By visiting or using this website, a cookie will be created which we may use to provide statistics that help us to give you the best experience of our website. The statement below describes our policy on cookies. If you do not agree with any of the following, you can switch off the cookies. However, by continuing to use our website without changing settings, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

What is a cookie?

During the course of any visit to our website, the pages which you see, along with something called a cookie, are downloaded to your computer. Most, if not all, websites do this, and that’s because cookies allow the website publisher to do useful things like find out whether the computer (and probably its user) has visited the site before. This is done on a repeat visit by checking to see, and finding, the cookie left there on the last visit.

So – what is a cookie? When you enter a website your computer will automatically be issued with a cookie. Cookies are text files which identify your computer to our server. Cookies in themselves do not identify the individual user, just the computer used. Many sites do this whenever a user visits their site, in order to track traffic flows. Cookies themselves only record which areas of the site have been visited by the computer in question, and for how long. Users have the opportunity to set their computers to accept all cookies, to notify them when a cookie is issued, or not to receive cookies at any time, although this of course means that certain personalized services cannot then be provided to that user. You should read the information that came with your browser software to see how you can do this. Even assuming you have not set your computer to reject cookies, you can browse our website anonymously.

You may also wish to refer to http://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/index.html for more general information about cookies.

What do cookies tell us?

We use cookies to collect data for analytics, such as demographic and interest data, based on your browsing patterns. This data allows us to estimate your age range, your gender and things that might interest you.

What do we use cookies for?

We use cookies so that we can give you a better experience when you return to our websites. In particular, we use cookies to:

• better understand our audience, for example by estimating our audience size and patterns and tracking the level of interest in our work;
• track your preferences and personalize the website to your requirements and interests. For example: if on a previous visit you went to, say, the “Industry Analysis” pages, then we might find this out from your cookie and highlight particular information – which you may find interesting, on a second visit;
• avoid lengthy personalization on each visit;
• display relevant promotion, communications and appeals on other websites you visit;
• improve and update our website.

How do we collect and analyze cookies?

We do not collect and analyze the data to create cookies directly; we use a specialist service provider which both collects information on your preferences from your visits to our website and analyzes your preferences from cookies already stored in your browser.

We obtain this information by enabling Google Analytics to analyze the traffic on our websites via “Google Advertising Cookies”. Google Advertising Cookies are a series of cookies already stored in your browser that compile data from your browsing preferences. You can see the types of cookies used by Google and learn more about the different categories in the Google Privacy & terms.

We may change our specialist service provider at any time without notice to you and will update this Policy as necessary at that time.

What can you do if you do not want us to use our cookies?

• Configure how we use your Google Analytics information.
• If you would like to opt out of all Google Analytics tracking services then you can install an Add-on. Find out about more about Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
• Alternatively, you can use your browsers’ private browsing mode. Common browsers like Google Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer have this functionality.

How do I opt-out of the collection and use of information for promotional purposes generally?

There are many websites that provide guidance on how to opt out of the collection and use of your information for promotional purposes that are not limited to our website. For example:

• Google Ads settings
• Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page
• Digital Advertising Alliance’s Consumer Choice Tool

Do you share data from cookies with other organizations?

We may share your data from your cookies with partners, agents or service providers to understand our audience more effectively and to further our missions.