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Data protection responsibilities as a company director or trustee
As a company director or trustee, even of a small business, you could be liable for a data breach or other data protection failure by your organisation. We look at your obligations and what you need to know about your data protection responsibilities as a company director or trustee.
It’s easy for directors to focus on the ‘day job’ of delivering products or services to customers but what risks are you taking by missing out on some of the detail?
Of course, you probably aren’t encouraging unethical behaviour (such as the kind that got one director a seven-year ban from running companies) but there is a risk that you might be found negligent in your duties, or lacking competence in running the business, if you are not protecting client personal information properly.
It’s easy for directors to focus on the ‘day job’ of delivering products or services to customers but what risks are you taking by missing out on some of the detail?
Of course, you probably aren’t encouraging unethical behaviour (such as the kind that got one director a seven-year ban from running companies) but there is a risk that you might be found negligent in your duties, or lacking competence in running the business, if you are not protecting client personal information properly.
Key areas of data protection for directors and trustees
We highlight the key areas of data protection that you need to make sure you and your board have got covered:
- Carrying out risk assessments of what could go wrong with information and how you can prevent it
- Registering with the data protection regulator, the Information Commissioners Office
- Publishing clear information including a privacy notice for customers, clients and beneficiaries on why and how you use their information
- Setting up good systems to protect information
- Ensuring staff are trained regularly so they understand their responsibilities and use your systems properly
