ACUMEN EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Effective Date: September 10, 2026 | Last Updated: September 10, 2026
Version 1.0
Our commitment: Acumen protects client and candidate information through professional discretion, responsible data practices, and need-to-know access.
1. Our Commitment to Privacy and Confidentiality
Acumen Executive Search (“Acumen,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a retained executive search firm. Trust, discretion, and confidentiality are fundamental to our relationships with clients, candidates, prospective candidates, referral sources, business contacts, and website visitors.
We are committed to protecting personal information, maintaining the confidentiality of executive search engagements, using information responsibly for legitimate business purposes, and providing appropriate transparency and choices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of information.
2. Scope of This Policy
This policy applies to personal information Acumen collects online and offline, including through:
- Our website and online forms.
- Email, telephone, video meetings, and other communications.
- Resumes, curricula vitae, biographies, applications, and professional profiles.
- Interviews, assessments, references, and executive search activities.
- Professional networking platforms, referrals, industry sources, and publicly available information.
- Events, newsletters, business development activities, vendors, and service providers.
This policy does not apply to websites, platforms, or services operated independently by third parties, even when our website links to them.
Certain provisions of this policy describe rights or obligations that apply only when Acumen is subject to a particular privacy law. Providing this information does not mean that every privacy law, statutory threshold, or individual right applies in every circumstance.
3. Information We Collect
Contact Information
We may collect names, email addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, and communication preferences.
Professional and Employment Information
- Resumes, curricula vitae, professional biographies, and employment history.
- Job titles, responsibilities, leadership accomplishments, qualifications, and areas of expertise.
- Education, credentials, licenses, certifications, and professional affiliations.
- Publicly available professional profiles and biographies.
- Career interests, geographic preferences, willingness to relocate, and availability.
- Compensation information voluntarily provided and legally permitted to be collected.
Executive Search Information
- Interview notes, candidate evaluations, assessments, and communications.
- Information concerning interest in or suitability for a leadership opportunity.
- Materials prepared for or used in a client search.
- Reference and background-check information when authorized and legally permitted.
Client and Business Information
- Client and business contact information.
- Organizational information, position descriptions, leadership profiles, and hiring priorities.
- Compensation, benefits, organizational structure, strategy, succession, transition, or restructuring information.
- Other information provided in connection with an executive search engagement.
Website, Device, and Communications Information
- Internet Protocol address, browser and device type, operating system, referring website, pages visited, and date and time of visits.
- Interactions with website features, cookie identifiers, similar technical information, and general location derived from an IP address.
- Newsletter preferences, marketing consent records when applicable, email engagement information, event participation, inquiries, and opt-out requests.
Sensitive Personal Information
Acumen does not intentionally request or process sensitive personal information unless it is reasonably necessary for a legitimate business purpose and permitted by applicable law. Where required, Acumen will obtain consent before collecting or processing sensitive personal information and will provide an appropriate method for withdrawing that consent.
4. Sources of Personal Information
We may collect personal information directly from you; from clients, referrals, professional references, business partners, vendors, and service providers; from professional networking platforms; and from company websites, professional biographies, industry publications, news sources, public records, and other lawful public sources.
Because retained executive search often involves identifying individuals who may not be actively seeking a position, Acumen may collect professional information about prospective candidates before communicating with them. When appropriate, we will explain who we are and the reason for our communication.
5. How We Use Personal Information
Acumen may use personal information to:
- Identify potential candidates for current and future executive opportunities.
- Evaluate qualifications, experience, interests, and potential alignment with a position.
- Communicate with candidates, prospective candidates, clients, referral sources, and business contacts.
- Conduct interviews and facilitate executive search processes.
- Present and discuss professional information with clients in connection with search engagements.
- Verify information and conduct reference or background checks when authorized.
- Develop position descriptions, search strategies, candidate profiles, and market information.
- Maintain our professional candidate and business contact network.
- Respond to inquiries, manage subscriptions, and send professional communications.
- Operate, secure, analyze, and improve our website, systems, and services.
- Prevent fraud, misuse, security threats, and unlawful activity.
- Maintain records, comply with the law, and establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
We will not use personal information for a materially different purpose without providing appropriate notice and, where legally required, obtaining consent.
6. Grounds for Processing
Depending on the applicable law and circumstances, Acumen may process personal information based on consent; steps requested by an individual in connection with an opportunity; performance of a contract or search engagement; Acumen’s legitimate business interests in providing retained executive search services; a client’s legitimate interests in identifying and evaluating leadership talent; compliance with legal obligations; or protection of the rights and interests of Acumen, our clients, candidates, and others.
Where consent is the basis for processing, consent may be withdrawn subject to applicable legal and contractual limitations. Withdrawal does not affect processing completed before consent was withdrawn.
7. Candidate Confidentiality, Authorization, and Information Sharing
Acumen recognizes that executive candidates and prospective candidates frequently explore opportunities while currently employed. We treat candidate engagement with discretion and confidentiality. In most retained search engagements, Acumen will discuss a specific opportunity with a candidate and obtain the candidate’s authorization before presenting a resume, professional profile, or other identifying information to a client organization for consideration.
Candidates who engage with Acumen understand that their professional information may be maintained within Acumen’s executive search database and reviewed in connection with current and future leadership opportunities.
Information shared with a client may include professional qualifications, employment history, leadership experience, education, professional affiliations, and other information relevant to a particular search engagement. Acumen strives to limit the sharing of personally identifiable information to circumstances consistent with our executive search responsibilities, professional obligations, and the candidate’s authorization.
Acumen does not contact a candidate’s current employer or professional references without the candidate’s prior authorization, except where disclosure is required by law.
Acumen does not sell candidate information and does not provide candidate information to unrelated third parties for their independent marketing purposes. Additional information regarding disclosure practices is described in Sections 10 and 11 of this policy.
8. Confidential Searches
Acumen frequently conducts confidential executive searches, including leadership succession, incumbent replacement, organizational transition, restructuring, and other sensitive assignments.
- Client identities or position details may initially be withheld or communicated in stages.
- Confidential information is shared only with individuals who have a legitimate need to know.
- Candidates may be asked to preserve the confidentiality of the opportunity and information provided.
- Acumen may use limited or non-identifying descriptions during initial outreach.
- Client and candidate information may be subject to contractual confidentiality obligations.
Acumen cannot guarantee that every search will remain confidential in all circumstances, including when disclosure is authorized by a client, reasonably required to conduct the search, independently made by another party, or required by law.
9. Other Disclosures of Personal Information
Clients
Acumen may share relevant professional and candidate information with clients in connection with retained executive search and related engagements, consistent with Sections 7 and 9 of this policy.
Service Providers
We may disclose information to service providers that support candidate and client database management, cloud storage, information technology, email, communications, videoconferencing, scheduling, website hosting, analytics, cybersecurity, document management, reference or background checks, accounting, insurance, and legal services. Providers may use information only as permitted by applicable law, contract, and the services they perform for Acumen.
Professional Advisers, Legal Requirements, and Business Transactions
We may disclose information to professional advisers; to comply with applicable laws, subpoenas, court orders, or lawful requests; to investigate or prevent fraud, security incidents, unlawful conduct, or misuse; to protect rights, safety, or property; or in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction, subject to appropriate safeguards.
10. No Sale of Personal Information
Acumen does not sell candidate or client personal information for monetary compensation and does not provide candidate information to unrelated third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
Some privacy laws define ‘sale’ or ‘sharing’ more broadly and may include certain advertising or cross-context behavioral tracking activities. If Acumen’s website practices fall within those definitions, Acumen will provide legally required notices and opt-out mechanisms.
11. Data Minimization and Accuracy
Acumen seeks to collect and maintain information relevant to executive search, client service, business operations, and legal or compliance requirements. Individuals may ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete information.
12. Data Retention
Acumen retains personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to conduct current and future executive searches, maintain professional relationships, fulfill disclosed purposes, comply with contractual and legal obligations, resolve disputes, and establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Retention periods vary according to the nature and sensitivity of the information, its continued relevance, the relationship involved, applicable contracts, legal requirements, and potential or actual disputes. When information is no longer reasonably required, Acumen may delete, anonymize, aggregate, or securely dispose of it.
Individuals may request deletion, subject to applicable exceptions and Acumen’s legal, contractual, security, and recordkeeping obligations.
13. Data Security
Acumen maintains reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, acquisition, use, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction. Safeguards may include need-to-know access, account and password controls, vendor protections, confidentiality requirements, secure disposal practices, and personnel awareness.
No transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Individuals should use care when transmitting sensitive information and should not send highly sensitive information through unsecured email unless requested by Acumen.
14. Privacy Incident Response
If Acumen becomes aware of a security incident involving personal information, we will investigate and respond in accordance with applicable law. When legally required, Acumen will notify affected individuals and appropriate authorities.
15. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Cookies are small files or identifiers stored on or accessed from a browser or device. Our website may use cookies, pixels, tags, local storage, and similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, measure performance, understand website traffic, and support communications or marketing.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These technologies support essential website functions, security, network management, privacy preferences, and form operation. They generally cannot be disabled through our website’s cookie-preference tool when required for requested functionality.
Functional Cookies
These technologies remember choices and may provide enhanced website features or a more personalized experience.
Analytics and Performance Cookies
These technologies help us understand how visitors use the website, how they reach it, which pages they visit, and whether features function as intended.
Marketing and Advertising Cookies
If used, these technologies may help measure campaigns, understand engagement, or provide relevant advertising. Depending on the provider and activity, some laws may characterize these practices as the sale or sharing of personal information.
Third-Party Technologies
Some technologies may be placed or controlled by third-party service providers. Acumen’s actual cookie inventory, including provider, purpose, duration, and category, should be available through the website’s cookie-preference tool or a separate cookie notice.
16. Cookie Consent and Preference Management
Where required by applicable law, Acumen will obtain consent before activating nonessential cookies or similar technologies. Visitors will be offered a reasonable opportunity to accept nonessential cookies, reject nonessential cookies, select cookies by category, and review or change cookie preferences.
Strictly necessary cookies may operate without consent when permitted by law. Declining nonessential cookies should not prevent access to the primary content of the website, although some optional features may function differently.
Closing a cookie notice, scrolling, or continuing to browse will not be treated as affirmative consent where applicable law requires an active choice. Visitors may also control cookies through browser settings, although browser controls may not prevent every type of tracking technology.
17. Browser-Based Privacy Signals
Where required by applicable law, Acumen will recognize and process legally valid browser-based opt-out preference signals, such as Global Privacy Control, for the browser or device sending the signal. If Acumen engages in activity legally defined as selling or sharing personal information, it will provide any required opt-out method.
18. Marketing Communications
Acumen may send newsletters, event invitations, executive search information, or other professional communications when permitted by law. Recipients may unsubscribe through an applicable email link or by contacting Acumen. A marketing opt-out does not prevent transactional, service, search-related, security, or legally required communications.
19. Individual Privacy Rights
Privacy rights vary by jurisdiction. Subject to applicable law and exceptions, individuals may have the right to:
- Confirm whether Acumen processes their personal information.
- Request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information.
- Obtain a portable copy of certain information.
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Withdraw consent when processing is based on consent.
- Opt out of certain sales, sharing, targeted advertising, or profiling activities.
- Request information about the categories of third parties, or where applicable the specific third parties, to whom Acumen has disclosed personal information.
- Appeal a decision regarding a privacy request.
- Exercise privacy rights without unlawful discrimination or retaliation.
The availability and scope of these rights depend on the laws that apply to Acumen, the individual, and the information involved. The inclusion of these disclosures does not represent that every privacy law or statutory right applies to Acumen or to every request.
Rights may differ depending on the jurisdiction and the context in which the information is processed, including whether an individual interacts with Acumen as a candidate, prospective candidate, client representative, business contact, or website visitor.
20. Submitting a Privacy Request
To request access, correction, deletion, or another applicable privacy right, contact Acumen using the information below and use the subject line “Privacy Request.”
Acumen may need to verify identity before fulfilling a request. If an authorized agent submits a request, Acumen may request evidence of the agent’s authority and take legally permitted verification steps. Acumen will respond within the period required by applicable law and provide any explanation or appeal information required by law.
Appeals
If Acumen denies a privacy request in whole or in part, the individual may submit an appeal by contacting Acumen using the information below and using the subject line “Privacy Request Appeal.” Acumen will review and respond to the appeal in accordance with applicable law. This appeals process applies only where such rights are provided under applicable privacy laws.
21. International Data Processing
Acumen is based in the United States. Personal information may be processed and stored in the United States or in other locations where service providers operate. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from those in an individual’s jurisdiction. When required, Acumen will use appropriate measures for international transfers.
22. External Websites and Platforms
Our website may link to professional networking platforms, social media services, client websites, or other third-party resources. Acumen does not control the privacy, security, or cookie practices of independently operated third parties. Visitors should review those organizations’ policies before providing personal information.
23. Children’s Privacy
Acumen’s website and executive search services are intended for adults and are not directed to children. Acumen does not knowingly collect personal information from children through its website. If we learn that personal information has been collected from a child in a manner inconsistent with applicable law, we will take appropriate steps to delete or otherwise address the information.
24. Changes to This Policy
Acumen may update this policy to reflect changes in our services, business practices, website, technology, or applicable privacy requirements. We will revise the “Last Updated” date when changes are made. If changes materially affect how we use personal information, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent when required by law.
Contact Us
Acumen Executive Search
6860 SW Atlanta Street
Tigard, Oregon 97223
Telephone: 503.430.0294
Privacy inquiries and requests: info@AcumenExecutiveSearch.com
Please use the subject line “Privacy Request.”