Cookies Policy

This Cookies Policy explains what cookies are, how we use cookies and similar technologies on our websites, and what you can do to manage how cookies are used.

What are cookies?

A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that the website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the website.

The cookie will collect information relating to your use of our sites, information about your device such as the device’s IP address and browser type, demographic data and, if you arrived at our site via a link from third party site, the URL of the linking page.

Cookies record information about your online preferences and help us to tailor our websites to your interests. Information provided by cookies can help us to analyse your use of our sites and help us to provide you with a better experience.

Cookies are either ‘session’ or ‘persistent’ cookies, depending on how long they are stored for:

  • Session cookies are only stored for the duration of your visit to a website and are deleted from your device when you close your browser;
  • Persistent cookies are saved on your device for a fixed period of time after the browser has closed and are activated each time you visit the website where the cookie was generated.

In addition to cookies, Berea’s websites may also use “web beacons”. A web beacon is a line of code which is used by a website or, less frequently, a third party ad server to measure a user’s activity, such as interaction with an advert or purchase of a product.

A web beacon is often invisible because it is only 1 x 1 pixel in size with no colour. A web beacon can also be known as a web bug, 1 by 1 GIF, invisible GIF and tracker GIF.

What are the different types of cookies Berea use?

Essential or ‘Strictly Necessary’ Cookies

These are cookies which are essential for the running of our websites. Without these cookies, parts of our websites would not function. These cookies do not track where you have been on the internet and do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing purposes.

Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to remember your preferences on our websites and to provide enhanced, more personal features. The information collected by these cookies is usually anonymised, so we cannot identify you personally. Functional cookies do not track your internet usage or gather information which could be used for selling advertising, but they do help with serving advertising.

Analytical Performance Cookies

Analytical performance cookies are used to monitor the performance of our websites, for example, to determine the number of page views and the number of unique users a website has. Web analytics services may be designed and operated by third parties.

The information provided by these cookies allows us to analyse patterns of user behaviour and we use that information to enhance user experience or identify areas of the website which may require maintenance. The information is anonymous (i.e. it cannot be used to identify you and does not contain personal information such as your name and email address) and it is only used for statistical purposes.

How does Berea use cookies?

We, together with our trusted partners, use cookies for the following purposes:

Essential and Functional Cookies

We use these cookies to enable certain online functionality including:

  • Identify returning users, registrants and subscribers and to allow them to be presented with a personalised version of the site;
  • Eliminating the need for returning users to re-enter their login details;
  • Commenting on our sites.

Analytical Performance Cookies

We use these cookies to measure users’ behaviour to better develop our websites. By using web analytics services provided by Google Analytics we can analyse which pages are viewed and how long for and which links are followed, and we can use this information to provide more content which is of interest. We also use this analysis to report on our performance.

Email interaction tracking

We also include web beacons (also known as clear GIFs or web bugs) in our emails to track the success of our marketing campaigns. This means that if you open an email from us we can see which of the pages of our website you have visited. Our web beacons do not store additional information on your device but, by communicating with our cookies on your device, they can tell us when you have opened our email.

The information generated by the cookie about your use of our sites (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored on servers in the United States and/or United Kingdom. They may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on their behalf. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by those service providers in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

We cannot control nor do we have access to any cookies placed on your computer by third parties.

Other Third Party Cookies

You may notice on some pages of our websites that cookies have been set that are not related to Berea. When you visit a page with content embedded from, for example, YouTube or Facebook, these third party service providers may set their own cookies on your device.

Berea does not control the use of these third party cookies and cannot access them due to the way that cookies work, as cookies can only be accessed by the party who originally set them. Please check the third party websites for more information about these cookies.

How can I manage or opt out of cookies?

Some people find the idea of a website storing information on their device a little intrusive, in particular when the information is stored and used by a third party. For example, you may object to being served advertising which is targeted to your interests based on your browsing history. If you would prefer to opt out of cookies, it is possible to control cookies by following the steps below, however you should be aware that you might lose some features and functionality of the website if you do so.

Cookies, including those which have already been set, can be deleted from your hard drive. You can also change the preferences/settings in your web browser to control cookies. In some cases, you can choose to accept cookies from the primary site, but block them from third parties. In others, you can block cookies from specific advertisers, or clear out all cookies. Deleting or blocking cookies may reduce functionality of the site.

To learn more about how to reject cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org or go to the help menu within your internet browser. If you experience any problems having deleted cookies, you should contact the supplier of your web browser.

Opting out of Analytical Performance Cookies

If you would like to opt out of Analytics cookies, please do so by clicking here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Web Beacons

If you object to web beacons in emails, we recommend that you follow the instructions for deleting existing cookies and disabling future cookies above. We will still know how many of our emails are opened and we will automatically receive your IP address, a unique identifier of your device or other access device; but we will not identify you as an individual.

Further information and contact details

Please contact our Data Protection team if you would like more information on the cookies that we use and their purposes. Contact details are provided in our Privacy Notice.

For more information about cookies please visit www.allaboutcookies.org