Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA), businesses are expected to establish and enforce practices and policies needed to fulfil their PDPA checklist in Singapore.
This must be achieved by naming at least one person as the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of your company, who will handle data protection duties.
A DPO’s role and responsibilities
In your SEO agency, a DPO plays a big part. A DPO is also responsible for turning data security into a competitive advantage for your business, contributing to building confidence in the larger data ecosystem, rather than only ensuring that the PDPA guidelines are met.
It can be an internal employee in your organization or a third party when selecting a DPO for your business. While it is unnecessary to provide the DPO’s information under PDPC law, companies are strongly encouraged to notify them of the details.
Appointment of a Letter for DPO
You need to formalize the whole procedure when recruiting a DPO by sending an appointment letter to the DPO.
Doing so will help your DPO understand their duties and assure your Data Protection Authority that your organization has done its part and understands the value of this appointment.
This letter should include:
- The details of your business and the name of the DPO
- The appointment term
- The DPO’s duties
- Place and status of the DPO within the firm A closing statement, accompanied by the names and signatures of the parties to the agreement
How to help achieve the best outcomes for your DPO
There are a few ways in which you can improve your business skills to help your DPO more efficiently perform its responsibilities:
Send for a course in data protection.
As your DPO can better understand the scope of its responsibilities and how he/she can take the right steps to ensure that your company complies with the PDPA, these courses are relevant.
Keep them up to date with the latest data protection news.
New things to learn or get knowledge about are still available. You can subscribe to the PDPC Newsletter and DPO Link from your DPO, where you can access the latest news and keep up to date.
Draft implementations to eliminate potential risks
It is recommended that physical and online systems be placed to control and track the flow of personal data from the premises and computer systems of your company. Here, find out more.
Another strategy is to perform internal audits to ensure that the practices comply with the requirements of the PDPA.
Ensure the employees are aware of the procedures and mechanisms for data protection
It is essential to let the workers know about the responsibilities under PDPA. They should be kept updated on new technologies, procedures, and even current laws and contracts that could impact the treatment of your company’s data.
