Privacy Policy

The Sterling Council (“Sterling,” “we,” “us”) champions performance excellence across Florida and Georgia through assessments, examiner training, leadership development, and the Governor’s Sterling Award. This policy explains what information we collect through thesterlingcouncil.org, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using this site, you agree to the practices described below.

Information we collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you fill out a contact form, apply for an assessment, apply to Sterling Leadership Fellows, submit a nomination, register for an event, or sign up for our newsletter. Depending on the form, that can include your name, email address, phone number, organization, job title, mailing address, and any documents you choose to upload (such as an application, organizational chart, or supporting materials).

We also automatically collect technical information when you visit the site — for example, your IP address, browser type, device information, referring site, and the pages you view. Google Analytics and Google Ads collect some of this through cookies and similar technologies, as described below.

How we use your information

• To process assessment applications, award nominations, and Leadership Fellows applications
• To respond to inquiries submitted through our contact form
• To register you for events, training, and examiner activities
• To send the newsletter and program updates you’ve signed up for
• To administer our assessment and award programs, including sharing application materials with the trained Sterling Examiners assigned to review them
• To maintain the security and proper operation of the site
• To measure how the site is used and which pages, campaigns, and forms lead people to apply, inquire, or sign up
• To measure and improve our own advertising, including recording when a form is successfully submitted after someone arrives from an ad, and to build audiences of people who have visited the site so we can show Sterling ads to them later

We do not sell your personal information. Names, email addresses, phone numbers, messages, and uploaded files from our forms are not sent to Google Analytics or Google Ads. We do share browsing and device information with Google as described in this policy so those products can provide analytics and advertising measurement to us.

How we share your information

Uploaded application documents are encrypted and staged briefly in private Vercel Blob storage while they are transferred to Zoho CRM. Form submissions and newsletter sign-ups are processed through Zoho CRM and Zoho Campaigns, the customer relationship and email platforms we use to manage applications, inquiries, and communications. These providers act on our behalf and are not permitted to use your information for their own purposes.

We use Google Analytics and Google Ads, products of Google LLC, to measure site traffic and advertising. Google receives the technical information those tags collect and processes it under Google’s own policies. We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Sterling, our examiners, or the public.

Cookies and similar technologies

The public site uses Google Analytics (measurement ID G-NRZ0F3G78X) and Google Ads (conversion ID AW-18312869366). These services set cookies and similar technologies in your browser so we can see which pages are visited, how people found the site, and whether a contact, newsletter, application, or nomination form was successfully submitted. Google Ads also uses this information for conversion tracking and remarketing — showing Sterling ads to people who have been on the site. Form fields such as your name or email are not included in those events.

Google’s use of information collected from sites that use its advertising and measurement services is described in Google’s Privacy Policy and How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

Sterling staff signing in to the internal dashboard use a session cookie to stay logged in, and the dashboard remembers simple interface preferences (like whether a sidebar is expanded) in a cookie of its own. Those dashboard cookies are not used for advertising.

Data retention & security

We keep the information you submit for as long as it’s needed to administer the program it relates to — for example, an assessment cycle or award cycle — and reasonable business or legal purposes after that. We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect your information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we can’t guarantee absolute security.

Children’s privacy

This site is intended for professionals and organizations, not children. We don’t knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13.

Your choices

Every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link. To review, correct, or request deletion of information you’ve submitted to us, contact us using the information below and we’ll respond promptly.

You can limit Google advertising cookies through Google Ads Settings, and you can opt out of Google Analytics in the browser with the Google Analytics opt-out add-on. Your browser can also block or delete cookies; doing so may affect how parts of the site work.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top reflects the most recent revision — check back periodically to stay informed of how we’re protecting your information.

Contact us

Questions or concerns about this policy? Reach us at:

The Sterling Council
Post Office Box 13907
Tallahassee, Florida 32317-3907
info@thesterlingcouncil.org
(850) 922-5316