1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains how HIES uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit www.hies.org.uk.
This policy explains what cookies are, which cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can manage your preferences.
2. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly, improve security, remember your preferences, and provide information about how visitors use the website.
Cookies may be:
- Session cookies – deleted when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies – remain on your device until they expire or are deleted.
- First-party cookies – set by our website.
- Third-party cookies – set by external service providers.
3. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Ensure the Website functions correctly and securely.
- Remember your cookie preferences.
- Understand how visitors use the Website, where you have given consent.
- Deliver marketing or advertising, where you have given consent.
- Show maps and other embedded content from third parties, where you have given consent.
4. Types of Cookies We Use
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the operation of our Website and cannot be switched off. They include the cookie that remembers your cookie choices. These cookies are exempt from consent because they are essential to provide the service you have requested.
Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting anonymous or pseudonymised information. The legal basis for using them is your consent, and they are only placed after you have agreed.
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies may be used to:
- Measure advertising performance
- Personalise advertising
- Build audience profiles
- Track visitors across websites
The legal basis for using them is your consent, and they are only placed after you have agreed.
How Google Analytics and Google Ads Are Loaded (Google Tag Manager and Consent Mode)
We use Google Tag Manager to load our Google measurement and advertising tags (Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads). Google Tag Manager is a tag-management tool and does not set any cookies of its own.
These Google tags use Google Consent Mode. This means they are present on every page, but until you agree they run in a restricted state: they set no cookies and do not identify you. In that state they may send Google anonymous, cookieless signals that are used only for aggregate measurement and do not track you as an individual. The cookies listed in the table below are set only after you have given consent for the relevant category, and are removed if you withdraw it.
Embedded Content Cookies
Some pages include content hosted by other companies. We currently use two: a Google Map showing our office location on the Contact page, and a YouTube video on our installer profile pages. When this content loads, the provider may set its own cookies and will receive your IP address and browser information.
The legal basis for using them is your consent, and the content is only loaded after you have agreed. If you do not agree, we show a placeholder in its place, and you can choose to load an individual item yourself. Doing so loads it for that visit only and does not change your saved preferences.
5. Cookie List
| Cookie Provider | Purpose | Cookies Used | Duration | Category |
| HIES (Cookie Consent) | Remembers your cookie choices so we can apply them and avoid asking you again. Contains no personal data. | hies_cookie_consent | Up to 12 months | Necessary |
| Google Analytics 4 (loaded via Google Tag Manager) | Helps us understand how visitors use our website, including which pages are visited and how users navigate the site. This information is used to improve our website and services. | _ga, _ga_*, _gid | Up to 14 months | Analytics |
| Google Ads (loaded via Google Tag Manager) | Measures conversions from Google Ads campaigns, enables remarketing and helps improve the effectiveness of our advertising. | _gcl_au, _gcl_aw, _gac_*, IDE | Up to 90 days | Marketing |
| Meta Pixel | Measures the effectiveness of Facebook and Instagram advertising, tracks website conversions and helps deliver more relevant adverts to visitors. | _fbp, fr | Up to 3 months | Marketing |
| LinkedIn Insight Tag | Measures the effectiveness of LinkedIn advertising campaigns and provides insights into how visitors interact with our website after viewing our adverts. | li_sugr, bcookie, bscookie, UserMatchHistory, AnalyticsSyncHistory, ln_or, li_gc, lidc | Up to 1 year | Marketing |
| Google Maps | Displays a map of our office location on the Contact page. The map is loaded from Google, which may set its own cookies and receives your IP address. | Any cookies are set by Google, not by HIES. See Google’s Privacy & Terms. | Determined by Google | Embedded content |
| YouTube | Displays an HIES video on our installer profile pages. The video is loaded from YouTube in privacy-enhanced mode, which may set its own cookies when you play it and receives your IP address. | Any cookies are set by Google, not by HIES. See Google’s Privacy & Terms. | Determined by Google | Embedded content |
Analytics, marketing and embedded content cookies are only set once you have given consent. This table is reviewed at least annually to ensure it is up to date.
Withdrawal of consent applies only to the deletion of data processed by us. We are unable to delete any data that has already been collected or processed by third party cookie providers. We recommend reviewing the privacy and cookie policies of those third party providers for information on how they process your data and how you can exercise your rights directly with them.
6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
When you first visit our Website, a cookie banner asks whether you agree to non-essential cookies. No analytics or marketing cookies are placed until you make a choice. From the banner you can:
- Accept all cookies;
- Reject all non-essential cookies; or
- Manage your choices, turning Analytics, Marketing and Embedded content on or off individually.
Rejecting is as easy as accepting — a single click. You can change or withdraw your choice at any time using the Manage Settings link, which is available on every page. Withdrawing your consent removes the related cookies already stored on your device and stops the related processing.
If you do not accept embedded content, maps and similar content are replaced by a placeholder with a button to load it. Using that button loads that one item, for that visit only — it does not store anything on your device and does not change your saved preferences.
If you decline non-essential cookies, we will not ask you again for six months. You may also control cookies through your browser settings; please note that blocking strictly necessary cookies may affect how the Website works.
We keep a record of the consent choices made through the cookie banner so that we can demonstrate that consent was given. This record contains no personal data — only the choice made, the date and time, and the version of this policy in force.
7. Third-Party Services
Some pages on our Website may contain content or services provided by third parties. These may set their own cookies, and will receive your IP address when they load. Where they are non-essential, they are only loaded after you have given consent. These are:
- Google Maps — the map on our Contact page (Embedded content)
- YouTube — the video on our installer profile pages (Embedded content)
- Meta (Facebook and Instagram) advertising tools (Marketing)
- LinkedIn advertising tools (Marketing)
We recommend reviewing the privacy and cookie policies of those providers.
8. International Transfers
Where personal information collected through cookies is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
- UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA)
- UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses
- Other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under UK data protection law
9. Your Rights
Where cookies process personal information, you may have rights under UK data protection law, including the right to:
- Request access to your personal information.
- Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Request deletion of your information where applicable.
- Restrict or object to certain processing.
- Withdraw your consent at any time for non-essential cookies, using the Manage Settings link on any page.
- Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
10. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our use of cookies or legal requirements.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us.
Last updated 20 July 2026