Cookie Policy

COOKIE POLICY

Last updated: 23 July 2026

1. WHO WE ARE

This website is operated by:

I-STEP Network

Legal form: NGO

Registration number: G27662303

Registered address: Escorpión 16, Alicante, Spain

Website: https://istep-network.org

Email: office@istep-network.org

This Cookie Policy explains how cookies and similar technologies may be used when you visit the I-STEP Network website.

Information about how I-STEP Network processes personal data is available in our Privacy Policy.

2. WHAT COOKIES ARE

Cookies are small text files that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, telephone, tablet or other device.

Cookies may allow a website to:

• Operate correctly.
• Maintain secure user sessions.
• Remember preferences.
• Recognise logged-in users.
• Protect forms and restricted areas.
• Remember information entered by visitors.
• Understand how website functions are used, where optional analytics have been introduced.

Cookies may be:

• First-party cookies, placed directly by the website being visited.
• Third-party cookies, placed by an external service whose content or functionality is used on the website.

Cookies may also be:

• Session cookies, which are normally deleted when the browser is closed.
• Persistent cookies, which remain on the device until their expiry date or until the user deletes them.

3. CURRENT USE OF COOKIES

The current I-STEP Network website uses cookies that are necessary for the operation, security and administration of the WordPress website.

The current implementation does not intentionally use:

• Advertising cookies.
• Behavioural advertising cookies.
• Marketing trackers.
• Brevo Tracker.
• Brevo visitor-identification cookies.
• Google Analytics.
• Meta Pixel.
• Public newsletter tracking scripts.
• Cookies intended to build profiles of website visitors.

Brevo is used through a server-to-server connection to manage communications with approved I-STEP member organisations. This connection does not, by itself, place Brevo cookies on the devices of website visitors.

If analytics, advertising, visitor tracking or other non-essential technologies are introduced in the future, this Cookie Policy and the website’s consent mechanism will be updated before those technologies are activated.

4. STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES

Strictly necessary cookies support functions required for the website to operate securely.

These cookies may be used without requesting consent where they are necessary to provide a service expressly requested by the user or to ensure the security and operation of the website.

Depending on how a visitor or authorised user interacts with the website, WordPress may use the following cookies.

4.1 WordPress test cookie

Cookie name:

wordpress_test_cookie

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Determines whether the visitor’s browser accepts cookies. This may be used when the WordPress login page is accessed.

Typical duration:

Session. It is normally removed when the browser is closed.

Category:

Strictly necessary.

4.2 WordPress authentication cookies

Possible cookie names:

wordpress_[hash]

wordpress_sec_[hash]

wordpress_logged_in_[hash]

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Authenticates authorised users, protects access to the WordPress administration area and keeps an authorised user logged in.

Typical duration:

Normally up to two days.

Where the user selects “Remember Me”, the login may remain active for up to fourteen days.

The cookie is removed when the user logs out or when it expires.

Category:

Strictly necessary.

4.3 WordPress administration preference cookies

Possible cookie names:

wp-settings-[user ID]

wp-settings-time-[user ID]

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Stores preferences relating to the WordPress administration interface and the way it is displayed to an authorised user.

Typical duration:

Up to one year.

Category:

Strictly necessary or functional for authorised website administrators and editors.

4.4 WordPress language cookie

Possible cookie name:

wp_lang

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Stores the language selected on the WordPress login screen or another relevant WordPress interface.

Typical duration:

Session.

Category:

Strictly necessary or functional.

4.5 Website language preference

Depending on the multilingual configuration used by the website, a language cookie may be stored to remember the visitor’s selected website language.

Possible name:

The exact name may depend on the active multilingual plugin and its configuration.

Provider:

I-STEP Network website.

Purpose:

Remembers the language selected by the visitor so that the website can display the appropriate language during subsequent navigation or visits.

Typical duration:

Session or persistent, depending on the final multilingual configuration.

Category:

Functional.

This section should be updated if the multilingual plugin introduces a specific named cookie.

5. COMMENT COOKIES

Where comments are enabled and a visitor submits a comment, WordPress may offer the visitor the option to save their name, email address and website in cookies.

Possible cookie names:

comment_author_[hash]

comment_author_email_[hash]

comment_author_url_[hash]

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Remembers the commenter’s information so that it does not need to be entered again when another comment is submitted.

Typical duration:

Approximately one year.

Category:

Functional.

These cookies are set only when comments are enabled and the visitor chooses the relevant option.

This section does not apply where comments are disabled throughout the website.

6. CONTENT-EDITOR COOKIES

When an authorised user edits or publishes an article or another item of website content, WordPress may store a cookie containing the identifier of the content that was edited.

Possible cookie name:

wp-saving-post

or another WordPress content-management cookie, depending on the version and configuration.

Provider:

I-STEP Network website through WordPress.

Purpose:

Supports content editing and administration.

Typical duration:

Usually no longer than one day.

Category:

Strictly necessary for authorised content administration.

This cookie does not normally contain personal profile information.

7. FORM SECURITY AND ANTI-SPAM TECHNOLOGIES

The website’s membership and contact forms may use technical security measures such as:

• WordPress nonces.
• Honeypot fields.
• Rate limiting.
• IP-based abuse prevention.
• Server-side validation.
• Session or temporary security data.

These measures are intended to prevent spam, automated submissions, fraud and unauthorised use.

The current I-STEP membership system does not require an advertising or analytics cookie to submit a membership application.

If a CAPTCHA, Turnstile or another external anti-spam service is introduced, this Cookie Policy must be reviewed because that service may process technical information or place its own cookies.

8. MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS AND BREVO

I-STEP Network uses Brevo to manage communications with approved member organisations.

The WordPress integration communicates with Brevo through server-to-server API requests.

The current implementation does not install:

• Brevo Tracker.
• Brevo tracking scripts.
• Brevo website-identification cookies.
• Brevo chat widgets.
• Brevo web-push technologies.
• Brevo advertising pixels.

Receiving an I-STEP Members email may involve technologies used by the email provider to deliver and manage the message. These technologies operate within the email service and are addressed in the Privacy Policy and the relevant communication, rather than through cookies placed by ordinary visits to this website.

If Brevo Tracker is installed in the future, the website will update this Cookie Policy and implement any consent controls required before activating it.

9. MAPS

The members directory may display a map using Leaflet and an external map-tile provider.

When the map is loaded, the visitor’s browser may connect to the map-tile provider to download the images required to display the map.

As part of that connection, the external provider may receive technical information such as:

• IP address.
• Browser and device information.
• Date and time of the request.
• The map tiles requested.
• Referring website information, depending on browser behaviour.

The current map implementation is not intended to place advertising or behavioural tracking cookies.

If the selected map provider begins to place non-essential cookies or tracking technologies, the map must be blocked until the user has made the appropriate cookie choice, and this Cookie Policy must be updated.

10. EMBEDDED THIRD-PARTY CONTENT

Pages may include embedded content from third-party websites, such as:

• Videos.
• Social media content.
• Maps.
• Documents.
• Images.
• External forms.
• Articles.

Embedded content may behave as though the visitor had accessed the third-party website directly.

The external provider may:

• Receive the visitor’s IP address.
• Store or access cookies.
• Collect technical and usage information.
• Monitor interaction with the embedded content.
• Link the interaction to an existing user account with that provider.

Where embedded content uses non-essential cookies, it should not be loaded until the visitor has provided the required consent.

The cookies and processing activities of third-party providers are governed by their own privacy and cookie policies.

11. COOKIE CATEGORIES

The website may use the following categories.

11.1 Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are required for functions such as:

• Website security.
• User authentication.
• Restricted-area access.
• Form protection.
• Session management.
• WordPress administration.
• Saving a user’s cookie choices, where a consent mechanism is used.

These cookies cannot normally be disabled through the website’s consent controls because the website may not operate correctly without them.

They may still be blocked or deleted through browser settings, although doing so may prevent certain functions from working.

11.2 Functional cookies

These cookies support optional functionality such as:

• Remembering a selected language.
• Remembering comment details.
• Remembering interface preferences.

Where a functional cookie is not strictly necessary to provide a service requested by the user, consent may be requested before it is used.

11.3 Analytics cookies

Analytics cookies are used to measure visits and understand how a website is used.

The current website does not intentionally use analytics cookies.

If an analytics service is introduced, it will be documented here and activated only in accordance with the applicable consent requirements.

11.4 Advertising or behavioural cookies

These cookies are used to create profiles, track behaviour across websites or display personalised advertising.

The current website does not intentionally use advertising or behavioural cookies.

11.5 Social media cookies

Social media providers may place cookies when their embedded content, buttons or widgets are loaded.

The current policy does not authorise the unrestricted loading of social media tracking technologies.

Where these technologies are introduced, they must be documented and, where required, blocked until consent is given.

12. COOKIE CONSENT

Strictly necessary cookies may be used without prior consent where they are essential for website operation, security or a function expressly requested by the user.

Non-essential cookies, including analytics, behavioural advertising and certain third-party cookies, must not be activated before the visitor has made the required choice.

Where a cookie consent mechanism is displayed, visitors must be able to:

• Accept optional cookies.
• Reject optional cookies.
• Configure cookie categories.
• Withdraw or change their choice later.
• Continue using the website without accepting optional cookies.

Rejecting optional cookies must be as accessible as accepting them.

No optional category should be enabled by default.

Consent choices should be stored only for an appropriate period, after which the website may request the visitor’s preference again.

13. HOW TO MANAGE OR DELETE COOKIES

Visitors can configure their browser to:

• Block all cookies.
• Block third-party cookies.
• Delete existing cookies.
• Receive a warning before a cookie is stored.
• Allow cookies only for selected websites.
• Clear cookies when the browser is closed.

Blocking all cookies may prevent login, language preferences, form security or other website functions from working correctly.

Cookie settings are normally available in the privacy or security section of the browser.

The relevant steps depend on the browser and device used.

14. GLOBAL PRIVACY CONTROL AND DO NOT TRACK

Some browsers or extensions may transmit signals such as Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.

The technical effect of these signals depends on the website configuration, the browser and the third-party services involved.

I-STEP Network does not use the current website implementation for behavioural advertising or cross-site tracking.

Where a future service supports a recognised privacy signal, I-STEP Network will assess whether and how that signal should be respected.

15. CHANGES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY

I-STEP Network may update this Cookie Policy where:

• Website functionality changes.
• WordPress or its plugins change their cookie behaviour.
• A new service provider is introduced.
• Analytics or embedded content is added.
• Legal or regulatory requirements change.
• A cookie is added, removed or modified.

The latest version will be published on this page with its revision date.

Where a change introduces a new non-essential cookie or tracking technology, that technology will not be activated until the necessary information and consent controls have been implemented.

16. CONTACT

Questions about this Cookie Policy may be sent to:

I-STEP Network

NGO

Registration number: G27662303

Escorpión 16

Alicante, Spain

Email: office@istep-network.org

Website: https://istep-network.org