What Exactly is a Cookie?

Cookie Notice Explanation: This notice outlines the types of cookies and similar tracking technologies we use on our digital platforms, including our websites and apps. It describes how these cookies function, their purposes, and how you can control their use on your devices.

What Cookies are Used and Why: A Detailed Explanation

For example, like many companies, we use Analytics, a web analytics service provided by third party analytics service, to help us monitor our site traffic. Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the site analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the site (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by them. They will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the site, compiling reports on site activity for site operators and providing other services relating to site activity and Internet usage. They may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information. Analytics will not associate your IP address with any other data held by them. Nevertheless, performance cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous and it does not affect your privacy. It is only used to improve how a site works. We might also use these cookies to highlight our products or services which we think will be of interest to you based on your use of our sites. By using Organization’s sites you agree we may place these types of cookies on your device.

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the site and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the site. Without these cookies services you have asked for, like shopping baskets or e-billing, cannot be provided. As these cookies are strictly necessary, we do not need to ask for your consent to use them.
• Performance Cookies: These cookies collect information about how visitors use a site, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. Some of these are analytics cookies, set using third-party web analytics software, which allow us to understand more about how our site is used.
• Functionality Cookies: These cookies allow the site to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, these cookies can be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other sites. By using Organization’s sites you agree we may place these types of cookies on your device.
• Targeting or advertising cookies: These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the site operator’s permission. They remember that you have visited a site and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers. Quite often targeting or advertising cookies will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation. Our Sites do not use targeting cookies. We will ask for your consent before we use targeting cookies.

Mechanisms and Cookies for Third-Party Tracking

We may share the information described above as set forth in this privacy statement or as otherwise described at the time such information is collected from you. We will not sell, rent, or swap this information, nor will we authorize any of our service providers or business partners to use this information for their own commercial purposes without your permission.

Alternative Web Tracking Solutions

Our platforms are equipped with 'social buttons' to facilitate the sharing and bookmarking of web content through various social networks. These buttons are implemented via scripts from external websites, and we encourage reviewing their privacy policies to understand how they manage your data.

Adjusting Cookie Preferences

You may choose to set your web browser to not accept cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, certain parts of the System may not function properly or as intended by us. Some of the areas of our System may contain electronic images known as web beacons (sometimes known as clear gifs) that allow the organization, and its third-party providers or affiliates, to count and track users who have visited certain portions of our System.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Usage Data refers to data collected automatically either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit). We may also gather information on how the Service is accessed and used, known as "Usage Data." This can include details such as your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service visited, the time and date of visits, duration spent on pages, interactions with ads, unique device identifiers, and other diagnostic data. From an IP address, we may determine a user’s Internet Service Provider and approximate geographic location.