Policies and trust · Cookie policy
Cookie policy: the cookies this website uses, and your choices.
This policy explains what cookies and similar technologies are, which ones sterling-grc.com uses, why, for how long, and how you can accept, refuse or change your choice at any time.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
Cookies explained
What are cookies and similar technologies?
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores in your browser. Similar technologies, such as browser local storage and security checks that read signals from your browser, work in a comparable way. Some are needed for a website to work securely; others, such as analytics or advertising cookies, are optional and need your consent where the law requires it.
Categories
Which categories of cookies does the website use?
- Strictly necessary: security filtering, form protection and the record of your consent choice. These cannot be switched off in the banner, because the website or its forms would not work safely without them.
- Strictly necessary (functional): remembering your nearest Sterling office so that its contact details are shown.
- Analytics: Google Analytics 4, loaded through Google Tag Manager, to understand how the website is used. Used only after you consent.
- Administration: cookies set by WordPress for signed-in website administrators only. Visitors who do not sign in do not receive them.
No analytics or marketing tag runs, and no analytics or marketing cookie is set, until you consent to that category through the banner. The website uses Google Consent Mode v2 to pass your choice to Google's tags.
Your consent
How do you give, change or withdraw consent?
When you first visit, a consent banner explains the categories and lets you accept or refuse optional cookies. Your choice is stored so that the banner does not ask again on every page. You can change or withdraw your choice at any time through the consent settings link on every page; withdrawing consent stops optional cookies from then on and does not affect the lawfulness of what happened before.
Where the law of your region does not require consent for a category, the banner may show a notice instead. Strictly necessary cookies are used whatever your choice.
The cookies
Which cookies are used, and for how long?
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Duration | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sterling_enquiry_session | This website (first party) | Connects form protection checks to your browser session when you open the enquiry form. Holds a random value, not your name, email or message. | Browser session | Strictly necessary |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Set only when Cloudflare's bot protection is active for the website; supports that protection. | Expires after 30 minutes of inactivity | Strictly necessary |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare | Set only when a Cloudflare security challenge is shown; stores proof that it was passed. | As set by Cloudflare | Strictly necessary |
| _cfuvid | Cloudflare | Set only when Cloudflare rate limiting is active; distinguishes visitors who share an IP address. | As set by Cloudflare | Strictly necessary |
| _ga | Google Analytics 4 (first party) | Distinguishes visitors so that Google Analytics 4 can count visits and pages viewed. | 2 years | Analytics (with consent) |
| _ga_P97ST0J9L5 | Google Analytics 4 (first party) | Keeps the state of the current visit for this website's Google Analytics 4 property. | 2 years | Analytics (with consent) |
| Consent cookies, with names beginning cmplz_ | This website's consent tool (first party) | Remember your consent choice and the version of the banner you answered. | Up to 12 months | Strictly necessary |
| sic_cc | This website (first party) | Holds the country code Cloudflare supplied and the matching office, with no identifier. | 24 hours | Strictly necessary (functional) |
| sic-near-choice (browser local storage) | This website (first party) | Remembers an office you chose yourself. Never sent to the website. | Until you clear it | Strictly necessary (functional) |
| Cookies whose names begin wordpress_, wordpress_logged_in_ and wp-settings-, and wordpress_test_cookie | WordPress (first party) | Sign-in and administration settings for website administrators only. | Session, or 14 days if the administrator chooses to stay signed in | Administration |
The two Google Analytics 4 cookies are set only after you consent to analytics; their durations are those Google states in its own cookie information. Google Tag Manager loads the Google Analytics 4 tag and sets no cookie of its own.
Form security check
What does the form security check do?
The enquiry form uses Cloudflare Turnstile to tell people from automated abuse. When the check loads, your browser connects to Cloudflare, which processes signals such as your IP address, browser information and the website being visited; Cloudflare states that Turnstile does not read what you type into the form. The check needs JavaScript and access to Cloudflare; if it cannot run, you can use the email contact on the Contact page. Cloudflare's Turnstile Privacy Addendum explains its own processing.
The website also uses the country code Cloudflare supplies for your connection to show your nearest Sterling office, and keeps it in the sic_cc cookie listed above.
Browser controls
How can you control cookies in your browser?
You can view, block and delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking a strictly necessary cookie may stop a form from working; in that case, use another contact route on the Contact page. Deleting cookies does not delete an enquiry you have already sent; the Privacy notice explains how to ask for that.
Changes
How will this policy change?
We update this policy when the cookies on the website change. The date at the top identifies this version. Questions go to privacy@sterling-grc.com. The Terms of use and Sterling's Company policies sit alongside this policy.
Talk to a consultant
Talk to a Sterling consultant about your requirements.
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
hello@sterling-grc.com+1 201 263 4443 (global headquarters) · your nearest office and its number are at the top of this page
What would you like to achieve?
Choose a starting point. The enquiry form takes about a minute.
Book my free discovery callContinue to the enquiry form to share your details. Please do not include passwords, sensitive personal information or confidential files. A Sterling consultant replies within one working day. Privacy notice