How we use cookies

Across our VSA web-based platforms, we use cookies and similar technologies on our websites to analyse traffic, provide social media features, and personalise content and digital advertising.

You can accept all of the cookies we use by clicking on the 'Accept Cookies' button displayed on our cookie pop-up banner. If you would like to review and change your cookie preferences, please select 'Cookie Settings'

What are cookies?

A 'cookie' is the name for small text files which are downloaded/placed onto your devices, such as your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop, by websites you visit.

Websites widely use cookies to improve performance and make them work more efficiently to deliver a better user experience and to provide information to the website owners, in this case, VSA, so we can better understand how our website visitors use and engage with our site.

Cookies do not store or collect any personal information about you, such as your name. However, they collect information related to you, such as how you access the internet (the type of device), your browser, and your browsing history.

How do I manage or change my cookie preferences?

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking on our 'manage cookies' button below or by selecting this on our cookie banner. This will allow you to amend your cookie settings or withdraw consent.

Also, you should be able to change your cookie settings on your web browser. Most web browsers will have a help menu in the settings toolbar to guide you on how to change your browser's cookie settings.

Across our site, we have set pages that use independent third-party cookies. To manage cookies on these pages, you will need to manage your third-party provider preferences.

Third-party cookies are used, for example, on our careers portal and our 'donate now' giving pages.

Why do we use cookies on our websites?

We use cookies on the website to:

• Enable the website user to navigate our site
• Ensure our website functionality is performing and operating efficiently
• Personalise and improve the end-user experience by understanding your preferences and identifying what pages of the website are most relevant to you
• Compile statistics to understand how our website is being used to enable us to improve the site and the online functionality we provide continually

We also use cookies to ensure our website and your information is confidential and secure. Some of the cookies we use are 'session cookies,' which means they are deleted when you close your browser. Other 'persistent cookies' remain on your device or browser until they expire or you delete them from your browser history.

We use both first-party and third-party cookies on our website. All cookies have an 'owner,' and you can identify who owns a cookie by identifying the domain. (To identify a cookie owner, you will be able to see the name of the company or website in the cookie)

First-party cookies are owned by the website that set them, and the website does not own third-party cookies.

What categories of cookies do VSA use?

We use the following categories of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies- These cookies are essential for our websites to function, and they, therefore, cannot be switched off. We use them to enable you to use our site and for certain features such as website security. If you block these types of cookies, this will mean that some parts or all of our websites may not work for you.

• Performance cookies-these cookies allow us to track sources of traffic to our website, count visitors, and improve the performance of our site and measure the impact of our digital advertising campaigns. Performance cookies collect information about how you use our website, the pages users most engage with, and how long on average people stay on our site. These types of cookies will either be a first or third party. You can switch off these cookies at any time; however, some functionality or features might not work in how they are intended.

• Functional cookies- these cookies will remember you and how you interact with our website. They are designed to enhance your user experience by remembering your preferences. These types of cookies will either be a first or third party. You can switch off these cookies anytime; however, some functionality or features might not function properly.

• Targeting cookies- These cookies are used by our advertising partners, for example, Facebook, to display relevant advertising to you on other websites and social media platforms. They also allow us to track the effectiveness and success of our digital campaigns and let us build a profile of actions taken. No personal information is identifiable or shared with our advertising partners, e.g., your email address, name, etc.; however, information that identifies your browser and internet device will be shared. You can turn off these cookies at any time.

Third-Party Cookies

Across our site, we have cookies owned by third parties and not related to our website. Some of our pages have embedded content from ISSUU, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, and google.

In addition, third-party cookies are used on our pages to enable donations through our online payment provider/event tickets sales Enthuse and our VSA careers portal, which is operated by Breezy HR.

VSA does not govern the publication of any third-party cookie providers found on our site. To understand more about these cookies and their privacy policies, please visit each cookie's website owner directly.

Changes to this policy

We may change or update our use of cookies from time to time and, for example, to reflect any changes in legislation or guidelines. This policy will be updated accordingly to reflect any changes.

Last Updated: March 2021

Detailed cookie list

Strictly necessary

Functional

Performance

Targeting