ARLG Eastern lunchtime webinar: the UK Data Protection Officer: exploring the relationship between practice, organisational competence and effectiveness within the context of organisational compliance

These webinars are hosted on MS Teams and there will be an opportunity for questions at the end.

Date: 17th December 12.30-13.00 on MS Teams

Presenter: Liz Taylor

Abstract:

The role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) was introduced under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and remains in place under the UK GDPR for some organisations. With the role being described as being at the ‘heart of this new legal framework’ by the European Data Protection Board and the legislation requiring that only a single person is in the role regardless of the size of organisation or the sector in which the organisation operates, this research looks to understand how the role influences organisational compliance with data protection laws and the different factors that may be involved. Using practice theory as the theoretical framework, the research identified competences, meanings and materials that contribute to the practice of compliance in the workplace and starts to understand and articulate how the various components interact to deliver compliant outcomes. Given the statutory requirements of the role, the research used vignettes as an approach to ensure those participating were not constrained in their contributions to the research. While the research focussed on data protection compliance, there are many parallels that can be drawn with wider information governance, where organisational policies and procedures need to be integrated into all working practices.

Bio:

Liz began her PhD studies in 2021 having worked in data protection and information governance since 1998, when she was a serving officer in the Royal Navy. Liz now runs her own company providing Data Protection Officer as a Service (sometimes known as a fractional DPO) and also supports organisations with records management and compliance with freedom of information legislation.

Please join the meeting a few minutes early for a prompt 12.30 start.
Any queries, please contact Craig Martin