Cookie Policy
Introduction
BDO Belgium (hereinafter referred to as “We”, “Our”, “Us”) uses and processes cookies in order to manage its websites, amongst which:
This kind of technology is used for different purposes (see below in Section 2). To a certain extent, they can be considered as personal data.
The present policy (hereafter “Policy”) is complementary to our Website policy and the privacy privacy statement that you may find at the bottom right corner of our website. We encourage you to read the said statements in order to be informed of the kind of personal data we process and collect, as the case may be via our website, respectively within the framework of our activities, the purposes of those processing and the rights that you have relating to your personal data.
This policy explains:
- what a cookie is;
- what kind of cookies We use on Our websites;
- the purposes for which We use cookies and for what time period they are stored on visitors’ computers;
- how can you manage them.
For completeness, we inform you that BDO Belgium is also present on social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. These websites are also likely to use and process cookies. The present cookie policy does not cover those third-party cookies. For this reason, We encourage you to read their respective cookie policies in order to be informed of the kind of cookies they use and for what purposes.
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small file put and/or read on your computer or your smartphone hardware through your web browser (if you allow it) when you visit Our websites (see above in Introduction). These files enable us to collect useful data about you, such as when you visit Our websites, but they also enable us to offer you an optimal navigation through our websites.
2. What kind of cookies do We collect and for what purposes?
We use several kinds of cookies, which We have decided to classify according to their functionality. We use these cookies solely for the purposes which are explained below and not for any other purposes, which would be incompatible with the original purpose. Moreover, in order to be as transparent as We can in the cookies used, We have classified them in tables.
However, despite all the precautions We have taken in order to create an exhaustive list of cookies used, it is possible that some cookies may be replaced by others, which are not included in the below tables. For this reason, this policy may be modified from time to time.
2.1. Strictly necessary cookies
We place some strictly necessary cookies on your computer’s hardware in order to be able for you to visit Our websites (navigate it and use its features). Without them, services you may have asked for may not be provided. You will find below a table containing a list of such cookies, as well as their expiration time and a short description of their functionalities.
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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ARRAffinity
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Session cookie
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It is used for load balancing to make sure the visitor page requests are routed to the same server in any browsing session
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You can delete this cookie, at any time, though your web browser by following the procedure as described below in Section 5. However, if you make that choice, your navigation experience may be degraded or even impossible.
2.2. System cookies
We use certain cookies (so-called “system cookies”) which enable us to manage the security of Our websites and your preferences with respect to cookies (by telling us if We can put our cookies on your computer’s hardware). Below, you will find a table containing a list of these cookies, as well as their expiration time and a short description of their functionalities.
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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ASP.NET_Sessionld
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Session cookie
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It keeps the user session ID for security reason
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CMSCsrfCookie
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Session cookie
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It helps us to protect against cross site request forgery
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CMSPreferredCulture
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1 year
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It stores the visitor’s preferred content culture (language for instance)
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CMSCookieLevel
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1 year
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It specifies which cookies are allowed by the visitor
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2.3. Analytical and advertising cookies
We also use cookies for analytical purposes, more precisely in order to understand how each user uses Our websites. These cookies enable us to count the number of visits, determine the most popular articles, and know whether it was the first time a user visited Our website, etc. They allow us to better understand our visitors so we can adapt and improve our websites in the future.
We also use advertising cookies, which allow Us and Our advertisers to deliver more relevant information to you and to in order to propose items which you are susceptible to like and/or need.
Below, you will find a table containing an exhaustive list of our cookies, as well as their expiration time and a short description of their functionalities.
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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CMSLandingPageLoaded
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20 min
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It indicates that the landing page has already been visited. Expires after 20 minutes and the expiration period is renewed every time the website is accessed again.
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CMSUserPage
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20 min
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It stores the ID (Document ID, NodeID) of the last visited page. It is used for logging landing and exit page web analytics and activities.
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VisitorStatus
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20 years
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It indicates if the visitor is new or returning. It is used for tracking the visitors statistic in Web analytics.
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We also use the services of the following third parties:
- Google Analytics;
- ClickDimensions Website Analytics;
- LinkedIn Partner;
- Google Adwords.
Below, you will find a table containing a list of third-party cookies, as well as their expiration time and a quick description of their functionalities.
- Google Analytics and Google Adwords cookies
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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1P_JAR
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It is used to collect website statistics and track conversion rates
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AID/IDE
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2 years
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It is used to diffuse advertising on Internet by Google and improve the ads you see (according to your preference)
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SID/HSID
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2 years
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Security cookie to authenticate users, prevent fraudulent use of login credentials, and protection user data from unauthorised parties
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NID
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6 months
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It contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information (how many search results you wish to have shown per page, etc.)
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CONSENT
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20 years
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_zlcmid
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1 year
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It is used to identify a device across visits
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SAPISID
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2 years
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Security cookie to authenticate users, prevent fraudulent use of login credentials, and protect user data from unauthorised parties
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SSID
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2 years
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It is used to help customise ads on Google properties, like Google Search
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_utma
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2 years
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It is used to distinguish users and session (unique visitors)
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_utmb
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30 min
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It is used to determine new session/visits. It expires while the visitors is no longer active in Our website.
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_utmc
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Session cookie
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It is complementary to _utmb and enables to assess whether there is a new visit on Our website
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_utmt
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10 min
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It is used to throttle request rate
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_utmz
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6 months
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It stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how the user reached your site
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_ga
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2 years
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It is used to distinguish users
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_gid
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24 hours
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It is used to distinguish users
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_gcl_aw
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90 days
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It permits to measure the interactions that people had with previous navigation before going to Our websites.
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_gac_<property- id>
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90 days
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It permits to measure the interactions that people had with Our ads before going to Our websites.
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_gat
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1 min
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It is used to throttle request rate
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_gid
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24 hours
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It is used to distinguish users
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- ClickDimensions Website Analytics
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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Cd_opout_accountkey
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6 months
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It is generated if a visitor chooses to opt out of tracking and as long as it is present, We will not generate any web tracking
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cusid
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30 min
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It is used to establich and continue a user session with the site
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cuvid
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2 years
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It is used to determine unique visitors to the site
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cuvon
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30 min
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It is used to signal the last time a visitor viewed a page
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Cookie name
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Expiration time
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Description
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lang
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Session cookie
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It is used by Twitter for integration and sharing capabilities for the social media
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Li_oatml
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1 month
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It is used to monitor performance of advertisement and conversion
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lidc
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24 hours
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It is used in order to manage the bouton “share” and advertising tags
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BizoID
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20 days
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It is used as a advertising tag
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UserMatchHistory
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1 month
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It is used for advertisement analytics
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2.4. Profiling
Through the use of analytical and advertising cookies, We may create a profile on you. This technique enables Us to determine what your preferences are in order to personalise the advertisements you will see. This is called profiling.
3. On what legal basis do We use these cookies?
When you visit Our websites, We will indicate that We are using cookies for the different purposes explained above and We will ask for your consent before putting advertising and analytical cookies on your computer’s hardware.
Some cookies, which We consider essential for the running of our websites and the so-called system cookies, are automatically put on your computer’s hardware and do not require your consent.
4. When are cookies deleted from your computer’s hardware?
There are two kinds of cookies:
- Session cookies which are deleted once you close your browser;
- Permanent cookies which are deleted either once their expiration period has expired, or by deleting them manually by following the procedure described below in Section 5.
You will find the expiration time of the permanent cookies in the table mentioned in Section 2.
5. To whom are the data transferred?
We have made the choice to ask several service providers which are, as mentioned in Section 2.3. :
- Google Analytics;
- LinkedIn Partner;
- Google Adwords;
- ClickDimension.
The data that We share with these service providers are limited to the data as mentioned in Section 2.3. and are only used for managing our advertisements, for analysing how visitors use Our website and to propose you some services (such as the possibility to share information put on Our websites on your social media account).
6. Do We transfer data outside the European Union?
To the extent that We use the services of third parties, which are situated outside the European Union (LinkedIn, Google, DoubleClick) in order to analyse your navigation on Our websites, there may be transfers of your personal data outside this geographic area, especially in the United State of America (USA).
However, We have made sure the transfer is properly secured, as all these undertakings are part of the Privacy Shield and/or bound by standard contractual clauses as adopted by the European Commission.
7. How can you manage cookies put on your computer’s hardware?
Regardless of the kind of cookies put on your computer’s hardware, including functional and system cookies, you have the possibility to manage them at any time by using the following procedure.
However, We would like to draw your attention to the fact that by changing the settings of these cookies (for example: by refusing cookies), your navigation on Our websites but also on other websites you will visit may be affected.
There are several ways of managing cookies, which are explained further below. In particular, you can do so either by:
- Managing them in your browser;
- Managing analytical cookies processed by Google Analytics.
7.1. How to manage cookies through your browser?
Through the browser that you use, you will be able to:
- See what kind of cookies you have on your computer’s hardware and delete them;
- Block third party cookies;
- Block cookies from particular websites;
- Block all cookies from being set;
- Delete all cookies when you close your browser.
In order to understand how to do so in practice, since each browser may have a different procedure, We invite you to visit the dedicated pages on the browsers’ site (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc.).
Moreover, if you want to know how to manage them with other browsers than those listed above, We invite you to do so by visiting http://www.aboutcookies.org.
7.2. Managing analytical cookies
It is also possible for you to manage analytical cookies proposed by Google analytics by downloading the Opt-Out Browser Add-on. This Add-on will prevent cookies from Google Analytics to be put on your computer’s hardware regardless of the visited website.
However, this solution is solely applicable to cookies used by Google Analytics.
8. Do you have a question or a complaint?
If you have any question and/or complaint, you can contact us either by:
If you do not agree with the way We manage cookies or have any other issues relating to Our management of your personal data, you can introduce a complaint before the Belgian data protection authority. You will find further information on this procedure by visiting their website: http://www.dataprotectionauthority.be.