Cookies Policy

What are Cookies

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your browser or hard drive of your device.  These cookies allow us to distinguish your browser from that of other users of our website.  Cookies may store your preferences and other information but cannot read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other sites.

Cookies do lots of different jobs.  They help us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allow us to improve our site both generally and for your specific use.

Cookies themselves cannot be used to identify you personally, although please see notes below regarding linkage of information gained with personally identifiable information.

Acceptance of Cookies

When you first access our site, you will receive a message advising you that cookies are in use.  This message may also appear in the event that we change any cookies in use that have a bearing on this policy.  By clicking to accept, closing the message or continuing to browse the site, you signify that you understand and agree to the use of these cookies, as further described in this policy.

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings including the ability to refuse or restrict cookies.  You may also delete cookies after they have been placed on your device.  However if you do not accept, restrict or delete cookies at any time, this may affect the functionality of the site and it may take more time to work.  You can find more information about cookies at www.allaboutcookies.org and www.youronlinechoices.eu.

Cookies that We Use

The cookies we use on this site are as follows:

Opt-In Cookie

If you chose to accept cookies, we then use a cookie to record your acceptance of the use of cookies on our site.  We also use cookies to test if your browser is set to allow cookies.

Strictly necessary cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website for it to work properly.  They include, for example, cookies that stop unauthorised posting of content and further cookies that enable you to make use of services provided through the site. These expire at the end of the session when a user exits browser.

Analytical or performance cookies

These analytical cookies are used to recognise different new and returning visitors and count the number of visitors to the site and to see how visitors use our site and move around it when they are using it.  The performance cookies also measure the performance of the site and its various pages.  We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site.  The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, the pages they have visited on the site and where visitors have come to the site from, and the performance of pages.  This allows us to make improvements to the site by understanding how people use it and the user experience.  They do not track your browsing activity on other websites.  These cookies include Google Analytics, Visual Website Optimiser and HotJar cookies.   Certain of these cookies do remain on your browser after the end of a session for varying periods of between 24 hours and 2 years.

The site has a toolbar to enable you to share our site on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  We use a cookie that aggregates data about what pages are shared, when and how often.  This is used to help us better understand our visitors and to make improvements to the site.

Functionality or customisation cookies

These are used to recognise you when you return to our site.   They also collect information about how users access and move through the site. This enables us to personalise our content for you and remember your preferences (for example, your choice of language or region).  Certain of these cookies do remain on your browser after the end of a session for varying periods of between 24 hours and 2 years.

Targeting cookies

These cookies record your visit to our website, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed.  We will use this information to make our website and the advertising displayed on it more relevant to your interests.   Where an individual has previously submitted personal information on the site (for example, requested a brochure) and the same device is then used to revisit the site we may link the information obtained from use of certain of these cookies (Pardot cookie being an example) with the personal information previously obtained so that we have a greater understanding of the interests of the person visiting the site through the device and can therefore seek to make our contact with you (in accordance with our privacy policy) more relevant to your interests.  Certain of these cookies do remain on your browser after the end of a session for varying periods of between 24 hours and 5 years.

Third party cookies: targeted advertising and social networking

The AddThis sharing platform and other third parties (for example, advertising networks, providers of external services like web traffic analysis services and social media and other website providers such as Facebook, youtube, Google and Bing that you may use to share links from the site or otherwise interact with the site (for example, via widgets such as the ‘like’ button or by viewing an embedded video) may place cookies on your computer to enable integration of social media functions, for analytical or performance tracking and for targeted advertising purposes (by using information about your visits to our site and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in).  BDS does not have any control over these cookies.  You should read their respective privacy policies carefully to find out what happens to any data that these services collect.

General

We may edit this policy from time to time. Please check this policy regularly for any changes.

Further information about how we use your information is available in our Privacy Policy.