A data governance framework is essential to enable a business to meet its regulatory obligations and achieve the benefits of data. However, it’s not easy to build a data governance program without the right team and tools. To maximize the value of your program, you should start with a vision and a business case. The vision defines the broad strategic objectives of your governance program, and the business case identifies the specific opportunities your data can deliver.
In Hong Kong, personal data is defined by the Personal Data Protection Ordinance (PDPO), which establishes data subject rights and imposes compliance measures through six data protection principles. The PDPO is a critical regulatory requirement for businesses that store and process personal information. It applies to all organizations in Hong Kong, regardless of size. The PDPO also regulates how companies can use data to make decisions about individuals, including the types of information they can collect and how they can share it.
The PDPO requires organizations to inform individuals of the purpose for which personal data is collected and how it will be used. It also prohibits the collection of personal data without consent or for unrelated purposes, and requires organizations to only retain data that is necessary for the purpose it was collected. The PDPO also prohibits the disclosure of personal data to unauthorized parties, and it imposes strict penalties for doing so.
Aside from the PDPO, other statutory and common law regulations may apply to data usage in Hong Kong. These include the law against unauthorized interference with an individual’s privacy, family, home, correspondence and reputation, as well as laws against doxxing. In addition, a number of industry codes and guidelines are in place to help guide business practices.
The first step in building a data governance program is to identify key stakeholders. You can do this by conducting a data governance survey, interviewing stakeholders or conducting a risk analysis. It is important to have buy-in from all stakeholders, as they are the ones who will need to use the data. The second step is to build a team of people who can manage and monitor the data governance program. This team includes data stewards, who are business and IT subject matter experts. Strong stewards are able to communicate how the data governance framework will impact their work and decisions. Data stewards should also be able to handle escalations to the executive sponsor or steering committee.
In order to comply with data protection laws, it is vital for organizations to have a robust business case and clearly define the value that their data governance program will provide. They should also implement ongoing audits and metrics to assess program success and ROI. Lastly, they should establish the roles and responsibilities of data governance team members. This way, everyone will understand their role in achieving the goals of the program. This will ensure that the data governance program is successful in meeting its business objectives.