How we use
cookies & trackers.

What cookies are.

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device to remember information across visits. HIMARK uses cookies — and a small number of comparable browser-storage technologies — to operate this site, remember your preferences, measure performance, and improve the Atlas assistant.

This Cookies Policy describes the categories of cookies we use, why we use them, how long they persist, and how you can manage your preferences. It supplements our Privacy Notice and forms part of the same compliance posture under POPIA.

Categories we use.

HIMARK groups cookies into three categories. The cookie banner you see on first visit allows you to accept all of these, accept only the necessary category, or deny non-essential cookies entirely.

[ 01 ] Strictly Necessary

• Required for the website to function correctly
• Maintain your session, remember your cookie consent choice, and protect against cross-site request forgery
• Cannot be switched off — without these cookies, the site does not function

[ 02 ] Performance & Analytics

• Help us understand how visitors interact with the website in aggregate
• Measure page load performance, identify broken flows, and inform improvements
• Set only with your consent — denied by default until you accept

[ 03 ] Functional

• Remember preferences such as the Atlas assistant state, ambient audio mute, and similar UI choices
• Enhance the experience but are not required for the site to function
• Set only with your consent

Cookie schedule.

The following cookies may be set by HIMARK during a visit to himark.co.za. Names and durations are indicative and may evolve.

[ Strictly Necessary ]

• himark_session — session identifier; expires when the browser closes
• himark_consent — records your cookie consent choice; persists 12 months
• himark_csrf — security token for form submissions; expires per session

[ Performance ]

• himark_perf — anonymised page-load metrics; expires after 30 days
• himark_route — last visited section to optimise routing; expires after 7 days

[ Functional ]

• himark_atlas — Atlas assistant state and conversation context; expires after 30 days
• himark_audio — ambient audio mute preference; expires after 90 days

Third-party cookies.

HIMARK loads a small number of third-party services that may set their own cookies. These are limited to operational necessities and do not include advertising networks.

• Google Fonts — typography delivery; may set technical cookies; subject to Google's privacy policies
• Atlas (HIMARK proprietary) — assistant infrastructure; first-party; behaves like a HIMARK service
• WhatsApp Business — only when you explicitly initiate a WhatsApp conversation; subject to Meta's privacy policies

HIMARK does not embed social-media widgets, tracking pixels, or advertising network tags on himark.co.za.

Managing preferences.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by:

• Using the cookie banner shown on your first visit, with three explicit options: Accept All, Necessary Only, or Deny
• Clearing the himark_consent cookie via your browser, which will trigger the banner again on your next visit
• Writing to info@himark.co.za to request specific changes to how HIMARK processes cookie-derived information about your visit

Selecting Necessary Only or Deny will not break the site. Some convenience features, including remembered Atlas assistant state, may not persist across sessions.

Browser controls.

You may also manage cookies directly from your browser settings. Most modern browsers allow you to view, delete, and block cookies on a per-site or global basis. Refer to the documentation for your specific browser:

• Google Chrome — Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Mozilla Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Apple Safari — Preferences → Privacy
• Microsoft Edge — Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions

Disabling cookies entirely at the browser level may cause the himark.co.za experience to degrade, particularly with respect to the Atlas assistant and form submissions.

Updates.

HIMARK reviews this Cookies Policy on a quarterly cadence. Where the cookie schedule changes — for example, where a new operational tool is added — the policy and the cookie banner are both updated. Material changes to non-essential categories will trigger a fresh consent prompt on your next visit.

The current effective version is recorded at the head of this document.

Contact.

Questions about cookies, the consent banner, or HIMARK's broader privacy posture should be directed to: