment from us, we will continue to process your personal information in line with our obligations in relation to your contract of employment. 

If you are unsuccessful in your application, we shall retain your personal information for a period of up to two years from the date of advising that your application has been unsuccessful after which time it shall be erased. We retain application data in case of future suitable opportunities, but you can ask us to delete your data at any time using the details in the ‘How to Contact Us’ section.

Your rights

Depending on the country you are located in, you have a number of rights under data protection laws which may be exercised in certain circumstances. These include:
  • Right to be informed about how and why we are processing personal information
      • You have a right to receive clear and easy to understand information on what personal information we have, why and who we share it with - we do this in this Privacy Notice.
  • Right of access to personal information relating to you
      • You have the right of access to your personal information. If you wish to receive a copy of the personal information we hold on you, you may make a data subject access request (DSAR).
  • Right to request recertification of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
      • If your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete, you can request that it is corrected.
  • Right to request erasure or your personal information
      • You can ask for your information to be deleted or removed if there is not a legal or regulatory obligation or other legitimate reason for the Company to continue to have it.
  • Right to withdraw consent
      • Where we process sensitive personal information with your explicit consent and you no longer wish us to collect and use your sensitive personal information you can withdraw consent at any time. Please note that the withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of the processing activities by the Company up to that point.
  • Right to restrict processing of your personal information
      • You can ask that we block or suppress the processing of your personal information for certain reasons. This means that we are still permitted to keep your information - but ensures that we don't use it in the future for those reasons you have restricted.
  • Right to data portability
      • You can ask for a copy of your personal information for your own purposes to use across different services. In certain circumstances, you may move, copy or transfer the personal information we hold to another company in a safe and secure way.
  • Right to object to processing of your personal information
      • You can object to the Company processing your personal information where it's based on our legitimate interests (including profiling); for direct marketing (including profiling); and if we are using it for scientific / historical research and statistics.
  • Right to not be subject to automated decision making including profiling
      • You have the right to ask us to:
    • give you information about its processing of your personal information
    • request human intervention or challenge a decision where processing is done solely by automated processes
    • carry out regular checks to make sure that our automated decision making and profiling processes are working as they should.

You can exercise these rights by contacting DPOffice@aberdeenplc.com

How to make a complaint

We will always strive to collect, use and safeguard your personal information in line with data protection laws and guidance. We take our obligations seriously and ask that any concerns are first brought to our attention, so that we can try to resolve these. If you do not believe we have handled your information as set out in our Privacy Notice, please let us know immediately (see 'How to contact us' above) as we will do our utmost to make things right.

While we hope that we can resolve any concerns with you, depending on your location, you do have the option to complain to your local personal data protection authority whether or not you have exhausted our internal procedure: