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Cookie Policy

Last updated: 30 June 2026  ·  VCSE Data and Insights Observatory, Nottingham Trent University  ·  Applies to vcseobservatory.org.uk

 Contents

  1. What are cookies?
  2. Our legal basis under UK GDPR
  3. Cookies we use
  4. Third-party content and cookies
  5. How to manage your cookie preferences
  6. Withdrawing consent
  7. Changes to this policy
  8. Contact us

1 What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device (computer, tablet, or phone) when you visit. They allow the site to remember information about your visit — such as your session state or preferences — so the site can work correctly and be improved over time.

Cookies are not programs and cannot access other information on your device. They can only be read by the site that created them (first-party cookies) or, in some cases, by a third-party service whose content appears on the site.

3 Cookies we use

3.1  Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are required for the website to function. They cannot be disabled.

Note on the IIR guest preview: When you use the "Try a preview report" flow, your answers are stored temporarily in the server-side session (linked to sessionid) and are discarded as soon as your session ends. Nothing is written to our database.

3.2  Analytics cookies

These cookies help us understand which pages are visited, how long people spend on them, and how they navigate. They are only activated if you click Accept all.

Google Analytics data is processed on servers within the European Economic Area and, where transfers occur outside the UK/EEA, under Standard Contractual Clauses. You can read Google's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

3.3  Preference cookies

We store your cookie consent choice in your browser's localStorage (not a cookie) under the key vcse_cookie_consent. This is a client-side storage mechanism that does not transmit data to our servers. It persists until you clear your browser data or reset your preference using the button below.

4 Third-party content and cookies

Our website loads certain resources from external providers. These services may set their own cookies independent of our cookie consent mechanism.

We have no control over third-party cookies. We recommend reviewing each provider's privacy policy for full details of how they use data.

5 How to manage your cookie preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

Browser-specific guides:

Deleting cookies through your browser does not reset the consent preference stored in localStorage. Use the button in Section 6 below to fully reset your preference on this site.

6 Withdrawing consent

You can withdraw or change your cookie consent at any time. Click the button below to reset your preference — the cookie banner will reappear on your next page load and you can make a new choice.

Your current preference: Loading…

Note: withdrawing consent for analytics cookies does not delete any data already collected. To request deletion of previously collected analytics data, contact us at VCSEObservatory@ntu.ac.uk.

7 Changes to this policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes to third-party services, or changes in the law. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always show when it was last revised.

If we make significant changes (for example, introducing a new category of cookie that requires consent), we will display a notice on the site and, where appropriate, show the cookie banner again to collect fresh consent.

8 Contact us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

VCSE Data and Insights Observatory
Nottingham Trent University
Email: VCSEObservatory@ntu.ac.uk

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.


VCSE Data and Insights Observatory  ·  Nottingham Trent University  ·  Contact us