HMS Stewards Privacy Policy

Last Updated: September 20, 2026

At Headwaters & Marine Stewards® (HMS), we believe privacy is a fundamental right. We have designed our online presence to be as non-invasive as possible. We do not want to harvest your data; we want to provide you with the tools for stewardship.

1. Our “No Tracking” Guarantee

  • No Third-Party Analytics: We do not use Google Analytics, Meta Pixels, or any other third-party surveillance tools to track your behavior across the web.
  • Minimal Functional Technologies: We only use the strictly necessary functional cookies and local browser storage required for the website to operate. This includes keeping you logged into your course dashboard, remembering your shopping cart, and saving your preferred layout settings. These tools are strictly for your user experience and are never used for marketing or profiling.

2. What We Collect & How We Use It

We only collect information you voluntarily provide, plus minimal technical data required for security. We use this data strictly to provide access to the HMS Learning Management System (LMS), send essential account notifications, and respond to your direct inquiries

  • Account & Student Data: When you register for a course, we collect your name and email address to create your login, track your progress, and issue your certificates.
  • Technical Infrastructure Logs: To ensure our website remains fast and secure, our hosting and Content Delivery Network (CDN) providers automatically log limited technical information (such as your IP address and browser type). This data is used solely for security monitoring (e.g., preventing DDoS attacks) and is cleared regularly.
  • Payment Processing: To ensure the highest level of security, we do not store your credit card information on our servers.
    • Stripe: Used for direct credit/debit card processing.
    • PayPal: Offered for your convenience and trust. Both providers share only the minimum transaction details with us (such as your name and the amount paid) to confirm your enrollment.

3. Payment Processing & Trusted Partners

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. To provide a high-performance experience, we only share data with essential service providers who are contractually bound to protect your privacy:

  • Payment Gateways (Stripe & PayPal): We do not store your credit card information on our servers. Our payment processors securely handle your course fees and share only minimal transaction details with us (such as your name and the amount paid) to confirm your enrollment.
  • Infrastructure & LMS Partners: Trusted hosts and CDNs process data solely to serve our website securely. They are strictly prohibited from using your data for their own marketing.

5. Your Rights

You own your data. At any time, you may contact us to request a copy of the data we hold or to request that we completely delete your account and all associated student records.

6. Contact Us