Do you understand what Data Privacy is and how it affects you? As a general citizen, you no doubt want to know that your personal data is being properly managed and what your rights are, but as an employee of a company that processes personal data, you are no doubt concerned about what is expected of you.
Numerous highly publicised cases of data breaches and leaking of personal information, with notable cases affecting South African citizens, have been reported over the past 2 years. This has mean that Data Privacy is fast becoming one of the most talked about topics, not just in business, but for the average citizen, the man in the street.
Stricter regulation is being enforced in many countries – the United Nations Conference on Trade reports that 107 countries now have data privacy laws - and this means that most organisations are impacted, not just those processing financial transactions. South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) affects any person or organisation that “collects, stores, and otherwise modifies or uses information (i.e. processes information) “. Added to this, the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) legislation also affects South African companies that process or store personal information on EU Citizens.
Some companies have felt that, since POPIA has not been enacted (there are certain aspects of it that are already enacted), they don’t really need to be too concerned just yet about data privacy and any changes they may need to make to become compliant. Proactive organisations, on the other hand, have recognised the benefit of developing and implementing a comprehensive compliance programme that ideally covers the key requirements of POPIA - and if applicable, the GDPR – and have started comprehensive Privacy Programs which are aligned to a broader Data Governance program or initiative.
At tdglobal we assist organisations with their Data Governance programs, helping define strategy, frameworks, operating models and implementing programs, through to the operational aspects of Stewardship, Data Quality Management and technology implementation. Data Privacy and regulatory compliance are often the strongest drivers for such programs.
A further aspect of our services is training on data privacy. tdglobal is proud to be a training partner for the IAPP, which offers internationally recognised certifications in data privacy, from management to technical aspects.
If you would like to learn more about our Data Governance services or our training programs, complete our Expression of Interest web form here.