Aspects available in data protection consultancy

Compiled from

Rigor Systems

http://rigorsystems.com


Aspects available in Data Protection Consultancy

If you are a business owner or a company, then I believe that you really need to protect your

company or business information by seeking the services of data protection consultancy

firms. These firms are led by professionals in the field of data protection and they understand

the ethics of their work.

Being professionals in the field, they understand the laws that govern data protection and

will be able to offer guidance on how to safeguard your data without getting on the wrong

side of the law. They will help you assess the current state of compliance and also enable you

receive advice on how to improve your policies and procedures which will inturn help you

avoid the risks that come with data insecurity.

Aspects of data protection

1. Staff training

Data protection consultants will help you train your staff so that they can get to grips and

understand the importance of data protection. They will do in such a way that the staff will

understand and see it as a benefit to the business and not an extra task that they need to

take on.

By ensuring that your staff get appropriate initial and refresher Information Security training

so that they understand the potential risks to the business and training on their data

protection obligations will go a long way in helping you to meet your obligations under the

7th data protection principle.


2. Internal policies and procedures

Every organisation should have its own internal policies and procedures. These policies and

procedures which involve monitoring individuals or the processing of the personal data will

not need to comply with the data protection act. A code of practice exists called the

Employment practices code of practice as well as supplemental guidance in the case of

employees the information commissioner has produced. Also available is a small business

quick guide.

In the case of a sole trader for instance it may not be appropriate to have a formal policy.

This is because the larger the organisation the more likely it is that a formal policy will be

required.

All organisations irrespective of the size should also have procedures in place for business

continuity and security incidents investigations. Depended on the size of the organisation it

may also be appropriate to have procedures covering the granting of access to systems or

system permission.

3. Records management


Records management is the effective control of your records, throughout their life cycle, as

long as that information;

Is available when and where it is needed

Is stored in a well maintained environment

Is kept in an organised and efficient manner

Is destroyed in a timely fashion when it is redundant

Is available to meet any statutory and financial requirements (e.g. maintaining

evidence of and information about your business activities and transactions in the

form of records.)

4. Business continuity

Ask yourself if you would be able to carry on with your activities in the event that your

business caught fire, if there was damage to your stock, if one of your key personnel

suddenly fell sick or if your IT systems failed?

Whether you are a sole trader or a large multinational company having a tried and

tested business continuity plan which has details of the steps to be taken in the event of

an incident will go a long way to help your business continue to operate and recover

more quickly.

5. Information security


Information security is a key component of data protection compliance and forms part of

a wider discipline known as information assurance.

It is recommended that a risk based approach to information security should be adopted

to ensure that the measures taken are appropriate to your organisation and the types of

data you are processing.

Well the above are some of the aspects of data protection consultancy which can help

you secure your business information.


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Aspects available in data protection consultancy