Cookie Policy

This policy aims to ensure that you understand what cookies are; the different types of cookies that exist and their functions; the cookies we use at FORCE and the reasons why we use them; and how you can make your own choices regarding cookies.

Within this policy:

1. What is a cookie?
2. Cookie regulations and consent
3. Types of cookies
4. The cookies we use
5. Third party cookies
6. Our full cookie list
7. How you can manage your cookie settings
8. What happens if you disable some or all cookies on the FORCE website
9. Changes to this policy

1. What is a cookie?

A cookie is a simple text file that is downloaded onto the device you are browsing with (your computer, tablet or smartphone) when you access a website. They are used widely to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to the website owner. It allows the website to recognise a particular user’s device and distinguish them from other website users, storing some information about the user’s preferences or past actions.

Because cookies may be used in a manner that people do not expect, it is important for us to disclose this information to our users and gather consent where appropriate.

2. Cookie regulations and consent

The rules on cookies require that we:

• Tell people if we set cookies
• Clearly explain what the cookies do and why
• Get consent prior to cookies being set

When arriving on our website, you will have been presented with a choice of accepting certain cookies or setting up you own preferences along with a brief explanation. This ensures that your preferences are fully set prior to entering the website. You can change your preference at any time by visiting this cookie preference area.

3. Types of cookies

• Necessary or essential cookies

These cookies are essential for the basic functioning of our website. Without them the website won’t work properly so they do not require specific consent. Examples of these would be to enable page navigation or access to secure areas. This also applies when a cookie is strictly necessary for the performance of a service requested by the user, such as remembering goods added to an online shopping basket or making payments and donations. These cookies cannot be disabled.

• Analytic, statistic or performance cookies

These cookies enable us to understand how visitors are using our website, for example the most popular pages, so we can improve the performance of the website and ensure it is meeting the needs of our users e.g. ensuring users are finding what they are looking for easily. Data collected includes visitor count and traffic sources. Cookies may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have engaged for this purpose (e.g., google analytics). You can switch these cookies off but it may prevent certain features of the website from working as intended.

• Preference or functionality cookies

Functionality cookies remember user site preferences and choices, such as your preferred language, your username and password. They remember the way you interact with our website to enhance your user experience so that we can personalise our content for you. Cookies may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have engaged for this purpose. You can switch these cookies off, but it may prevent certain features of the website from working as intended.

• Marketing or targeting

These cookies are used to record your visit to our website, pages you have visited and links you have followed. Some of these cookies may gather information about your browsing habits across the internet to build a broader profile of your interests. This information is used to provide targeted relevant advertising while visiting other websites and social media platforms. They also enable us to measure the effectiveness of our digital campaigns by providing feedback when certain actions have been carried out by our website visitors. Cookies may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have engaged for this purpose. You can switch these cookies off using the cookie pop-up on entering the website or clicking on the icon in the bottom right corner.

4. The cookies we use

• First and third-party cookies

In Section 5 we provide a full list of all cookies currently deployed on our website, the purposes they are used for, which website they appear from and how long they remain on your device. It is also helpful for you to understand the difference between first and third party cookies.

First party cookies are those that are set and collected by us and are used only by our website when you visit.

Third party cookies are set and collected by third parties such as Google Maps, YouTube or Vimeo. If we use embedded content such as YouTube video or a social media feed, you may receive cookies from these websites. If cookies relating to these services are disabled, the video or content may not work. We do not have control over these cookies. They will be under the control of the third party who set them.

In addition, you may also receive third party cookies if you click on a hyperlink to any third party websites from our website or share content from our website on social media.

• Session and persistent cookies

Session cookies expire when the user has finished the browser session. They enable a website to recognise and associate a user’s actions solely during a browser session but they expire at the end of this session. A good example is internet banking, whereby security is maintained by the session ending. Persistent cookies can be stored for longer, allowing cookies to be stored on the device between browsing sessions allowing a user’s actions to be remembered.

5. Our full cookie list

6. How can you manage your cookie settings?

Manage your cookie preferences in our cookie preference centre where you can decide which cookies to accept and which to decline by adjusting the sliders to On or Off and clicking Save and close. You can also change your cookie settings in your web browser, which is a good way to set your preference up universally when browsing. To find out more, visit the Help menu in the toolbar. To select your preferences, visit Settings followed by a tab relating to Privacy & security or Cookies and site permissions. Here you will be able to find out how to change your browser’s cookie settings, which may include clearing cookies, blocking them entirely, and how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie. Below is some helpful guidance about how to make these changes.

• If you want to make changes on the website our cookie preference centre can be found on the home page, either as a pop-up or icon in the bottom corner.
• To make changes directly from your browser, please find below links describing how to do this on some popular browsers.

Google Chrome

Microsoft Edge

Mozilla Firefox

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Opera

Apple Safari

• You can also manage some third party cookies independently. To do so, please see the list of other third party cookies in the table above and their respective policy pages for further information.

7. What happens if I disable some or all cookies on the FORCE website?

If you decide to opt out of cookies being placed on your device, you may find that some features of our website won’t work in the manner that was intended. For example, some content such as video clips may not play. There is an exception for cookies that are essential to provide an online service at someone’s request (e.g. to remember what’s in their online basket, or to ensure security in online banking).

Find out more detailed information on cookies please visit: https://allaboutcookies.org/, http://www.aboutcookies.org or https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/

8. Changes to this policy

Please be aware that to remain up-to-date and reflect any changes in law or guidelines, this policy may be amended periodically.

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