Privacy policy

1 Our Privacy Policy explained

Clarus (we, our, us) is committed to protecting our customers' personal information. This policy is designed to help you understand how we collect, use and protect your information when you visit our websites, interact with us, and use our products and services. It covers:

  • The kinds of information we collect
  • How we use your information
  • Who we share your information with
  • How we protect your information
  • How to access and update your information
  • How long we keep your information for
  • Any changes to our Privacy Policy.

This Policy is provided for your information and doesn't limit or exclude your rights under the Privacy Act 2020. In this Policy, “we”, “our” “Clarus” and “us” means Firstlight Network Limited, First Gas Limited and their related entities who form part of the Clarus group.

2 Scope

Clarus is the umbrella term used for the separate legal entities of First Gas Limited, Gas Services NZ Limited, First Renewables Limited, Firstlight Network Limited and Flexgas Limited and any and all of their related companies (Clarus Entities). This policy applies to all Clarus Entities except for Rockgas Limited which has its own external Privacy Policy which can be viewed on the Rockgas website. Please note that any personal information collected by Clarus Entities during the recruitment process is dealt with in accordance with the Clarus Recruitment and Privacy Policy.

3 What kind of information do we collect?

We collect information about you to help us provide the products and services you choose. The kinds of personal information we collect about you depends on our interaction with you and includes:

  • Account-related information you, or someone acting on your behalf, provide to us – like name, date of birth, address, phone number, and other details you provide when you apply for an account or use our services.
  • Your interactions with us – like emails, calls, messages, or social media chats with us, and security video footage from some of our sites and vehicles.
  • Financial information – like bank account details, credit scores and transaction history when making payments.
  • Property-related information – like contact details of owners and occupiers of property on which our network is located, correspondence about trees located near our electricity network, how to gain safe access to your property for installing new connections, or undertaking repairs, maintenance and meter reading. If we visit your property, we may take notes or photographs as a record of what access your property has, including, any issues like blocked access, damage, or safety hazards.
  • Your service usage – how you use our products and services, so we can support you better.
  • Call recordings – we may monitor and record our phone calls with you. We may keep call recordings for fraud prevention, training and quality assurance purposes.
  • Promotions, and newsletters: – like name, email and other details or feedback you provide when you subscribe to an online newsletter through our websites or when you participate in any of our competitions or promotions, respond to surveys or other research activities.

We Also Collect Information Automatically Through:

  • Online interactions – If you visit our website, use our apps, or access our online portals, we may collect:
    • Your username, IP address, and activity logs;
    • Operating system and browser details;
    • The pages, apps, or services you engage with; and
    • Information about how you found our website and any links that you clicked on.
  • Cookies & Tracking – We use cookies and digital tracking tools to:
    • Improve your experience by remembering your preferences;
    • Help us personalise our services and advertising; and
    • Enable website functions (you’ll need cookies enabled for full access, but you can disable these in your browser – some features may not work properly as a result).

Cookies are small data files that our websites and app sends to your device. The website browser (like Google Chrome or Safari) stores these files. We use the cookies to track your usage and activity. Each visitor has a unique ID. There are different kinds of cookies that serve different functions, such as session cookies, authorisation cookies and tracking cookies. You can read more about how to control your browser settings on your computer, and how to delete cookies on your hard drive at https://allaboutcookies.org/ or https://www.aboutcookies.org/

We set our own cookies and use cookies set by third-party service providers we have engaged including advertising networks, social media platforms, and analytics providers, such as Google Analytics.

  • Analytics & Advertising – We use Google Analytics and other tools to track website activity and improve marketing efforts. You can find out more about how Google uses information here.
  • Location Data – If you give us permission, we may collect location data from your device.
  • Third-Party Sites – If you visit Clarus-branded social media pages or third-party websites with Clarus content, we may collect information about how you engage with them.

Whenever possible, we collect this information directly from you – for example, when you apply for an account, update your details, or contact us with a request or complaint. We may also receive information about you from third parties where you have authorised this, this is permitted by law, or where the information is publicly available. This may include information from:

  • Energy retailers - for example, your contact details to help us operate and manage our network effectively;
  • Credit agencies;
  • Marketing partners; and
  • Contractors and service providers.

4 How we use your information?

The information that we collect about you may be used by us for a number of purposes connected with our business such as:

  • Providing and managing our services
    • Registering and managing your account;
    • Billing you and processing payments, including matching payments to your account and issuing refunds;
    • Letting you know about updates to our services or terms;
    • Verifying your identity and authorised users;
    • Ensuring a smooth customer experience (including following up on incomplete applications, and dealing with your requests and enquiries);
    • Testing and validating the effectiveness of products, services and system enhancements;
    • Conducting quality checks, training, and record-keeping;
    • Performing credit checks and collecting unpaid balances (where needed); and
    • Protecting our legal rights or enforcing agreements.
  • Research & marketing
    • Improving and developing our products and services;
    • Informing you about special offers, events, and promotions (unless you opt out); and
    • Conducting market research to understand how we can serve you better.
  • Legal & compliance requirements
    • Meeting our legal, regulatory, and safety obligations;
    • Supporting investigations into fraud or cyber security risks; and
    • Complying with requests from government agencies, law enforcement or regulators.

We may also use audio-visual recordings from CCTV cameras at some of our sites and on delivery vehicles for security and safety reasons.

5 Sharing your information

There may be times when we need to share your personal information with trusted third parties, in line with the Privacy Act 2020. This could include:

  • Related companies – Other businesses in the Clarus Group who may use your information for the same purposes as us
  • Service providers & contractors - Those who provide us with products or services that support the services that we provide, including:
    • Market research firms
    • Payment processors
    • Businesses who host or maintain our IT systems & data centres
    • Customer service agents
    • Suppliers, field service providers and contractors.
  • Credit reporting & debt collection agencies – if you owe money, we may report it to help with collection. Credit reporting agencies who may share your information with other organisations (including their customers) and who may keep a record of the searches we make against your name, to assist other organisations with their credit checks if necessary
  • Authorised users – People listed on your account as being authorised to access information concerning the account (e.g. a joint account holder or authorised agent)
  • Cyber security organisations – if necessary, to protect against fraud or data breaches
  • Health & safety organisations - if you rely on any products and/or services we provide for critical medical needs, we may share relevant information with emergency responders and
  • Legal authorities – Courts, law enforcement, government agencies or regulators if required by law or necessary to protect or enforce our legal rights or interests, or to defend any claims made against us by any person (including you).

We may also need to share your information with third parties when we sell a business or asset. We only ever share what’s necessary and appropriate.

6 Protecting your personal information

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete, up to date and stored in a secure environment protected from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

  • Where we store your data – We may process, transfer and store your data in New Zealand and overseas, using secure cloud services provided by third party providers with data centres located in New Zealand, Australia, and North America. When we send data overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure strong security measures are in place and the information is stored in compliance with the Privacy Act 2020.
  • How long we keep your data – We only retain personal information for as long as necessary. CCTV footage is retained for a period of 45 days, after which it is deleted unless an investigation is initiated.

7 Accessing and updating your personal information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you by emailing us at privacy@clarus.co.nz and letting us know your name, address and details of what information you’d like to access.

There may be a fee to provide it, but we’ll tell you this upfront.

We will not be able to provide your personal information if we do not know or don't have reasonable grounds to believe it is personal information about you or if disclosing the information would involve the unwarranted disclosure of the affairs of another individual.

You can request correction of the information held by us at any time by emailing us at privacy@clarus.co.nz and specifying the information that you require changed. If it is reasonable in the circumstances for us to do so, we will make the requested correction, otherwise we'll take reasonable steps to mark that information as having been subject to a change or correction request.

We will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited phone call or in an unsolicited email. Also, if you are using the internet, remember to sign out of your account and close your browser window when you have finished. This is to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place.

8 What about your privacy rights?

Keeping your information up to date – Let us know when you change your name, address, phone number, or payment details.

Requesting access or corrections – We’ll review and process requests in line with the Privacy Act 2020.

Raising a concern – If you have a privacy complaint, contact us, and we’ll do our best to get it sorted quickly for you. You can reach out to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at any time during or after raising a complaint with us.

9 When do we delete your information

Once we no longer need your information for its original purpose, we take secure steps to dispose of it securely or anonymise it.

Some personal information may be held or used for longer to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations or when necessary for a lawful purpose. For example, to investigate a complaint or issue or to assist with law enforcement.

10 Change to our privacy policy

We may change this privacy policy from time to time. If we do, we’ll post the changes on our relevant company websites. The updated policy applies as soon as its posted.

11 Getting in touch

By phone: 0800 347 784
By email: privacy@clarus.co.nz