This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are and how they are used (hereafter the “Cookie Policy”). It is addressed to the public accessing the website (hereinafter “the User” or “You”).
Groupe Bruxelles Lambert advises the User to read both the Privacy policy and the Cookie Policy as both are important for the protection of personal data. Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (hereinafter “GBL” or “We”) is registered with the Belgian authorities1 under BCE Number 407.040.209 at 24 Avenue Marnix, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
1. General
This Cookie Policy explains how GBL collects and processes your personal data using cookies when You visit www.gbl.com (hereinafter the “Website"). Cookies are small text files that are saved on the hard drive of a device or on the server of a website and which contain certain information that is collected from your device and sent back to the Website on each subsequent visit so as to remember your actions and preferences over time. These information may relate for example, to your language preferences, to the pages You visited, to the order in which You visited these pages and the duration of that visit. We process the data obtained from cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which can be found here.
As You first access the Website a Cookie Banner appears requesting that You accept the use of all non-functional cookies. The Cookie Banner is the cookie warning that pops up when You enter the Website. It also provides access to this Cookie Policy.
GBL reserves the right to change, supplement or replace this Cookie Policy from time to time. Such changes, additions or substitutions will be brought to your attention via the Website.
2. The type of Cookies that can be used on our website
Three types of cookies can be used on our Website:
- Functional cookies
- Analytical and statistical cookies
- Marketing cookies
Functional cookies are necessary for the functioning of our Website. Therefore, You will not be able to refuse them if You wish to access it. For all other types of cookies, We will only place them upon Your consent.
You will find below a description of the functioning of the different types of cookies, as well as how You can prevent cookies from being placed, or how You can delete already placed cookies by adjusting your cookie settings.
Cookies have different lifespan. Certain cookies are only used for the duration of your session, and expire after the visit. Others will be stored for a period of 2 years. We provide a more detailed description of cookies’ lifespan below.
The main purpose of cookies is to improve and simplify your browsing experience of the Website. However, some are used to manage and improve our Website and others for marketing purposes, as further described below.
2.1. Functional cookies
Some cookies are functional and essential for the Website to work properly and provide a good user experience (for example, a cookie that saves language preferences, which are only stored during the duration of your session). It is not possible to refuse these cookies if You want to visit the Website.
Given their technical necessity, these cookies are saved from the moment You access the Website.
| Name | Expiry | Type | Purpose | Own/Third party cookies |
| SESS* | At the end of the session | Technical | This cookie is used to manage your login session | GBL |
| cookie-agreed | 100 days | Technical | This cookie keeps track on whether You agreed to the use of cookies when You | GBL |
2.2. Analytical and statistical cookies
Analytical and statistical cookies collect information that is intended to give GBL insight (usually via statistics) into how You and other visitors are using the Website (for example, which functions are popular, which are not, etc.). This information can be used to improve the Website and enhance your user experience.
GBL needs your consent for the use of analytical and statistical cookies. You can decline the use of such cookies or, if You have agreed to their use, withdraw your consent at any time thereafter by adjusting your cookies settings.
The analytical and statistical cookies used on our Website are Google Analytics, which help us determining how You and other visitors use the Website, managing the Website (including measuring the usage of the Website, drawing up statistics), and modifying and improving the Website. To do so, they assign randomly generated numbers to visitors to the Website as an identifier. These cookies are used to calculate the number of visits to our Website, the duration of a session and any campaign data for the sites’ analytics reports.
| Name | Expiry | Type | Purpose | Own/Third party cookies |
| _ga | 2 years | Tracking | This cookie is used to distinguish users | GBL |
| _gid | 1 day | Tracking | This cookie is used to distinguish users | companywebcast.com |
| _gat | 1 minutes | Tracking | This cookie is used to distinguish users | GBL |
2.3. Marketing cookies
The marketing cookies collect information relating to your online activities to allow advertisers to provide relevant advertisements.
GBL needs your consent for the use of marketing cookies. You can decline the use of such cookies or, if You have agreed to their use, withdraw your consent at any time thereafter by adjusting your cookies settings as described in chapter (3) below.
The marketing cookies that GBL uses (provided You consented thereto) are explained below. They are third-party cookies used for a variety of purposes (including to display relevant ads).
| Name | Expiry | Type | Purpose | Own/Third party cookies |
| _gads | 2 years | Tracking | To monitor the showing of advertisements on the site, for which GBL may earn some revenue |
3. Adjust your cookie settings
You can prevent cookies from being placed, or delete already placed cookies, by adjusting your settings in your browser. Help with adjusting these settings can be found on the website of the browser You use.
Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies
Microsoft Edge: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/edge-privacy-faq
Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en
Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences
Safari: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac
For more information about how to manage cookies on your device, You can also consult the procedure provided in http://www.aboutcookies.org.
4. Third party cookies on our website
Third party cookies are cookies that are not owned by GBL. These cookies are set on the Website by data controllers that do not operate that Website. These cookies are put in place by third parties that will process your personal data according to their privacy policy. Therefore, it is important to take into account their privacy policy when consenting to the use of such cookies. You can decline the use of such cookies or, if You have agreed to their use, withdraw your consent at any time thereafter by adjusting your cookies settings as described in chapter (3) abovementioned.
With your consent, third party advertisers can put cookies on your browser through our Website to get more information about your browsing activities and to allow them to show you customized advertisements whilst You are in our Website.
5. Users’ complaints
If You are not satisfied with how GBL uses cookies and process your personal data, please address your request to Priscilla Maters at pmaters@gbl.com or by mail at Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, to the attention of Priscilla Maters, Avenue Marnix 24, 1000 Brussels, Belgium who will investigate your concern.
In any case, You also have the right to file a complaint with the competent data protection authorities. You can file your complaint relating to this Cookie Policy to the Belgian Data Protection Authority, established at Rue de la Presse 35, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, on https://www.dataprotectionauthority.be/citizen/actions/lodge-a-complaint. You can also send an email to contact@apd-gba.be to make a phone appointment or reach the Authority by phone +32 (0)2 274 48 00 or +32 (0)2 274 48 35.
1 The Crossroad Bank of Undertakings