Last updated 2 October 2026

Privacy Policy

How STAR-K collects, uses and protects the personal data you share with us through star-k.my, in line with Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA).

Who We Are

star-k.my is operated by STAR-K Certification, Inc. (“STAR-K”, “we”, “us”), 122 Slade Ave, Suite 300, Pikesville, MD 21208, USA. STAR-K decides how and why personal data collected through this website is processed.

Questions about this policy or your data can be sent to rabbimushell@star-k.org or +1 410-484-4110.

What We Collect

  • Enquiry form: your name, email address, company, country, the products you want certified, your message, and the type of request you choose.
  • Application form: if you apply online, the company, contact, product and facility details the application asks for.
  • Email and phone: anything you choose to send us directly.
  • Usage data, only with your consent: if you accept analytics cookies, Google Analytics records how the site is used, such as pages viewed, approximate location, device and browser, and how you arrived. See Cookies and Analytics.

We do not ask for sensitive personal data, and we ask you not to send it.

Why We Use It

  • To answer your enquiry and send the information you ask for.
  • To assess and process an application for kosher certification and related services.
  • To follow up on your enquiry or application.
  • If you consent to analytics, to understand how the site is used and improve it.
  • To meet legal obligations and protect our rights.

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for advertising.

Is Providing It Required?

Your name and email address are needed for us to reply. The other fields are optional, but leaving them out may mean we need to ask you for them before we can help. Analytics cookies are entirely optional.

Who We Share It With

  • STAR-K staff who handle enquiries and certification, including at our headquarters in the United States.
  • Service providers that run the site and our email for us, under their own data protection terms: IONOS (website hosting), Google (Analytics, if you consent; web fonts; the map on our Contact page), Jotform (the online application form) and our email provider.
  • Authorities, if the law requires it.

Transfers Outside Malaysia

STAR-K is based in the United States and our service providers may store data in the US, Europe or elsewhere. By sending us your details, you understand they will be handled outside Malaysia. We take reasonable steps to make sure your data receives a comparable level of protection wherever it is processed.

Cookies and Analytics

The site sets one small cookie to remember your cookie choice. Analytics cookies from Google Analytics are set only if you select “Accept” in the cookie banner. If you decline, no analytics cookies are stored.

You can change your choice at any time using Cookie settings, also in the footer of every page. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser.

Our Contact page shows an embedded Google Map, and the site loads fonts from Google. These connect your browser to Google, which receives your IP address.

How Long We Keep It

We keep enquiry details for as long as needed to deal with your enquiry and any follow-up, and generally for no longer than three years after our last contact. Information that becomes part of a certification file is kept for as long as the certification relationship and our record-keeping obligations require. Analytics data is kept according to Google Analytics retention settings.

Your Rights

Under the PDPA you may ask to:

  • access the personal data we hold about you and receive a copy;
  • correct data that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date;
  • withdraw your consent, or ask us to limit how we use your data, including for direct marketing.

Email rabbimushell@star-k.org with your request. We may need to confirm your identity, and we will reply within the time the law allows.

Security

The site uses HTTPS, and access to enquiries and applications is limited to the people who need it. No system is completely secure, so please do not send passwords or financial details through the forms.

Links to Other Sites

The site links to other websites, including star-k.org and our partners. Their privacy practices are their own.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy. The date at the top shows when it last changed.

Language

This policy is also available in Bahasa Melayu. If the two versions differ, the English version applies.