This Privacy Policy explains how George Steward (Pvt) Ltd ("George Steward", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects personal information obtained through our website at www.georgeandsteward.co.zw and through the provision of our freight forwarding and customs clearing services.
By using our website or engaging our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
01 Who We Are
George Steward (Pvt) Ltd is a Zimbabwe-registered freight forwarding and customs clearing company, licensed by ZIMRA and a member of SFAAZ (Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe).
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | George Steward (Pvt) Ltd |
| Registered Office | 13 Marlborough Drive, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| [email protected] | |
| Phone / WhatsApp | +263 780 900 827 |
| Website | www.georgeandsteward.co.zw |
| Regulator | ZIMRA (Zimbabwe Revenue Authority) |
02 Information We Collect
Information you provide directly
- Contact details: name, email address, phone number, WhatsApp number, company name, physical address
- Cargo & shipment information: goods descriptions, commodity values, origin and destination, shipping documents (commercial invoices, packing lists, Bills of Lading)
- Financial information: CIF values, duty payment references (we do not store payment card details)
- Identity documents: where required by ZIMRA — passport copies, company registration documents, import licences
- Communications: messages sent via our contact form, WhatsApp, or email
Information collected automatically
- Usage data: pages visited, time on site, browser type, device type, operating system
- IP address: used for security, analytics, and approximate location
- Cookies: session and analytics cookies (see Section 6)
Information from third parties
- Shipping line and freight data shared by carriers in connection with your consignment
- ZIMRA valuation and assessment data in the course of customs clearance
03 How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Data Used |
|---|---|
| Processing customs clearance declarations | Name, address, shipping documents, cargo details |
| Responding to quotes and enquiries | Name, email, phone, cargo description |
| Communicating about your consignment | Name, phone/WhatsApp, email |
| Duty calculations and ZIMRA submissions | CIF values, commodity details, origin |
| Invoicing and financial records | Name, company, address, transaction amounts |
| Website analytics and improvement | Usage data, IP address, cookies |
| Legal and regulatory compliance | All relevant data as required by ZIMRA and Zimbabwean law |
| Sending regulatory updates (with consent) | Email address, name |
We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.
04 Legal Basis for Processing
- Contract performance: processing is necessary to deliver freight forwarding and customs clearing services you have engaged us to provide
- Legal obligation: ZIMRA requires us to collect and retain specific data for customs declarations under the Customs & Excise Act [Chapter 23:02]
- Legitimate interests: website analytics, fraud prevention, and service improvement — balanced against your rights
- Consent: for marketing communications and regulatory update subscriptions — you may withdraw consent at any time
05 Information Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in the following circumstances:
- ZIMRA: customs declarations require submission of importer details and cargo information — a legal requirement under Zimbabwean customs law
- Shipping lines and freight carriers: booking and tracking information shared to facilitate your shipment
- Regulatory authorities: SFAAZ, CBCA inspection bodies, port authorities where required by law
- Service providers: IT and cloud providers operating our website and services, bound by confidentiality agreements
- Legal requirements: where required by law, court order, or to protect safety and property
06 Cookies & Tracking
Our website uses cookies to improve functionality and understand site usage. You are asked for consent before non-essential cookies are activated.
| Cookie | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
gs_cookie_consent | Essential | Records your cookie preference | 1 year |
gs_analytics | Analytics | Tracks analytics consent | 1 year |
Google Analytics (_ga, _gid) | Analytics | Anonymous usage statistics | Up to 2 years |
We use Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymisation enabled. You can manage cookie preferences via the cookie settings panel on our website or through your browser settings.
07 Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Customs declarations & shipping documents | 7 years | ZIMRA legal requirement |
| Client contact & invoicing records | 6 years | Commercial and tax records |
| Website enquiry forms | 2 years | Service history |
| Marketing / update subscriptions | Until unsubscribed | Consent-based |
| Analytics data | 26 months | Google Analytics default |
| Cookie consent records | 1 year | Compliance record |
When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymise it.
08 Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We respond within 30 days.
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Request deletion where there is no overriding legal reason to retain data.
Ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Receive your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing.
Complain to the relevant data protection authority if your rights are violated.
09 Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- HTTPS encryption on all website traffic
- Bot protection on all web forms (honeypot fields, timestamp validation, rate limiting, hCaptcha)
- Access controls — staff access to personal data is limited to those who need it
- Secure email and communication channels
- Regular review of data handling practices
No internet transmission is 100% secure. If you believe your data has been compromised, contact us immediately at [email protected].
10 Third-Party Services
| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Anonymous website usage statistics | policies.google.com/privacy |
| hCaptcha | Bot protection on contact forms | hcaptcha.com/privacy |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Client communication | whatsapp.com/legal |
| Google Fonts | Website typography | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Cloudflare CDN | Font Awesome icons delivery | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
| Unsplash | Licensed website photography | unsplash.com/privacy |
11 Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a child has submitted personal data to us, please contact [email protected] and we will promptly delete it.
12 Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date and notify subscribers for significant changes.
13 Contact & Complaints
For questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Officer:
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| [email protected] | |
| +263 780 900 827 | |
| Post | George Steward (Pvt) Ltd, 13 Marlborough Drive, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Response time | Within 30 calendar days |
Questions About Your Data?
Our team is happy to answer any questions about how we handle your personal information.