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NOSWEAT.CO.ZA
NOSWEAT.CO.ZA

Direct Marketing Policy

No Sweat Work Media CC
Trading as NoSweat
Registration Number: 2009/090625/23
Website: www.nosweat.co.za
Effective Date: 10 August 2026


1. Our Approach to Direct Marketing

NoSweat respects the privacy and communication preferences of candidates, freelancers, clients, prospective clients and other people who interact with us.

We are committed to responsible, relevant and lawful marketing practices.

We do not want to send people communications they do not wish to receive, and we will honour valid objections, withdrawals of consent and unsubscribe requests.

Our direct-marketing activities are managed primarily in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), including section 69, and applicable requirements of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (“CPA”). POPIA specifically regulates unsolicited electronic communications and gives data subjects rights concerning direct marketing.


2. What Is Direct Marketing?

POPIA describes direct marketing as approaching a data subject, either in person, by mail or through electronic communication, for the direct or indirect purpose of:

  • promoting or offering goods or services; or
  • requesting a donation.

The Information Regulator distinguishes between direct marketing through unsolicited electronic communications under section 69 of POPIA and direct marketing through methods such as post or in-person communication, which is regulated under other POPIA provisions.

For purposes of this Policy, direct-marketing channels may include:

  • email;
  • SMS;
  • telephone calls;
  • automated calls;
  • WhatsApp or similar messaging;
  • push notifications;
  • postal mail; and
  • direct personal communication.

The Information Regulator’s current guidance treats telephone, automated calling, SMS, email and push notifications as electronic communication for direct-marketing purposes.


3. What NoSweat May Communicate About

Where permitted by law and consistent with your preferences, NoSweat may communicate with you regarding matters such as:

  • NoSweat services;
  • talent and hiring solutions;
  • freelance, fractional or full-time opportunities;
  • new platform features;
  • industry information;
  • events;
  • newsletters;
  • promotions;
  • client services;
  • talent-related services; and
  • other relevant NoSweat offerings.

We aim to keep these communications relevant to the relationship you have with NoSweat.


4. Direct Marketing vs Service Communications

Not every communication from NoSweat is a marketing communication.

Service and operational communications

We may need to contact candidates, clients or other users regarding matters necessary to provide the service they have requested.

These may include:

  • account confirmation;
  • password or security messages;
  • application updates;
  • interview arrangements;
  • questions about a CV or profile;
  • communications relating to a job for which you applied;
  • matching communications that form part of the talent service you requested;
  • contracts and purchase orders;
  • placement administration;
  • freelancer payment information;
  • invoices;
  • client hiring processes;
  • changes materially affecting our service; and
  • responses to enquiries.

For example, NoSweat’s current candidate platform allows candidates to create profiles, apply directly for opportunities and receive further communication if the client awards them a job.

These operational communications are not sent primarily for the purpose of promoting an unrelated product or service.

Marketing communications

Communications primarily intended to promote NoSweat or an additional service, product or offering may constitute direct marketing and will be handled according to the requirements in this Policy.

Where a communication contains both operational and promotional content, NoSweat will consider the nature and purpose of the promotional content when determining whether direct-marketing requirements apply.


5. Marketing to Prospective Customers

Where NoSweat wishes to send unsolicited electronic direct marketing to someone who is not an existing customer for purposes of section 69 of POPIA, we will obtain the required consent before doing so.

POPIA permits a responsible party to approach a data subject once for the purpose of requesting consent for electronic direct marketing, provided the person has not previously withheld that consent. The Information Regulator provides Form 4 – Application for Consent of a Data Subject for the Processing of Personal Information for the Purpose of Direct Marketing for this purpose.

Consent should be voluntary, specific and informed.

We will not treat silence, failure to respond or a pre-ticked box as evidence that a person has actively agreed to receive marketing.


6. Existing Customers

POPIA provides a limited exception that may allow electronic direct marketing to an existing customer without obtaining new prior marketing consent.

The exception applies where, amongst other requirements:

  • the contact information was obtained in the context of the sale of a product or service;
  • the marketing concerns NoSweat’s own similar products or services; and
  • the customer was given a reasonable, free and uncomplicated opportunity to object when the information was collected and again with each marketing communication.

The Information Regulator expressly identifies these conditions in its current Direct Marketing Guidance Note.

NoSweat will not assume that every candidate, website visitor or person in our database automatically qualifies as an “existing customer” for this purpose.

Where the existing-customer exception does not clearly apply, we will use another lawful basis required by POPIA, including consent where applicable.


7. Candidates and Job Opportunities

NoSweat’s talent platform enables candidates to create profiles, provide their skills, rates and availability, browse jobs and participate in matching with client requirements.

Where a candidate has asked NoSweat to help them find work, communications directly related to that requested service may include:

  • relevant job opportunities;
  • application status updates;
  • requests for availability;
  • interview information;
  • placement information; and
  • other communications necessary to facilitate the candidate’s participation in the platform.

We will distinguish these communications from unrelated promotional communications.

Where NoSweat wishes to use a candidate’s details to promote other products or services through electronic direct marketing, we will apply the appropriate POPIA direct-marketing requirements.


8. Consent

Where NoSweat relies on consent for direct marketing, we aim to ensure that the consent is:

  • freely given;
  • specific;
  • informed;
  • clearly expressed; and
  • capable of being withdrawn.

Where appropriate, we may ask you which channels you agree to receive communications through, such as:

  • email;
  • SMS;
  • WhatsApp;
  • telephone; or
  • other electronic channels.

We will maintain appropriate records of marketing consent and withdrawals where reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance.

The Information Regulator requires responsible parties to be able to demonstrate appropriate consent and provides a prescribed Form 4 process for electronic direct marketing.


9. Unsubscribing and Objecting

You may ask NoSweat to stop sending you direct-marketing communications at any time.

You can do this by:

  • clicking the unsubscribe link in an email where available;
  • replying with an appropriate opt-out instruction where supported;
  • asking us during a telephone call;
  • contacting us by WhatsApp; or
  • emailing sebastian@nosweat.co.za.

Opting out of direct marketing is free of charge.

POPIA requires electronic direct-marketing communications to provide the identity of the sender and an address or other contact mechanism through which the recipient can ask for communications to stop.

Once we receive a valid direct-marketing objection or withdrawal of consent, we will stop using the relevant contact details for that marketing purpose as required by law.


10. Suppression and Do-Not-Contact Records

When you unsubscribe, we may retain a limited record of:

  • your email address;
  • telephone number;
  • date of opt-out;
  • channel from which you opted out; and
  • other information reasonably necessary to remember your preference.

This is sometimes called a suppression list or do-not-contact list.

Keeping a suppression record helps prevent a person who has opted out from being accidentally added back into a marketing campaign.

The Information Regulator’s Guidance Note specifically provides that responsible parties should maintain records of people who have withheld consent or objected to electronic direct marketing.

A suppression record is not used to continue marketing to you.


11. We Will Not Circumvent an Opt-Out

If you unsubscribe from NoSweat marketing, we will not intentionally:

  • add you back to the same marketing list without an appropriate lawful basis;
  • use another email address belonging to you simply to circumvent your request;
  • repeatedly ask you to reconsider your opt-out;
  • pass your details to another organisation so that it can market the same service to you on our behalf; or
  • ignore a valid objection.

An opt-out from marketing does not necessarily prevent us from contacting you about an active application, account, contract, invoice, security matter or other necessary operational issue.


12. Purchased and Third-Party Marketing Lists

NoSweat will not assume that personal information obtained from:

  • purchased databases;
  • third-party lists;
  • public websites;
  • LinkedIn or social media;
  • online directories; or
  • referrals

may automatically be used for unsolicited electronic marketing.

Before using third-party information for marketing, NoSweat will consider whether its collection and proposed use are lawful and whether the required marketing consent exists.

A publicly available email address is not automatically treated as consent to receive NoSweat marketing.


13. Referral Information

Someone may occasionally refer a prospective candidate, client or professional contact to NoSweat.

Where that happens, we will not treat the referral itself as unlimited consent for direct marketing.

We may contact the person where reasonably appropriate to address the referral or establish whether they wish to engage with NoSweat, subject to applicable POPIA requirements.


14. WhatsApp and Messaging Services

NoSweat uses telephone and WhatsApp as business communication channels, and its current website publicly provides a telephone/WhatsApp contact number.

Where WhatsApp or another electronic messaging service is used for direct marketing, NoSweat will apply the same general principles as other electronic direct marketing:

  • appropriate consent or lawful customer relationship;
  • transparency about who is contacting you;
  • relevant communications;
  • a reasonable method to opt out; and
  • respect for objections.

Simply having communicated with NoSweat by WhatsApp does not necessarily constitute unlimited consent to receive future marketing communications.


15. Telephone Marketing

Where NoSweat engages in telephone marketing, we will take reasonable steps to:

  • identify NoSweat and the purpose of the call;
  • respect requests not to receive future marketing calls;
  • maintain appropriate suppression records;
  • avoid deceptive or misleading representations; and
  • comply with applicable contact restrictions.

The Information Regulator’s current direct-marketing guidance includes telephone calls within its treatment of unsolicited electronic direct marketing.


16. Consumer Opt-Out Registry

South Africa introduced amended Consumer Protection Act regulations concerning a National Opt-Out Registry in 2026.

Government announced that the amended framework would require applicable direct-marketing businesses to register and renew their registration annually and to respect consumers who have placed a pre-emptive marketing block on the Opt-Out Registry. The amendments were announced to take effect from July 2026.

NoSweat will comply with applicable National Consumer Commission Opt-Out Registry requirements where those requirements apply to its activities.

Where required, our direct-marketing processes will take registered consumer preferences into account before marketing communications are made.


17. Appropriate Contact Times

NoSweat will conduct direct-marketing activities at reasonable times and will comply with any legally prescribed restrictions relating to the days and times during which consumers may be contacted.

The Consumer Protection Act and its regulations regulate aspects of direct marketing, including consumers’ rights to restrict unwanted marketing and the circumstances in which direct marketers may contact consumers.


18. Accuracy of Marketing

NoSweat will aim to ensure that its marketing communications are clear and not materially misleading.

Marketing should accurately represent matters such as:

  • NoSweat services;
  • fees;
  • job opportunities;
  • talent services;
  • promotions;
  • terms and conditions; and
  • material limitations.

Where an offer is subject to specific conditions, those conditions should be communicated appropriately.


19. Service Providers

NoSweat may use service providers to help manage communications, email systems, CRM systems, messaging, analytics or other marketing-related activities.

Where a service provider processes personal information on NoSweat’s behalf, we expect it to:

  • use information only for authorised purposes;
  • maintain reasonable confidentiality and security;
  • respect NoSweat suppression and opt-out instructions;
  • not use NoSweat’s marketing database for its own independent marketing; and
  • comply with applicable data-protection obligations.

20. Artificial Intelligence and Marketing

NoSweat may use software or AI-assisted tools to assist with activities such as:

  • drafting communications;
  • segmenting audiences;
  • identifying potentially relevant opportunities;
  • summarising information; or
  • administering communication workflows.

Use of an AI or automated tool does not remove NoSweat’s responsibility to comply with applicable privacy and direct-marketing requirements.

NoSweat will not treat an AI-generated recommendation that someone should be contacted as a substitute for determining whether that contact is lawful.


21. Children

NoSweat’s platform is intended primarily for businesses and working professionals.

We do not knowingly use children’s personal information for direct marketing where doing so would be unlawful.


22. Direct Marketing and Cookies

NoSweat’s currently published Cookie Policy states that the website uses essential, performance and functional cookies and does not currently use cookies for advertising tracking.

If NoSweat introduces advertising or behavioural-tracking technologies in future, we will update the relevant privacy and cookie disclosures and implement any consent or opt-out mechanisms required by law.


23. Your POPIA Rights

In addition to unsubscribing from marketing, POPIA may give you rights to:

  • object to certain processing of your personal information;
  • request access to information held about you;
  • request correction of inaccurate information;
  • request deletion or destruction where legally appropriate;
  • withdraw consent where processing depends on consent; and
  • complain about unlawful processing.

The Information Regulator provides Form 1 for objections to processing, Form 2 for correction or deletion requests, and Form 5 for complaints concerning interference with the protection of personal information.


24. Complaints About Direct Marketing

If you believe NoSweat has continued sending marketing after you opted out, or that your information has otherwise been used improperly for direct marketing, please contact us first so that we can investigate.

NoSweat Information Officer

Sebastian van ’t Hoff
Email: sebastian@nosweat.co.za
Telephone / WhatsApp: +27 81 818 2053

You also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa).

The Regulator specifically confirms that complaints concerning unlawful direct marketing can be submitted using Form 5.


25. Changes to This Policy

NoSweat may update this Direct Marketing Policy from time to time to reflect:

  • changes to our services;
  • changes in marketing channels;
  • changes to technology;
  • changes in applicable legislation;
  • guidance issued by regulators; or
  • changes to our internal procedures.

The latest version will be published on www.nosweat.co.za.


26. Related NoSweat Policies

This Direct Marketing Policy should be read together with our:

Privacy Policy
POPIA & Data Protection
Cookie Policy
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
PAIA Manual
Information Officer Registration & Contact Details


27. Contact NoSweat

For direct-marketing, privacy or data-protection enquiries:

No Sweat Work Media CC
Trading as NoSweat
Registration Number: 2009/090625/23

Information Officer: Sebastian van ’t Hoff
Email: sebastian@nosweat.co.za
Telephone / WhatsApp: +27 81 818 2053
Website:www.nosweat.co.za
South Africa

http://www.nosweat.co.za/direct-marketing-policy