Privacy Notice
This notice explains how Meridian Field Sciences Ltd collects, uses, and protects personal data. It is written to meet our obligations under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and equivalent requirements in the other jurisdictions in which we operate.
1. Who we are
Meridian Field Sciences Ltd ("Meridian", "we", "us") is an ecological consulting and environmental programme-delivery firm registered in England and Wales under company number 04918770, with its registered office at Ecology House, Clerkenwell, London EC1. For the purposes of applicable data-protection law, Meridian is the data controller in respect of the personal data described in this notice. We have appointed a Data Protection Officer, reachable at dpo@meridianfield.com.
2. Scope of this notice
This notice applies to personal data we process about visitors to our website, prospective and current clients and their representatives, suppliers and subcontractors, job applicants, and other individuals we interact with in the course of our business. It does not cover ecological field data, which only rarely contains personal data; where a field record incidentally identifies an individual (for example, a landowner named in a survey consent), that data is handled under this notice.
3. Personal data we collect
Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
- Identity and contact data — name, job title, employer, email address, telephone number, and postal address.
- Engagement data — correspondence, meeting notes, project briefs, and information you provide when commissioning or discussing work.
- Recruitment data — CV, work history, qualifications, right-to-work information, and references, where you apply for a role.
- Technical data — IP address, browser type, device information, and usage data collected automatically when you visit our website.
- Supplier data — contact and payment details for individuals acting on behalf of our suppliers and subcontractors.
We do not seek to collect special-category data unless strictly necessary (for example, health information relevant to a reasonable adjustment during recruitment), and only ever with an appropriate lawful basis and condition.
4. How we use your data
We use personal data to respond to enquiries and provide briefings; to deliver, administer, and account for our consulting engagements; to manage our supplier and subcontractor relationships; to assess job applications and manage recruitment; to operate, secure, and improve our website; and to comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.
5. Lawful bases for processing
We rely on the following lawful bases under Article 6 of the UK GDPR:
- Contract — where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you or your organisation.
- Legitimate interests — to operate and grow our practice, respond to enquiries, manage relationships, and secure our systems, provided your interests and rights do not override ours.
- Legal obligation — where we must process data to comply with law, including tax, accounting, and professional-regulatory requirements.
- Consent — where we ask for it specifically, such as certain marketing communications; you may withdraw consent at any time.
6. Sharing and disclosure
We do not sell personal data. We share it only where necessary: with subcontractors and professional advisers engaged on a project; with IT, hosting, and communications providers acting as our processors under contract; with regulators, auditors, and public bodies where required as part of a consenting process or by law; and with a purchaser or successor in the event of a business reorganisation. All processors are bound by written terms requiring them to protect personal data and act only on our instructions.
7. International transfers
We deliver projects worldwide. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK or the EEA, we ensure an appropriate safeguard is in place — typically an adequacy decision, the International Data Transfer Agreement, or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses — and we take additional measures where the destination requires them.
8. Retention
We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, and professional-liability requirements. Engagement records are generally retained for the duration of the relationship and for a period afterward consistent with the limitation periods applicable to our professional liability. Recruitment data for unsuccessful applicants is retained for up to twelve months unless you ask us to keep it on file for future opportunities.
9. Your rights
Subject to the conditions in applicable law, you have the right to access your personal data; to have inaccurate data corrected; to have data erased; to restrict or object to processing; to data portability; and to withdraw consent where we rely on it. To exercise any of these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer. We will respond within the statutory time limit, normally one month.
10. Cookies
Our website uses a deliberately minimal set of cookies: strictly necessary cookies to operate the site securely, and optional analytics cookies (set only with your consent, with IP anonymisation) to understand aggregate usage. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies, and we do not sell any data collected through cookies. You can accept or decline optional cookies and change your choice at any time through your browser settings.
11. Security
We maintain technical and organisational measures appropriate to the risk, including access controls, encryption in transit and at rest, staff training, and a documented incident-response process. Where we suffer a personal-data breach likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority and, where required, affected individuals, without undue delay.
12. Contact and complaints
Questions about this notice or our handling of your data should be directed to dpo@meridianfield.com. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) or your local supervisory authority. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.
Terms of Use
These terms govern your use of the Meridian Field Sciences website. They do not govern any consulting engagement, which is instead subject to a separate written contract. By using this website you accept these terms.
1. Agreement to these terms
By accessing or using this website, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and agree to comply with them. If you do not agree, you must not use the website. We recommend you print or save a copy for your records.
2. About us
This website is operated by Meridian Field Sciences Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 04918770, with its registered office at Ecology House, Clerkenwell, London EC1. References to "we", "us", and "our" are to Meridian Field Sciences Ltd.
3. Use of the website
You may use this website only for lawful purposes. You must not use it in any way that breaches applicable law, is fraudulent or harmful, or seeks to gain unauthorised access to our systems. You must not attempt to extract, scrape, or reproduce the content of this website by automated means without our prior written consent, nor introduce any malicious code. We may suspend or withdraw availability of the website, or restrict access, at our discretion and without notice.
4. Intellectual property
All intellectual-property rights in this website and its content — including text, graphics, layout, the Meridian name and marks, and the illustrative diagrams — are owned by or licensed to us. You may view and print individual pages for your own reference. You may not otherwise copy, distribute, adapt, or commercially exploit any part of the website without our written permission.
5. No professional advice
The content of this website is provided for general information about our practice. It does not constitute ecological, environmental, legal, financial, or other professional advice, and must not be relied upon as such. Professional advice is provided only under a written engagement, scoped to the specific project and subject to the terms of that engagement. Nothing on this website creates a client relationship or a duty of care.
6. Confidential enquiries
Information you submit through our contact form or by email is treated in confidence and handled in accordance with our Privacy Notice. However, submitting an enquiry does not itself create a contractual or professional relationship, and you should not send us detailed confidential project information until an engagement or a non-disclosure agreement is in place. We are glad to put an NDA in place before you share sensitive detail — simply ask.
7. Third-party links
Where this website links to third-party sites, those links are provided for convenience only. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, availability, or practices of any third-party site, and a link does not imply endorsement.
8. Disclaimers
The website is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. While we take reasonable care to ensure the information on it is accurate at the time of publication, we make no representations or warranties, express or implied, that it is complete, current, or error-free. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude all implied warranties and conditions relating to the website and its use.
9. Limitation of liability
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Subject to that, we shall not be liable to any website user for any loss or damage, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with the use of, or inability to use, this website, including any loss of profit, revenue, data, or goodwill. This clause does not affect the terms of any separate engagement contract, under which our liability is addressed expressly.
10. Governing law and jurisdiction
These terms, their subject matter, and their formation are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them.
11. Changes to these terms
We may revise these terms at any time by amending this page. The version in force is the one published here when you access the website, and the effective date is shown above. Please check this page periodically to take note of any changes.
12. Contact
Questions about these terms should be sent to legal@meridianfield.com.
Modern Slavery Statement
This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps Meridian Field Sciences Ltd has taken during the financial year ending 31 December 2025 to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in its business and supply chains.
1. Introduction
Meridian has zero tolerance for slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking in any part of our business or supply chain. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure these practices are not taking place anywhere in our organisation.
2. Our organisation
Meridian is an ecological consulting and environmental programme-delivery firm headquartered in London, with field operations across more than forty jurisdictions. We employ approximately 380 field scientists and support staff and engage a range of specialist subcontractors on a project basis. The nature of our work — professional scientific services delivered largely by directly employed, qualified staff — places the majority of our operations at low inherent risk of modern slavery.
3. Our supply chains
Our supply chains support the delivery of field survey and consenting programmes. They include specialist ecological subcontractors and licensed surveyors; laboratory and analytical services; survey equipment and personal protective equipment; vehicle hire and logistics; accommodation and travel for field teams; and professional, IT, and facilities services. We recognise that risk is not uniform across these categories and that field logistics, equipment manufacture, and accommodation in certain jurisdictions carry higher inherent exposure.
4. Our policies
We operate a suite of policies relevant to modern slavery, including our Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy, Code of Business Conduct, Whistleblowing Policy, Recruitment Policy, and Supplier Code of Conduct. These are reviewed regularly and made available to all staff. Our Whistleblowing Policy enables staff and contractors to raise concerns confidentially, without fear of retaliation, including any concern relating to human rights in our operations or supply chain.
5. Due diligence
As part of our onboarding and periodic review of suppliers and subcontractors, we assess modern-slavery risk proportionate to the category of spend and jurisdiction. Higher-risk relationships are subject to enhanced enquiry, and our standard subcontract terms require compliance with the Modern Slavery Act and our Supplier Code of Conduct, including the right to audit and to terminate for breach. We verify the right to work of all directly employed staff and require the same of our labour-supplying subcontractors.
6. Risk assessment and management
During the reporting period we reviewed our supplier base to identify categories and geographies of elevated risk, focusing on field logistics, accommodation providers in remote and overseas locations, and the manufacture of survey and safety equipment. Where elevated risk was identified, we sought assurances from the relevant suppliers and, where appropriate, additional documentation. We identified no instances of modern slavery in our business or supply chain during the period.
7. Training and awareness
We provide modern-slavery awareness training to staff involved in procurement, recruitment, and the management of field teams and subcontractors, so that they can recognise the signs of exploitation and understand the steps to take if they have a concern. Awareness of our Whistleblowing Policy is reinforced during induction and periodically thereafter.
8. Measuring effectiveness
We monitor the effectiveness of our approach through the proportion of relevant suppliers accepting our Supplier Code of Conduct, the completion rate of staff training, and the number and nature of concerns raised through our whistleblowing channels. We will continue to develop these measures and to strengthen our due diligence in higher-risk categories in the coming year.
9. Approval
This statement was approved by the Board of Directors of Meridian Field Sciences Ltd and is signed on its behalf by the Chief Executive. It will be reviewed and updated annually.
Signed,
Chief Executive Officer
For and on behalf of the Board, Meridian Field Sciences Ltd