Cookie Policy & Settings

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files containing small amounts of information that are downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to the website owner.

Cookies can be categorised in two ways:

• First-party cookies: Set by the website you are visiting (in this case, ascendate.com). Only that website can read and use these cookies.
• Third-party cookies: Set by a domain other than the website you are visiting. These are typically placed by third-party services integrated into the website, such as analytics or embedded content providers.

Cookies can also be classified by their lifespan:

• Session cookies: Temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. They help maintain your session as you navigate between pages.
• Persistent cookies: Remain on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them. They help remember your preferences and settings for future visits.

2. Why We Use Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our Website for the following purposes:

• Essential functionality: To enable core Website features such as page navigation, secure area access, and session management. Without these cookies, the Website cannot function properly.
• Performance and analytics: To understand how visitors interact with our Website, which pages are most popular, and where users encounter issues. This data helps us improve the Website's structure, content, and performance.
• Personalisation: To remember your preferences and settings (such as language or region) so that we can provide a more tailored browsing experience on subsequent visits.
• Security: To help detect and prevent security threats, fraudulent activity, and violations of our Terms of Service.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

Our Website uses the following categories of cookies:

Category	Purpose	Can Be Disabled?
Strictly Necessary	Enable core Website functionality including page navigation, secure area access, session management, CSRF protection, and load balancing. The Website cannot function properly without these cookies.	No
Analytics	Collect anonymised data about how visitors use our Website — pages visited, session duration, navigation paths, bounce rates, and traffic sources. Data is processed in aggregate form and is not used to identify individual visitors.	Yes
Functional	Remember your choices and preferences such as language settings, region preferences, display options, and form data to provide a more convenient and personalised experience on return visits.	Yes

3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the Website to function. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the Website will not work without them.

Cookie Name	Purpose	Type	Duration
XSRF-TOKEN	Cross-site request forgery protection	Session	Browser session
ascendate_session	Session identifier for maintaining user state	Session	Browser session
cookieConsent	Stores your cookie preference selections	Persistent (localStorage)	Until manually cleared

3.2 Analytics Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve Website performance. They help us understand which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors navigate the site. All information collected by these cookies is aggregated and anonymous.

If you do not allow these cookies, we will not be able to include your visit in our analytics data, and we will not know when you have visited our site.

3.3 Functional Cookies

These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these features may not function properly.

4. Your Cookie Settings

You can manage your cookie preferences using the controls below. Your choices are saved in your browser's local storage and will be remembered on future visits. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for the Website to function.

5. Third-Party Cookies

We may use the following third-party services on our Website, which may set their own cookies:

Provider	Purpose	Cookie Type
Google Analytics	Website traffic analysis and usage patterns	Analytics
Google Fonts	Web font delivery (Inter, Sora typefaces)	Functional
Bootstrap CDN	CSS and JavaScript framework delivery	Strictly Necessary

These third-party services operate under their own privacy policies and cookie practices. We encourage you to review their respective policies:

• Google Privacy Policy: policies.google.com/privacy

6. Similar Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use the following similar technologies:

• Local Storage: We use browser local storage to save your cookie consent preferences. Unlike cookies, local storage data is not sent to the server with each request and remains on your device until cleared.
• Server Logs: Our web servers automatically record certain information about each request, including your IP address, browser type, referring page, and timestamp. This data is used for security monitoring and performance optimisation.
• Session Storage: Temporary data stored in your browser that is automatically deleted when you close the browser tab. Used for maintaining form state and navigation context within a single session.

7. Managing Cookies in Your Browser

In addition to the Cookie Settings panel on this page, you can manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View which cookies are currently stored on your device
• Delete individual cookies or all cookies at once
• Block all cookies or only third-party cookies
• Configure per-site cookie permissions
• Set your browser to notify you when a cookie is being set

Instructions for managing cookies in common browsers:

Browser	How to Manage Cookies
Google Chrome	Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
Mozilla Firefox	Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
Apple Safari	Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
Microsoft Edge	Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Manage and delete cookies

8. Data Collected via Cookies

The data collected through cookies on our Website may include:

• IP address (anonymised for analytics purposes)
• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device type
• Pages viewed, time spent, and navigation path
• Referring URL (the page you came from)
• Approximate geographic location (country/region level only)
• Language and display preferences

This data is used solely for the purposes described in this Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. We do not use cookie data to identify individual visitors, build personal profiles, or serve targeted advertisements.

9. Cookie Retention Periods

Cookie Category	Retention Period
Session cookies (XSRF-TOKEN, ascendate_session)	Deleted when browser is closed
Cookie consent preferences	Until manually cleared by the user
Analytics cookies (if enabled)	Up to 26 months from the date of your last interaction
Functional cookies (if enabled)	Up to 12 months from the date they are set

10. GDPR & Regulatory Compliance

Our approach to cookies and tracking technologies is designed to comply with applicable data protection regulations, including:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): For visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA), we ensure that non-essential cookies are not placed on your device without your explicit consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time using the Cookie Settings panel.
• Information Technology Act, 2000 (India): We comply with Indian data protection requirements, including the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA): We align our data processing practices with the requirements of India's DPDPA, including obtaining consent for the processing of personal data through cookies where required.

Your rights under GDPR

If you are located in the EEA, you have the right to:

• Be informed about our cookie usage (this policy fulfils this requirement)
• Give or withdraw consent for non-essential cookies at any time
• Access any personal data collected through cookies
• Request deletion of personal data collected through cookies
• Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at legal@ascendate.com. For more details on your data protection rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legislation, our business operations, or our use of cookies. When we make material changes, we shall:

• Update the "Effective Date" and "Last Revised" date at the top of this page
• Post the revised policy on our Website
• Where the changes are significant, display a notification through our cookie consent banner prompting you to review your preferences

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, our use of cookies, or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

See also: Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service