Cookie Policy

1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how Systems Horizon ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on this website. It describes what these technologies are, why we use them, which categories we deploy, and — most importantly — how you can control them.

We operate a consent-first website. In line with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), we do not set any non-essential cookies or load any analytics, functional or marketing technologies until you have given us your explicit opt-in consent. Strictly necessary storage — the minimum required for the site and your consent choices to work — is the only exception, as permitted by law.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains more broadly how we collect, use and protect personal data, including your rights under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 and how to contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Where cookies or similar technologies process personal data (for example, an identifier that could single out your device), that processing is also governed by the Privacy Policy.

2. What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your computer, tablet or mobile device when you visit. They allow the site — or a third party recognised by the site — to remember information about your visit, such as your preferences or whether you have visited before. Cookies set by the website you are visiting are called first-party cookies; cookies set by another organisation through that website (for example, an analytics provider) are called third-party cookies. Cookies may be session cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or persistent cookies, which remain on your device for a set period.

PECR and this policy also cover technologies that work in a similar way to cookies, including:

• Local storage (localStorage): a small data store built into your browser that websites can use to save information on your device. Unlike cookies, localStorage data is not automatically sent to servers with every request, but it serves a comparable purpose. We use localStorage to record your cookie consent choices.
• Pixels and web beacons: tiny, usually invisible images or code snippets embedded in web pages or emails that report back when content has been viewed, often used for analytics or advertising measurement.
• Software development kits (SDKs): code libraries embedded in websites or mobile applications that can collect and transmit information in a way similar to cookies.

For simplicity, this policy uses "cookies" to refer to all of these technologies unless stated otherwise.

3. Why Systems Horizon Uses Cookies

We keep our use of cookies deliberately minimal. As a technology company that builds software, websites and applications for clients across the UK and internationally, we believe in practising the same privacy-by-design principles we recommend professionally. We use cookies to:

• Make the site work: remembering your cookie consent choices so we do not ask you on every visit, and supporting core site functionality and security.
• Understand how the site is used (with your consent): aggregated analytics help us see which pages are useful, where visitors encounter problems, and how to improve content about our services.
• Remember your preferences (with your consent): functional cookies can retain settings such as display choices so the site behaves consistently for you.
• Measure our marketing (with your consent): marketing cookies help us understand whether campaigns bring relevant visitors to the site and may support more relevant advertising elsewhere.

Nothing in the Analytics, Functional or Marketing categories loads unless and until you opt in. If you decline, the website remains fully usable.

4. Types of Cookies We Use

We group cookies into four categories. You can enable or disable every category except Strictly Necessary at any time via cookie settings.

4.1 Strictly Necessary

These are essential for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They include the storage that records the consent choices you make on our cookie banner. Because they are essential, consent is not required for this category under PECR, although we still tell you exactly what we store. Our consent record is held in your browser's localStorage under the key sh_cookie_consent_v1 and is kept for up to 12 months.

4.2 Analytics

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use the site — for example, which pages are most visited, how long visitors stay, and whether they arrive from search engines or referrals. We use this information in aggregate to improve the website. Where we deploy analytics tools (such as Google Analytics), they load only after you opt in to this category — nothing in this category runs before then. Typical cookies such as _ga and _gid may be set when Analytics is enabled and the relevant tool is deployed. Consent required: yes.

4.3 Functional

Functional cookies allow the site to remember choices you make and provide enhanced features — for example, remembering interface preferences or supporting embedded content such as videos or chat widgets. These load only if you enable the Functional category, and the specific cookies set depend on the features you use. Consent required: yes.

4.4 Marketing

Marketing cookies may be set by advertising partners to build a picture of your interests and show you relevant content or measure the effectiveness of our campaigns on other sites. They can recognise your browser across websites. We only permit marketing technologies to load after you opt in to this category; a typical example such as _fbp (Meta) may be set when Marketing is enabled. Consent required: yes.

The exact cookies present on your device will depend on the categories you enable and the third-party tools active at the time of your visit. Third-party durations are set by the providers and may change.

5. How Consent Works on This Site

When you first visit our website, a cookie banner is displayed before any non-essential technology loads. The banner gives you three equally accessible choices:

• Accept All — enables the Analytics, Functional and Marketing categories in addition to strictly necessary storage.
• Reject Non-Essential — only strictly necessary storage is used; no analytics, functional or marketing tools load.
• Customize — opens granular controls so you can switch each category (Analytics, Functional, Marketing) on or off individually. The Necessary category is always on because the site cannot operate without it.

Your choices are saved in your browser under the key sh_cookie_consent_v1 and respected on every subsequent page view and visit. We treat silence or inaction as "no" — non-essential cookies are never set by default, by scrolling, or by continuing to browse.

You can change your mind at any time. Selecting cookie settings in the website footer reopens the preferences panel, where you can withdraw or amend consent for any category as easily as you gave it. Withdrawing consent stops the relevant tools loading from that point onwards; to remove cookies already placed on your device, see section 7 below.

6. Third-Party Cookies

Where we enable third-party tools — for example, Google Analytics for usage statistics or advertising platforms for campaign measurement — the cookies they set come from those providers rather than from us, and they load only with your consent. These providers may receive information collected by their cookies, and in some cases may combine it with other data they hold, in accordance with their own privacy and cookie policies.

We do not control how third parties use the data their technologies collect. Each provider publishes its own privacy policy, cookie information and, in many cases, opt-out tools on its website, and we encourage you to review them if you enable the relevant categories here. Where a third-party provider processes data outside the UK, that provider is responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguards for international transfers; our own approach to international data transfers is described in our Privacy Policy.

We review the third-party tools deployed on this site periodically and only load them after you opt in to the corresponding category.

7. Managing or Deleting Cookies in Your Browser

Independently of our consent controls, all mainstream browsers let you view, block and delete cookies and site data (including localStorage). In general:

• Google Chrome: open Settings, then Privacy and Security, then "Third-party cookies" or "Site settings", where you can block cookies, clear existing data, or manage permissions site by site.
• Apple Safari: on Mac, open Safari Settings, then Privacy, where you can manage website data and prevent cross-site tracking; on iPhone and iPad, use the Safari section of the device Settings app.
• Mozilla Firefox: open Settings, then Privacy & Security, where Enhanced Tracking Protection and the "Cookies and Site Data" controls let you block or clear cookies.
• Microsoft Edge: open Settings, then "Cookies and site permissions", to manage and delete cookies and site data, or use "Privacy, search, and services" for tracking prevention levels.

Most browsers also offer a private or incognito mode in which cookies are deleted when you close the window.

Please note: if you block or delete strictly necessary storage — including sh_cookie_consent_v1 — the site cannot remember your consent choices, so the cookie banner will reappear on your next visit and some core features may not work as intended. Blocking all cookies across your browser may also affect other websites you use.

8. Cookie Retention

How long a cookie remains on your device depends on its type and category:

• Session cookies expire when you close your browser.
• Strictly necessary storage: our consent record (sh_cookie_consent_v1) is retained in your browser for up to 12 months. After that period, your consent is treated as expired and we will ask you to make your choices again via the banner.
• Analytics cookies typically persist from 24 hours (e.g. _gid) up to 24 months (e.g. _ga), as set by the analytics provider.
• Functional cookies generally persist from the duration of your session up to around 12 months, depending on the feature.
• Marketing cookies typically persist from a few days up to around 13 months, as set by the advertising provider.

Withdrawing consent through cookie settings stops the relevant categories from loading going forward; cookies already stored can be removed using your browser controls described in section 7. Retention of any personal data collected via cookies is covered in our Privacy Policy.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time — for example, if we add or remove tools, if third-party providers change their cookies, or to reflect changes in the law or in ICO guidance. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If a change materially affects the categories of cookies we use or the purposes for which we use them, we will refresh the consent banner so you can review and confirm your choices before any newly introduced non-essential technologies load. We encourage you to revisit this page periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, our use of cookies and similar technologies, or how we handle your data, please contact us:

• Email: info@systemshorizon.com
• Online: via the contact form on our website

Further information about how we process personal data, your rights under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and your right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is set out in our Privacy Policy. Our general website terms are available at Terms & Conditions.