MSF Switzerland candidates’ Privacy notice

Médecins Sans Frontières Suisse (referred to as ‘MSF’ in this document) has a strong ethical responsibility towards the collection and processing of personal data; we are duty-bound to protect the privacy of all people who entrust their personal information to us. This includes candidates’ personal data. Under Swiss data protection laws and the EU General Data Protection Regulation, MSF is subject to various legal obligations. These obligations include letting candidate know how we use, store and share data and what measures MSF have in place to protect it.

MSF holds information about individuals in paper and electronic forms. This is managed by the Human Resources Team. This data is shared and used for the purposes detailed below.

Nature of data that are collected

For candidates for Headquarters’ positions (including trainee, civil service, volunteer positions):

Candidates apply through “Recrutee”, a recruitment Platform (https://medecinssansfrontieressuisse.recruitee.com) embedded in MSF website, where MSF collects your Name, email address, phone number, CV and motivation letter.

For candidates for international Field positions: MSF Switzerland receives applications through a recruitment platform “Talentsoft” embedded in MSF.ch website.

Data collected for field positions are:

  • CV and motivation letter
  • A personal application form filled out by each candidate containing:
    • First and Last Name
    • Gender
    • Address
    • Nationality
    • Place and date of birth
    • Email address
    • Skype ID
    • Education details
    • Language levels
    • References contact information
    • Extra information that you choose to tell us
  • Online Work Experience Form (WEF) containing work experience
  • Copies of diplomas and relevant working licenses
  • Copies of work certificates
  • Criminal check record dated less than 1 month
  • Copies of MSF or other NGO evaluations (if applicable)
  • Medical competencies checklists (self-evaluation)
  • Technical tests (for non-medical profiles)
  • Copies of passports
  • Professional references
  • Intake (information obtained during interviews)

Purposes and legal basis for the processing

  • To complete your applicant files
  • To have all the necessary documents and information to proceed with recruitments and validation of the candidate
  • To estimate salary

Data retention periods

If you are subsequently employed by MSF Switzerland the supplied personal information will be retained in your personnel file.

Headquarters positions: If you are unsuccessful in the application, MSF Switzerland retains the personal information for a period of 6 months.

International staff positions in the field: your personal data will be kept for a maximum of 2 years in Talentsoft after the end of the application process.

If your application is received after the application deadline, all received data will be immediately deleted.
Anonymized data may be kept for statistic only (gender, region, how candidate learned about MSF Switzerland etc.).

Access to the data

Candidates’ personal data are considered confidential and are shared only with the employees of MSF Switzerland to the extent necessary for their duties including the recruitment committee. MSF Switzerland may also need to share personal data with other Sections within the MSF Movement by email (for matching and salary scaling).

Data Sharing outside MSF

Currently the following external third parties have access to MSF employee data:

  • Recruitee
  • Talentsoft
  • Microsoft

Note: third parties do not have access to all employee data, only that which they need to carry out the work they are contracted for.

In no case will MSF sell your personal data. MSF does not make automated decision based on your personal data during the recruitment process.

Data Sharing outside MSF

Currently the following external third parties have access to MSF employee data:

  • Amex and CIBT for travel and visa requests respectively
  • Fer Ciam (social security)
  • OCPM and OCIRT (work permit)
  • Profond Switzerland (MSF pension plan)
  • International SOS (medical assistance)
  • MSH International (travel insurance-health)
  • Ernst and Young Switzerland (auditors)
  • CBI (insurance broker)
  • Iron Mountain (Archiving Swiss Company)

Note: third parties do not have access to all employee data, only that which they need to carry out the work they are contracted for.

In no case will MSF sell your personal data. MSF does not make automated decision based on your personal data during the recruitment process or during your employment.

Data storage

MSF Switzerland stores personal data in secure databases. Organizational and technical measures have been taken to protect personal data from loss, compromise and theft.

Personal data from Candidates at Headquarters are uploaded in a recruitment Software called “Recruitee” and Talentsoft for international staff positions.

Your rights

You have rights in relation to the personal data that are collected about you.

  • Right of access: the right to have an overview of the personal data that MSF Switzerland has about you.
  • Right of rectification: If a candidate, employee or former employee demonstrates that their personal data is incorrect, he/ she has the right to request that the data relating to him/ her are updated. If a person does not agree with an apraisal concerning him or her, he or she may ask to have the contentious nature of the assessment noted.
  • Right to restrict the processing: the right to ask MSF Switzerland to stop or restrict the use of personal data in certain cases, for example if there is disagreement about the correctness or legitimate use.
  • Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”): the right to have personal data deleted, for example if it is demonstrated that MSF Switzerland no longer need the personal data or use it unlawfully.

MSF Switzerland responds to this request within maximum one (1) month after receiving the request.

Requests can be sent to:

Should you wish to file a complaint, it can be done directly to:

Préposé Fédéral à la Protection des Données et à la Transparence (PFPDT)
Feldeggweg 1- CH-3003 Berne
Phone: +41 (0)58 462 43 95

Privacy Notice update

MSF Switzerland updates this privacy notice when necessary. If MSF Switzerland makes significant changes to the way the organization treats personal information, MSF Switzerland will update the dedicated website page.

January 2023