Need to appoint an information officer?
The Chief Executive Officer of a private body may appoint any natural or juristic person as the entity's information officer. The primary duty of an information officer is to inform and advise the responsible parties on compliance with the conditions for lawful processing of personal information and to assist data subjects make requests, lodge complaints and seek financial compensation.
When appointing an information officer consider the professional experience and expertise the information officer should have in safeguarding personal information, enabling data subject rights, complying with the conditions and available enforcement mechanisms. The required level of expertise is not defined in POPIA or PAIA, but it must be commensurate with the sensitivity the personal information and complexity of the organisation's processing operations.
Our information officers participated in the development of POPIA and have considerable practical data protection expertise. Read more ...
Tools for the information officer
To be effective, an information officer will need to be supported with the right tools. A compliance framework and monitoring system are requirements of the POPIA regulations. So too is a system to handle data subject requests and provide in-house awareness training (i.e. elearning management system). If consent is one of the bases for processing personal information, the information officer will require a consent management system to manage the consents the entity current holds and to process any withdrawal of consent.
A tool to document processing operations and complete personal information impact assessments will also be essential as often large amounts of data will need to be recorded. Registers of contracts with operators and privacy statements to data sunkects will assist the information officer keep track of operator compliance and establish version control over privacy statements. An online portal to display the PAIA manual, general privacy notice, handle data subject requests and provide a contact form would also be useful. Read more ...
Thinking of engaging a part-time Information Officer? While the legal obligation is to have available an information officer readily accessible by data subjects and the Regulator, many organisations are finding that part-time experienced information officers, who are able to respond immediately to a request or complaint, is a cost effective option. Regardless of whether the information officer is engaged part-time or full-time, the information officer must have professional experience and expertise in protecting data, commensurate with the risks associated with processing personal information.
The role of the information officer is to encourage compliance by the public or private body with the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information and otherwise ensure the body complies with the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act. Failure by the information officer to properly encourage compliance will be unlawful in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Companies Act and can result in personal liability.
EDUCATION PROGRAMME
POPIA Foundation course:
The POPIA Foundation course introduces the objectives, principles, concepts and the terminology used in the Protection of Personal Information Act. This course will:
- Provide a basic understanding of the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Constitutional right data subjects have to privacy
- Explain the legal obligations created by the Protection of Personal Information Act
- Explain the rights of data subjects.
POPIA Professional course:
The POPIA Professional course addresses the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act to process personal information lawfully. This course will:
- Develop an understanding of the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities involved in the protection of personal information
- Assist with the development of a compliance framework and monitoring system
- Ensure adequate measures and standards exists in order to comply with the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information
- Develop a process to conduct preliminary assessments
- Identify the impact of processing personal information
- Enable data subjects to assert their right to privacy
- Explore the consequences of non-compliance.
POPIA Practitioner course:
The POPIA Practitioner course will covers the translation of legal obligations into technical and organisational measures that can effectively protect the rights of data subjects. This course includes:
- Internal measures necessary together with adequate systems to process data subject requests
- Key data protection practices
- Essential data protection processes
- Safeguards to protect the rights of data subjects
- Technical and organisational measures necessary to protect the processing of personal information.
POPIA Lead Auditor course:
The POPIA Lead Auditor course will assist personnel monitor, evaluate and assess the protection of personal information. This course includes:
- Scope and purpose of an audit of the Protection of Personal Information Act
- Audit process for assessing POPI
- Appropriate audit objectives
- Assessing the development, implementation and monitoring of compliance
- Reviewing the practices implemented to fulfil the legal obligations of the Protection of Personal Information Act
- Evaluating the effectiveness of technical and organisational measures implemented to protect the processing of personal information.
Certified Personal Information Officer :
The Certified Personal Information Officer (CPIO) certification program is developed specifically for those persons who are responsible for encouraging compliance with the conditions for the lawful processing of personal information, dealing with requests made regarding the processing of personal information and working with the Information Regulator. The Certified Personal Information officer exam enables you to demonstrate your understanding and knowledge. This certification will require candidates to thoroughly understand the Protection of Personal Information Act, be able to establish a compliance framework and other enablers of data subject rights, and to be able to implement the technical and organisational measures necessary to protect the rights of data subjects.
The CPIO certification is for all individuals who design, manage and oversee an enterprise’s use of personal information. While its central focus is the protection of personal information, it will be of value to anyone with responsibility for the processing of information. This certification promotes best practices and provides executive management with assurance that those with the designation CPIO are knowledgeable about the requirements for lawfully processing personal information.
Information Officer Support Services
Data protection policies and procedures, data mapping, documenting processing operations, preliminary assessments, safeguards, technical and organisation measures, tools ensure data subjects' rights are protected. Read more ...
Information Officer Solutions
A solution to implement and operate a POPI Act compliance framework and monitoring system as well as to handle data subject requests, track resolution of complaints and manage consent. Read more ...
Information Officer Expertise
Our experienced information officers have 10+ years practical experience and extensive technical and organisational knowledge to ensure responsible parties comply with the POPI Act. Read more ...