Legal & Imprint

Imprint — Who Operates BusinessStats.com

BusinessStats.com is a data journalism and statistics platform operated as a registered business. The following information identifies the legal operator of this website in accordance with applicable publishing and electronic commerce regulations.

Terms of Use — BusinessStats.com

By accessing or using BusinessStats.com ("the Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue use of the Platform immediately. These terms apply to all visitors, readers, and users of the Platform regardless of how they access it.

1. Acceptance of Terms

Use of the Platform constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. These terms may be updated from time to time. We will note the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of the Platform after any modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

2. Permitted Use

You may access and read content on BusinessStats.com for personal, educational, research, and non-commercial professional use. Specifically, you are permitted to:

• Read and reference statistics, reports, and articles published on the Platform
• Cite BusinessStats.com as a source in academic work, journalism, and research, provided attribution is given
• Share links to individual pages on the Platform via social media, email, or other channels
• Quote brief excerpts (up to 100 words) from individual articles for commentary, criticism, or educational purposes, with clear attribution and a link back to the original page
• Use statistics from our reports in professional presentations, reports, and analyses, provided the original source is cited and BusinessStats.com is credited

3. Prohibited Use

The following uses of BusinessStats.com content are strictly prohibited without prior written permission:

• Reproducing, republishing, or distributing full articles, reports, or substantial portions of content from the Platform on any other website, application, or publication — whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes
• Scraping, crawling, or using automated tools to systematically extract, copy, or harvest content or data from the Platform
• Incorporating Platform content into databases, products, or services for resale or distribution to third parties
• Using Platform content in any way that competes directly with BusinessStats.com as a statistics or data platform
• Misrepresenting the source of content taken from the Platform, or presenting BusinessStats.com data as your own original research
• Using content from the Platform to train, fine-tune, develop, or improve any artificial intelligence or machine learning model without a separate, explicit written licence from BusinessStats
• Bypassing, disabling, or circumventing any technical measures that control access to parts of the Platform
• Using the Platform in any way that violates applicable local, national, or international law or regulation

4. Intellectual Property

All content on BusinessStats.com — including but not limited to articles, statistical analyses, data visualisations, charts, infographics, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, design elements, and editorial commentary — is the intellectual property of BusinessStats or is used under licence from third-party data providers. All rights are reserved unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Where data is sourced from third-party providers (such as the UN Population Division, World Bank, or national statistics bureaus), that data remains the property of the originating organisation and is used in accordance with their respective open-data and citation policies. BusinessStats claims no ownership over raw government or intergovernmental statistical data.

5. User-Generated Content

BusinessStats.com does not currently host user-generated content or public comments. Any content submitted to us via email or other means (such as corrections, tips, or suggestions) may be used by BusinessStats in editorial work at our discretion, and shall not create any obligation to compensate the submitting party.

6. Links to Third-Party Websites

BusinessStats.com contains links to third-party websites, including primary data sources, government databases, and academic institutions. These links are provided for reference and convenience only. BusinessStats does not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content, accuracy, or policies of any linked third-party website. You access third-party websites at your own risk.

7. Termination of Access

BusinessStats reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the Platform for any user who violates these Terms of Use, engages in abusive or disruptive behaviour, or uses the Platform in a manner that may cause legal or reputational harm to BusinessStats or third parties.

Content Licensing — How Our Content May Be Used

BusinessStats.com produces original data journalism and statistical reporting. Our content may be licensed for specific commercial and institutional uses beyond the standard permitted use outlined in our Terms of Use. The following table summarises our standard licensing framework.

Privacy Policy — How We Handle Your Data

BusinessStats.com is committed to protecting the privacy of all visitors to our platform. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have in relation to your personal data. We operate in accordance with applicable data protection legislation including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

What Data We Collect

When you visit BusinessStats.com, certain technical information is automatically recorded by our servers and third-party analytics tools. This may include:

• Log data: Your IP address (anonymised after processing), browser type and version, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit
• Analytics data: Aggregate, anonymised data on how users interact with the Platform, including page views, session duration, and navigation patterns
• Newsletter subscriptions: If you subscribe to our newsletter, we store your email address for the sole purpose of sending you the newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email we send
• Enquiry data: If you contact us by email, we retain your name, email address, and the content of your message in order to respond to your enquiry

What Data We Do Not Collect

• We do not require user registration or account creation to access any content on the Platform
• We do not collect or store payment card data (we have no paid subscription or e-commerce functionality at this time)
• We do not collect sensitive personal data such as racial or ethnic origin, health information, political opinions, or biometric data
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party for marketing purposes — ever

How We Use Your Data

• Analytics: To understand how our content is used and to improve the Platform. We use analytics data in aggregated, anonymised form only
• Newsletter: To send you the weekly data intelligence brief you have subscribed to. We do not use your email address for any other purpose without your explicit consent
• Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or lawful requests from competent authorities
• Security: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent or abusive use of the Platform

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

• Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)): For analytics, platform security, and improving the service
• Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): For newsletter subscriptions and any non-essential cookies
• Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): Where processing is required by law

Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Server log data is retained for a maximum of 90 days. Enquiry data is retained for up to 24 months unless you request earlier deletion.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data held by BusinessStats:

• Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Right to erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances
• Right to object: You may object to processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing
• Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe your data has been processed unlawfully

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@businesstats.com. We will respond within 30 days of receiving a verified request.

Third-Party Services

BusinessStats.com uses a small number of third-party tools to operate the Platform. These include analytics providers (data is anonymised before processing), email delivery infrastructure for the newsletter, and web hosting services. We select third-party providers who comply with applicable data protection law and, where required, enter into data processing agreements with them. We do not use third-party advertising networks that track users across websites.

Cookie Policy — How We Use Cookies

BusinessStats.com uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve the Platform. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your browser when you visit a website. We use cookies minimally and purposefully — only where they serve a genuine function for the operation or improvement of the Platform.

You can manage or disable non-essential cookies at any time through your browser settings or through the cookie preferences panel on this site. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some features on the Platform. For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org.

Data Accuracy, Sources & Editorial Standards

BusinessStats.com is committed to publishing accurate, well-sourced statistical content. All data published on the Platform is derived from publicly available primary sources or from licensed third-party data providers. The following standards apply to all content we publish.

Primary Data Sources

BusinessStats.com draws primarily from the following categories of sources:

• United Nations agencies (UN Population Division, UNCTAD, WHO, FAO, ILO, UNESCO, UNICEF)
• International financial institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Bank for International Settlements)
• National statistics bureaus and central banks (US Census Bureau, ONS, Eurostat, China NBS, India Census, and equivalents)
• Intergovernmental economic bodies (OECD, WTO, IEA, IRENA)
• Industry associations and authoritative sector bodies (OICA, GSMA, IATA, and equivalents)
• Peer-reviewed academic research and institutional working papers
• Publicly available corporate filings, earnings reports, and investor documents

Projections & Forecasts

Where BusinessStats.com publishes projected, forecast, or estimated data, this is clearly labelled with an asterisk (*) or explicit notation in the text and data tables. Projections are sourced from authoritative forecasting institutions and represent their published medium-variant or baseline scenarios unless otherwise stated. Projections are inherently uncertain — they are not guarantees of future outcomes.

Corrections Policy

If you believe a statistic or piece of information published on BusinessStats.com is inaccurate or out of date, please contact us at editorial@businesstats.com with the URL of the relevant page and the specific data point in question. We will review all corrections requests within 10 business days and will publish a correction notice on the relevant page if an error is confirmed.

Disclaimer — Limitations of Liability

While BusinessStats.com makes every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and currency of information published on the Platform, all content is provided on an "as is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

• No professional advice: Nothing on BusinessStats.com constitutes financial, investment, legal, medical, or other professional advice. Statistics and data should not be used as the sole basis for business, investment, or policy decisions without independent verification and professional consultation.
• No guarantee of accuracy: Statistical data is derived from third-party primary sources which themselves may contain errors, methodological limitations, or subsequent revisions. BusinessStats does not guarantee the absolute accuracy of any figure published on the Platform.
• No liability for decisions: BusinessStats accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or adverse outcome arising from any decision made in reliance on information published on the Platform.
• No liability for third-party sites: BusinessStats accepts no responsibility for the content, accuracy, or operation of any third-party websites linked from the Platform.
• Platform availability: BusinessStats does not guarantee uninterrupted access to the Platform and accepts no liability for any loss resulting from unavailability, downtime, or technical errors.

The above limitations of liability apply to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Nothing in these terms affects any statutory rights you may have as a consumer that cannot be excluded or limited by law.

AI & Automated Use Policy

BusinessStats.com produces original research, editorial analysis, and data journalism. This content represents significant human intellectual effort and is protected by copyright. We maintain a clear and firm policy regarding the use of our content by artificial intelligence systems and automated processes.

Automated Scraping & Crawling

Systematic automated access to BusinessStats.com — including web scraping, crawling bots, and data harvesting tools — is prohibited without prior written authorisation. Search engine crawlers operating in accordance with our robots.txt file are permitted. If you represent a search engine or legitimate index service and wish to crawl the Platform, please contact us at legal@businesstats.com.

Licensing for AI & Data Applications

If you represent an organisation that wishes to licence BusinessStats.com content for use in AI systems, data products, or automated applications, we are open to discussing appropriate licensing arrangements. Please contact us at legal@businesstats.com with a description of the intended use, the scope of content required, and your organisation's details.

Accessibility Statement

BusinessStats.com is committed to making its platform accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standard across all pages of the Platform.

Current Accessibility Features

• All content is structured with semantic HTML headings and landmark regions for screen reader navigation
• Data tables include appropriate header markup and caption text
• Colour contrast ratios across the Platform meet or exceed WCAG 2.2 Level AA minimums
• All interactive elements are keyboard-navigable
• Images used for informational purposes include descriptive alt text
• The Platform is responsive and functions correctly at 400% zoom on standard screen sizes
• No content flashes or strobes at frequencies known to trigger photosensitive seizures

Known Limitations

Some complex data visualisations (interactive charts and bar charts) may not be fully accessible via screen reader at this time. We are actively working to provide text-based data alternatives for all chart content. If you require accessible versions of any content published on the Platform, please contact us at hello@businesstats.com and we will endeavour to provide an alternative format within 10 business days.

Feedback

If you experience accessibility barriers on BusinessStats.com or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us at hello@businesstats.com. We review all accessibility feedback and use it to improve the Platform on a continuous basis. This accessibility statement was last reviewed in March 2026.

Legal Contact & Enquiries

For all legal, licensing, privacy, and compliance enquiries relating to BusinessStats.com, please use the appropriate contact below. We aim to acknowledge all legal correspondence within 3 business days and to resolve enquiries within 30 business days where possible.