1. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Maureen website.
This Privacy Policy explains how ZDVM Holdings (Pty) Ltd, trading through or in connection with the Maureen Sanitary Towels / M♀UREEN brand (“Maureen”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), collects, uses, stores, protects and otherwise processes personal information when you visit or interact with our website, platforms, services, educational initiatives and community features.
Our digital ecosystem may include:
- Maureen Sanitary Towels;
- Menstruation University;
- Maureen Wellness Club;
- Maureen Journal;
- Period Tracker and related menstrual education tools;
- Period Tips and educational content;
- Period Stories and community submissions;
- quizzes and interactive educational activities;
- newsletters and email communications;
- contact and enquiry forms;
- competitions, campaigns and promotions;
- school and community educational programmes;
- store-location information;
- social-media integrations and links;
- videos, photographs and other digital content; and
- other services or features that we may introduce from time to time.
We are committed to respecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly.
This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions and any other notices displayed on our website.
2. WHO WE ARE
The website and Maureen brand are operated by or on behalf of:
ZDVM Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Trading as / in connection with Maureen Sanitary Towels (M♀UREEN)
For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Maureen” refers to the relevant Maureen brand, website, initiative or service operated by or on behalf of ZDVM Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
Where required by applicable law, we may designate an Information Officer or other responsible person to oversee personal-information compliance.
3. WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION WE MAY COLLECT
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect information such as:
3.1 Information you provide directly
This may include:
- your name and surname;
- email address;
- telephone or mobile number;
- postal or delivery address;
- country, province or general location;
- information provided through contact forms;
- information provided when requesting information about our products;
- information submitted through newsletters or mailing-list registrations;
- competition or promotional-entry information;
- feedback, comments or enquiries;
- information you voluntarily provide when participating in Menstruation University or Maureen Wellness Club activities;
- information submitted through quizzes, surveys or community features; and
- any other information you voluntarily provide to us.
Please do not submit personal information belonging to another person unless you have the necessary authority or permission to do so.
4. MENSTRUATION, WELLNESS AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION
Because Maureen operates in the menstrual-health education and wellness space, certain information that users voluntarily provide may potentially relate to intimate, menstrual or wellness matters.
You are not required to disclose private menstrual, medical or intimate information simply to browse our website.
Where a feature does not require such information, we aim not to collect it.
Where you voluntarily submit information through a form, story, survey, programme or other feature, we will process that information only for the purpose for which it was provided and in accordance with applicable law.
We encourage users not to provide unnecessary sensitive personal information in public comments, stories, social-media submissions or other publicly accessible areas.
5. INFORMATION ABOUT CHILDREN
Menstruation University is intended to support menstrual education and may provide educational resources relevant to young people, learners and school communities.
We take children’s privacy seriously.
Where we conduct activities involving children or learners, we will take appropriate steps required by applicable law concerning the collection, use, publication and disclosure of children’s personal information.
We may require consent or authorisation from a parent, guardian, school or other legally authorised person where appropriate.
We do not encourage children to publicly submit private information, photographs, contact details or intimate personal information through our website.
If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us in circumstances where this should not have occurred, please contact us so that we can assess and address the matter.
6. INFORMATION COLLECTED AUTOMATICALLY
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically.
This may include:
- IP address;
- browser type;
- device type;
- operating system;
- pages visited;
- approximate geographic information;
- referring website;
- date and time of access;
- website interactions;
- technical diagnostics; and
- information collected through cookies or similar technologies.
This information may be used to operate, secure, analyse and improve our website.
7. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.
Cookies may help us:
- keep the website functioning;
- remember preferences;
- understand how visitors use the website;
- improve website performance;
- analyse traffic;
- improve user experience; and
- support certain website features.
Some cookies may be provided by third-party services integrated into our website.
Where required by applicable law, we will provide appropriate notice or obtain consent for non-essential cookies.
You may also be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of parts of the website.
8. HOW WE USE PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may use personal information for purposes including:
- responding to enquiries;
- providing information about Maureen products;
- processing requests or submissions;
- communicating with users;
- providing newsletters and updates;
- administering competitions and campaigns;
- managing community activities;
- operating Menstruation University;
- supporting Maureen Wellness Club;
- managing Maureen Journal submissions;
- administering interactive features;
- improving our website and services;
- understanding website usage;
- preventing fraud, abuse and security threats;
- maintaining records;
- complying with legal and regulatory obligations;
- protecting our legal rights;
- conducting legitimate business administration; and
- other purposes communicated to you at the time information is collected.
We will not use personal information for materially incompatible purposes without an appropriate legal basis or permission where required.
9. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
If you subscribe to our newsletter, mailing list or marketing communications, we may send you information about:
- Maureen products;
- menstrual education;
- wellness;
- new articles;
- Menstruation University;
- Maureen Journal;
- Maureen Wellness Club;
- promotions;
- campaigns;
- events;
- community initiatives; and
- other Maureen-related news.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in the communication or by contacting us.
Where applicable, our electronic marketing practices will comply with South African law concerning unsolicited commercial communications. The ECT Act provides consumers with rights relating to unsolicited communications, including the ability to opt out. (Government of South Africa)
10. PERIOD TRACKER
If our website provides a Period Tracker or similar menstrual-cycle feature, users should understand that:
- the feature is intended primarily as an educational or informational tool;
- any information entered into the tracker may constitute personal or sensitive information depending on what the user provides;
- users should only enter information they are comfortable providing;
- users should not use the tracker as a substitute for professional medical advice; and
- information generated by a tracker should not be interpreted as a diagnosis.
We will explain the information collected by any tracker and its purpose as clearly as reasonably possible.
Where the tracker uses a third-party service or application programming interface (“API”), information may also be processed by that third party in accordance with its own privacy terms.
11. MENSTRUATION UNIVERSITY
Menstruation University is an educational initiative designed to promote menstrual literacy, awareness, confidence and healthy conversations about menstruation.
Its content may include:
- educational articles;
- menstrual facts;
- period tips;
- quizzes;
- videos;
- school resources;
- community stories;
- podcasts;
- educational campaigns;
- downloadable resources; and
- other educational materials.
Personal information submitted in connection with Menstruation University will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Educational materials are not intended to replace individual medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
12. MAUREEN WELLNESS CLUB
Maureen Wellness Club is intended to encourage a broader approach to personal wellbeing, including physical activity, nutrition, self-care, emotional wellbeing and healthy lifestyle habits.
Information provided through Wellness Club features may be used to administer community participation, respond to questions, improve our content and communicate with members.
Maureen Wellness Club does not constitute a medical practice and does not provide individualised medical diagnosis or treatment.
13. MAUREEN JOURNAL
Maureen Journal may include articles, opinions, educational materials, community stories, interviews, lifestyle content, wellness information and other editorial material.
If you voluntarily submit a story, photograph, testimonial, comment or other material, you acknowledge that we may need to process personal information contained within that submission.
Where we intend to publicly publish identifiable personal information, we will seek any consent or permission required by applicable law.
You should not submit information that you do not want to potentially appear publicly.
14. PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOS AND TESTIMONIALS
From time to time, Maureen may publish photographs, videos, testimonials or community content.
Where an individual can reasonably be identified, we will obtain appropriate permission or consent where required.
For children, additional safeguards and appropriate consent or authorisation may apply.
If you believe that an image, video or testimonial containing your personal information has been published improperly, please contact us.
15. SHARING PERSONAL INFORMATION
We do not sell your personal information as a business practice.
We may share personal information where reasonably necessary with:
- employees and authorised representatives;
- service providers;
- website hosting providers;
- website-development and technology providers;
- email and communications providers;
- analytics providers;
- payment or transaction providers where applicable;
- delivery and logistics providers where applicable;
- professional advisers;
- legal advisers;
- auditors;
- regulatory authorities;
- law-enforcement authorities where legally required; or
- other third parties where necessary to provide a service you have requested or where otherwise permitted by law.
Third-party service providers may process information on our behalf and may have their own privacy policies.
16. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS
Some technology, hosting, communication, analytics or other service providers may process information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred across borders, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is handled in accordance with applicable South African data-protection requirements.
17. DATA SECURITY
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
- unauthorised access;
- accidental loss;
- destruction;
- misuse;
- alteration;
- disclosure; and
- other unlawful processing.
However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
You should therefore also take reasonable precautions when using the internet, including protecting your passwords and devices.
18. DATA RETENTION
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to provide services, maintain business records, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements or protect our rights.
When information is no longer reasonably required, we may securely delete, destroy, anonymise or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with applicable law.
19. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
Subject to applicable law, you may have rights including the right to:
- request access to personal information we hold about you;
- request correction of inaccurate or outdated information;
- request deletion where legally applicable;
- object to certain processing;
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
- object to direct marketing;
- request information about how your personal information is being processed; and
- lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator where appropriate.
The South African Information Regulator is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with POPIA and PAIA. (eServices)
20. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social-media platforms, retailers, educational resources or other services.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content or policies of third-party websites.
You should review the privacy policy of any third-party website before providing personal information.
21. SOCIAL MEDIA
Maureen may maintain or link to social-media accounts and may display social-media content on our website.
Interactions on third-party social-media platforms are governed by the privacy policies and terms of those platforms.
Information that you publicly post on social media may be visible to others.
Please exercise caution before publicly sharing personal, menstrual, medical, school or other sensitive information.
22. DATA BREACHES
If we become aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will take reasonable steps to investigate, contain and address the incident and make any notifications required by applicable law.
23. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:
- changes to our services;
- changes to our website;
- new technologies;
- legal or regulatory developments; or
- changes to our privacy practices.
The updated version will be published on our website with a revised “Last Updated” date.
24. CONTACT US
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise a privacy right or have a concern about the handling of your personal information, please contact Maureen through the official contact details published on our website.
ZDVM Holdings (Pty) Ltd / Maureen Sanitary Towels
Website: maureenpads.co.za
Privacy / Information Officer: [INSERT NAME]
Email: [INSERT PRIVACY EMAIL]
Telephone:
[INSERT TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Physical Address: [INSERT REGISTERED / BUSINESS ADDRESS]
25. INFORMATION REGULATOR
If you believe that your personal information has been handled unlawfully and the matter cannot be resolved directly with us, you may contact the South African Information Regulator through its official channels.
Information Regulator of South Africa:
Website: Information Regulator official website
26. ACCEPTANCE
By using our website, you acknowledge that you have had an opportunity to read this Privacy Policy.
Where applicable law requires a separate consent, notice or authorisation, we will seek that consent or provide that notice separately.
Last Updated: 30 August 2026