Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 24 September 2026
Last Reviewed: 24 September 2026
1. About this Privacy Policy
Business Studio Innovators Limited (Business Studio, we, our or us) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information we collect and hold.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect personal information in connection with our Accounting, Valuation and Advisory services and the operation of our business.
This Privacy Policy should be read alongside our Engagement Agreement and Terms of Business, where applicable. Those documents may contain additional information about the professional services we provide, confidentiality and the third-party service providers we use.
2. Personal information we collect
Personal information is information about an identifiable individual.
The personal information we collect depends on the nature of our relationship with you and the services we are providing. It may include:
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name and contact details;
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date of birth and identity information;
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tax and other identification information;
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financial, accounting and taxation information;
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bank account and transaction information;
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employment and remuneration information;
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information about business interests, shareholdings, ownership and organisational roles;
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information about directors, shareholders, trustees, beneficiaries, beneficial owners and persons exercising control;
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information required to meet legal, regulatory or professional obligations;
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information contained in correspondence, meetings and other communications;
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other information reasonably required to provide our services; and
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information about the individual's use of our website or digital services.
Some information we handle may be sensitive because of its nature or the circumstances in which it is provided. We take the nature and sensitivity of information into account when determining how it should be collected, used, stored and protected.
3. How we collect personal information
Information collected directly from you
We collect most personal information directly from the person concerned, including when you:
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engage us or enquire about our services;
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provide information or documents to us;
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communicate or meet with us;
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complete a form;
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use our website, client portal or other digital services; or
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otherwise interact with Business Studio.
Where required by the Privacy Act, we will take reasonable steps to explain why information is being collected, how it will be used, who may receive it and your rights of access and correction.
You are not required to provide personal information to us unless required by law. However, if information is necessary for us to provide a service or meet a legal or professional obligation, we may be unable to provide or continue providing that service without it.
Information collected from other sources
As a result of the nature of our accounting, valuation and advisory services, we may also receive personal information about individuals from other people or sources.
These may include:
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our clients and persons associated with them;
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companies, trusts and other entities involved in an engagement;
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accountants, lawyers, bankers and other professional advisers;
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government agencies and regulatory bodies;
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public registers and publicly available sources;
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identity or compliance verification providers; and
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other persons or organisations where the collection is permitted by law.
For example, a valuation or advisory engagement may involve information about shareholders, directors, employees, trustees, beneficiaries or other individuals who are not themselves our client.
Where we collect personal information about you from someone other than you, we will take reasonable steps to notify you of the collection as soon as reasonably practicable where required by the Privacy Act, unless an exception applies.
4. Why we collect and use personal information
We collect personal information only where we have a lawful purpose connected with our activities and the information is necessary for that purpose.
We may collect and use personal information to:
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consider whether we can accept an engagement;
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establish and manage client relationships;
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provide Accounting, Valuation and Advisory services;
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prepare financial statements, tax returns, valuations, reports, advice and other professional work;
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communicate with clients and other relevant persons;
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manage billing, payments and accounts;
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confirm identity and carry out client due diligence where required;
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obtain specialist, technical or professional assistance;
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manage conflicts of interest, quality control and professional risk;
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comply with taxation, regulatory, legal and professional obligations;
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manage our business, systems, suppliers and service providers;
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respond to enquiries, complaints or legal matters; and
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communicate information about Business Studio and our services where permitted by law.
We will generally use personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected, a directly related purpose, or another purpose permitted by the Privacy Act or other applicable law.
5. Legal and professional obligations
As a chartered accounting practice, we are subject to legal, regulatory and professional obligations that may require us to collect, use, retain or disclose personal information.
Where the services we provide are subject to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, we may be required to collect and verify information about clients and other relevant persons. This may include identity, ownership, control, source of funds or wealth and related information.
We may also collect, use, retain or disclose information where required to comply with taxation laws, court orders, regulatory requirements or other legal obligations.
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
Business Studio is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and is subject to its professional standards, ethical requirements, disciplinary procedures and practice review requirements.
Our files and workpapers may therefore be reviewed as part of CA ANZ's professional or practice review processes. This may involve providing CA ANZ, its reviewers or disciplinary bodies with access to client files containing personal information.
Those persons are subject to applicable professional and confidentiality obligations.
6. When we disclose personal information
We may disclose personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, a directly related purpose, or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
This may include disclosure to:
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employees and contractors who require the information to perform their work;
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accountants, lawyers, tax specialists, valuation specialists and other professional advisers;
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persons authorised by or acting for our client;
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persons to whom our client has instructed or authorised us to provide information or professional work;
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CA ANZ and persons involved in its professional review or disciplinary processes;
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government agencies, regulators or other persons where disclosure is required or authorised by law; and
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third-party service providers that assist us to deliver our services or operate our business.
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
The disclosure of a valuation, report or other professional work product may also be subject to restrictions contained in the relevant engagement agreement or report.
7. Third-party service providers
We use third-party technology and professional service providers to assist us to provide our services and operate our business.
These may include providers of:
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accounting, tax and practice management systems;
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workpaper and document management systems;
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client portals and electronic signing services;
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valuation, forecasting and reporting tools;
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workflow and data processing services;
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cloud storage and hosting;
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identity and compliance verification;
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communications and website services; and
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information technology and cybersecurity services.
These providers may process or store personal information on our behalf.
We take reasonable steps to select and manage service providers appropriately and to ensure that personal information is protected consistently with our obligations under the Privacy Act.
Further information about service providers used in connection with our professional services may be provided in our Engagement Agreement, Terms of Business or associated service-provider information.
8. Information processed or disclosed outside New Zealand
Some service providers we use may store or process information outside New Zealand.
Where an overseas provider stores or processes personal information solely on our behalf, we remain responsible for that information to the extent required by the Privacy Act.
Where we disclose personal information to an overseas person or organisation for their own purposes, we will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act relating to overseas disclosure. This may include ensuring appropriate privacy safeguards are in place or obtaining authorisation where required.
9. How we protect and retain personal information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure or other misuse.
Our safeguards include appropriate organisational, physical and technological measures and controls over access to personal information.
We retain personal information only for as long as it is required for a lawful purpose, including where retention is required to meet legal, taxation, professional or contractual obligations.
When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or de-identify it.
If a privacy breach occurs, we will respond to it in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act, including any obligation to notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
10. Website, cookies and electronic communications
When you use our website or other digital services, we may collect technical information such as:
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your IP address;
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browser or device information;
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pages visited and website usage information; and
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information collected through cookies or similar technologies.
Cookies are small files stored on a device or browser and may be used to operate the website, understand how it is used and improve the user experience.
You can generally control or disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect some website functionality.
Where permitted by law, we may use contact details you have provided to send information about Business Studio or our services that we consider may be relevant to you.
Electronic marketing communications will provide an appropriate means to unsubscribe. Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not prevent us from contacting you about an existing engagement, transaction or other non-marketing matter.
11. Accessing and correcting your personal information
You have the right under the Privacy Act to ask whether we hold personal information about you and to request access to that information.
You may also ask us to correct personal information you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading.
We will respond to access and correction requests in accordance with the Privacy Act. We may ask you for information reasonably necessary to verify your identity before providing access.
The statutory timeframe for making a decision on an access or correction request is generally 20 working days, although extensions and other exceptions may apply under the Privacy Act.
If we do not make a correction you have requested, you may ask us to attach a statement of the correction sought to the information.
We take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading before using or disclosing it. We also ask that you let us know if information you have provided to us changes or you believe it is incorrect.
12. Questions and complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or the way we have handled your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer.
We will consider and respond to privacy concerns in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
13. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, business practices, technology or legal requirements.
The current version of the Privacy Policy will identify the date from which it applies.
14. Contact us
Privacy Officer
Business Studio Innovators Limited
A Unit 1, 1 Koru Place, Stoke, Nelson 7020
P +64 3 5444 772
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