The Information Commissioner's Office is urging heads of organisations and government departments to sign up to a Personal Information Promise, to demonstrate their organisation’s senior level commitment to data protection.

The aims of the initiative are to improve compliance with the Data Protection Act and help restore public trust and confidence in those who are entrusted with personal information. 

The ten point Promise, which includes a commitment to "going further than the letter of the law", is not intended to create any additional legal or regulatory obligations but is expected to focus the attention of organisations on the importance   of safeguarding personal data and embedding good data protection as part of an organisation's culture. The Promise is made, not to the ICO, but to the public at large. 

Organisations that sign up to the Promise, launched on 28 January 2009 to coincide with Data Protection Day, will be listed on the ICO's website and the opportunities for positive publicity are likely to attract large numbers of signatories. Those backing the Promise should however take steps to review privacy risks and arrangements for data protection compliance before signing up as data security breaches attributable to signatories of the Promise are likely to be a source of particular embarrassment.

Heledd Lloyd-Jones can be contacted by telephone on 029 2038 5914 or by email.