CONTEXT AND OVERVIEW
Key Details
Policy prepared by: Matthew Walker
Approved by management on: July 2019
Policy became operational on: July 2018
Next Review Date: January 2025

Introduction
Standout Events needs to gather and use certain information about individuals. These can include customers, suppliers, business contacts, employees, and other people the organization has a relationship with or may need to contact. This policy describes how this personal data must be collected, handled, and stored to meet the company's data protection standards – and to comply with the law.

Why this policy exists
This data protection policy ensures Standout Events:

  • Complies with data protection law and follows good practice

  • Protects the rights of staff, customers, and partners

  • Is open about how it stores and processes individual data

  • Protects itself from the risk of a data breach

Data Protection Law
The Data Protection Act describes how organizations including Standout Events must collect, handle, and store personal information. These rules apply whether data is stored electronically, on paper, or on other materials.
To comply with the law, personal information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely, and not disclosed unlawfully.

The Data Protection Act is underpinned by eight important principles. These say that personal data must:

  • Be processed fairly and lawfully

  • Be obtained only for specific, lawful use

  • Be adequate, relevant, and not excessive

  • Be accurate and kept up to date

  • Not be held for any longer than necessary

  • Be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects

  • Be protected in appropriate ways

  • Not be transferred outside of the European Economic Area, unless that country or territory also ensures an adequate level of protection

PEOPLE, RISKS & RESPONSIBILITY
Policy Scope
This policy applies to:

  • The head office of Standout Events

  • All offices of Standout Events

  • All staff, freelancers, and volunteers of Standout Events

  • All contractors, suppliers, and other people working on behalf of Standout Events

It applies to all data the company holds relating to identifiable individuals, even if that information falls outside of the Data Protection Act. This can include:

  • Names of individuals

  • Postal addresses

  • E-mail addresses

  • Telephone numbers

  • Plus any other information relating to individuals

Data Protection Risks
This policy helps to protect Standout Events from some very real data security risks, including:

  • Breaches in confidentiality. For instance, information being given out inappropriately.

  • Failing to offer choice. For instance, all individuals should be free to choose how the company uses data relating to them.

  • Reputational damage. For instance, the company could suffer if hackers successfully gained access to sensitive data.

Responsibilities
Everyone who works for or with Standout Events has some responsibility for ensuring data is collected, stored, and handled appropriately.

Each team that handles personal data must ensure it is handled and processed in line with this policy and data protection policy.

However, these people have key areas of responsibility:

  • The directors are ultimately responsible for ensuring that Standout Events meets its legal obligations.

  • The data protection officer, Matthew Walker, is responsible for:

    • Keeping the directors updated about data protection responsibilities, risks, and issues

    • Reviewing all data protection procedures and related policies, in line with an agreed schedule

    • Arranging data protection training and advising the people covered in this policy

    • Handling data protection questions from staff and anyone else covered by this policy

    • Dealing with requests from individuals to see the data Standout Events holds about them (also called subject access requests)

    • Checking and approving any contracts and agreements with third parties that may handle the company’s sensitive data

  • The IT manager is responsible for:

    • Ensuring all systems, services, and equipment used for storing data meet acceptable security standards

    • Performing regular checks and scans to ensure security hardware and software are functioning properly

    • Evaluating any third-party services the company is considering using to store or process data. For instance, cloud computing services.

  • Matthew Walker is responsible for:

    • Approving any data protection statements attached to communications such as e-mails and letters

    • Addressing any data protection queries from journalists or media outlets such as newspapers

    • Where necessary, working with other staff to ensure marketing initiatives abide by data protection principles