Cookie Policy

Updated June of 2026

Cookie Policy

1. Purpose

The Competency & Credentialing Institute (“CCI,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) uses cookies and similar technologies to help operate our website, improve its performance, understand how visitors use our website, and measure the effectiveness of our communications and outreach.

This Cookie Policy explains:

  • what cookies are;
  • how CCI uses cookies;
  • the types of cookies used on our website;
  • how you can manage your cookie preferences; and
  • where you can obtain additional information.

This Cookie Policy applies to www.cc-institute.org and should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit a website.

Cookies help websites function properly, remember user preferences, improve security, understand how visitors use a website, and provide information that helps organizations improve their websites and services.

In addition to cookies, CCI and certain trusted service providers may use similar technologies, including pixels, tags, scripts, local storage, and web beacons. Throughout this policy, these technologies are collectively referred to as “cookies.”

3. Why CCI Uses Cookies

CCI uses cookies to support its mission of serving perioperative professionals and protecting the public through certification.

Cookies help us:

  • keep the website secure;
  • ensure the website functions properly;
  • remember your cookie preferences;
  • understand how visitors use our website;
  • identify opportunities to improve website performance and usability;
  • measure the effectiveness of CCI communications and marketing efforts;
  • support embedded website functionality; and
  • comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

CCI does not use cookies to personalize website content for individual visitors.

CCI does not sell your personal information collected through cookies.

4. Types of Cookies We Use

CCI uses the following categories of cookies.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are required for the website to function properly.

They enable core functionality such as:

  • website security;
  • fraud prevention;
  • remembering your cookie preferences;
  • form submission;
  • session management;
  • accessibility features; and
  • other functions necessary for operation of the website.

Because these cookies are necessary, they cannot be disabled through our Cookie Preferences tool.

Preference Cookies

Preference cookies remember choices you make while using the website, such as language settings or other user preferences.

These cookies help provide a more consistent browsing experience but are not required for the basic operation of the website.

Where required by applicable law, these cookies are only used with your consent.

Statistics Cookies

Statistics cookies help CCI understand how visitors use our website.

These cookies collect information such as:

  • pages visited;
  • time spent on pages;
  • navigation paths;
  • referring websites;
  • device type;
  • browser type; and
  • general website performance information.

This information is used only to better understand website usage and improve CCI’s website and services.

Statistics cookies do not allow CCI to identify you personally.

Where required by law, these cookies are only activated after you provide consent.

Marketing Cookies

Marketing cookies help CCI understand the effectiveness of our communications, educational outreach, and marketing activities.

These cookies may be used to:

  • measure the effectiveness of online campaigns;
  • understand visitor engagement;
  • improve future communications;
  • evaluate website traffic generated through marketing initiatives; and
  • support limited advertising measurement.

CCI does not use marketing cookies to personalize website content for individual visitors.

Marketing cookies are optional and are only activated after you provide consent where required by applicable law.

5. Third-Party Services

CCI works with trusted third-party service providers to help operate our website and deliver our services. These providers may use cookies or similar technologies in connection with the services they provide to CCI.

Depending on the pages you visit and the choices you make through our Cookie Preferences tool, these providers may include organizations that support:

  • website analytics;
  • website security;
  • payment processing;
  • certification and learning services;
  • website forms and communications;
  • transactional email delivery;
  • recruitment and employment services; and
  • embedded website content.

Examples of providers CCI may use include Google, Meta, HubSpot, Stripe, LearnUpon, Postmark, Google reCAPTCHA, BambooHR, YouTube, and Complianz.

These providers operate under their own privacy policies and may process information on CCI’s behalf in accordance with applicable contracts and legal requirements.

CCI carefully selects service providers that support our mission and business operations and does not authorize them to use your information for purposes unrelated to the services they provide to CCI.

6. Cookie Consent and Managing Your Preferences

CCI uses Complianz to help manage cookie consent and provide visitors with meaningful control over non-essential cookies.

When you first visit our website, you will be presented with options to:

  • Accept all cookies;
  • Reject optional cookies; or
  • Customize your cookie preferences.

Your selections determine which categories of optional cookies are permitted to operate on your device, where required by applicable law.

You may change or withdraw your consent at any time by selecting the Cookie Preferences button available throughout the CCI website.

Changing your preferences does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before your preferences were updated.

Necessary cookies required for the operation and security of the website remain active because they are essential to providing website functionality.

7. Managing Cookies Through Your Browser

Most web browsers allow you to view, manage, delete, or block cookies through your browser settings.

Please note that disabling or blocking certain cookies through your browser may affect the functionality, security, or performance of portions of the CCI website.

Using your browser settings to block cookies does not replace your selections made through CCI’s Cookie Preferences tool.

For the best experience, CCI recommends managing optional cookies through the Cookie Preferences tool available on the website.

8. International Visitors

CCI serves perioperative professionals throughout the United States and internationally.

If you access our website from outside the United States, please be aware that information collected through cookies and similar technologies may be processed and stored in the United States or in other countries where CCI or its service providers operate.

By using the website and providing consent where applicable, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred, processed, and stored outside your country of residence in accordance with this Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.

9. Changes to This Cookie Policy

CCI may update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in:

  • applicable laws and regulations;
  • website functionality;
  • technology;
  • service providers; or
  • CCI’s business operations.

When material changes are made, the updated Effective Date at the top of this policy will be revised.

CCI encourages visitors to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how cookies are used on our website.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Cookie Policy, your cookie preferences, or CCI’s privacy practices, please contact us:

Competency & Credentialing Institute

privacy@cc-institute.org

For privacy-related requests, including questions regarding your personal information or your privacy rights, please contact us using the email address above.

11. Cookie Declaration

CCI uses Complianz to automatically identify and categorize cookies used on our website.

The Cookie Declaration below is generated and maintained by Complianz and reflects the cookies currently detected on the CCI website.

Because our website and the services we use may change over time, the Cookie Declaration is updated automatically and should be considered the most current inventory of cookies and similar technologies used by the website.

Our Commitment to Privacy

CCI values the trust placed in us by applicants, candidates, certificants, employers, volunteers, and website visitors. We are committed to handling personal information responsibly, using cookies transparently, and providing meaningful choices about how information is collected and used. As technology and privacy laws evolve, CCI will continue to review and update its practices to help protect the information entrusted to us.