On January 1st, 2025, the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) went into effect. This legislation brings Bermuda in line with international data privacy standards, such as the EU’s GDPR, and has major implications for how organizations collect, use, store, and manage personal information.
In this article, we’ll break down how to stay compliant with PIPA, and how to best implement robust, scalable solutions through tailored IT governance and data privacy services.
What is PIPA and Why Does it Matter?
PIPA is Bermuda’s data protection law, aimed at safeguarding individuals’ personal information while allowing responsible use for legitimate business operations. It applies to any organization that handles personal data – from employee records to customer contact information. Failure to comply can result in legal action, reputational damage, and a loss of trust and credibility among customers, partners, and regulators.
Key Steps to Maintaining PIPA Compliance
Compliance is not a one-time task; it is an ongoing process which needs active participation. Here’s what your organization needs to focus on:
1. Conduct a Data Mapping Exercise to understand what personal information your organization collects, and how it flows through your systems. This helps identify what data is collected, where it’s stored, who has access, and how it’s protected.
2. Appoint a Data Privacy Officer to oversee compliance. This person will ensure your organization aligns with best practice obligations and handles data responsibly. For a scalable, affordable solution, learn more about Gnosis’s Data Privacy Officer as a Service (DPOaaS) offering
3. Perform a Gap Analysis to compare your current practices against PIPA’s requirements. This will reveal policy or process gaps, security vulnerabilities, and areas needing improvement.
4. Develop and Implement Privacy Policies which are clear, compliant, and specific to your business. They must define how personal information is handled, how individuals can access their data, and what happens in the event of a breach.
5. Train Your Staff to ensure they’re up to speed on PIPA principles, data handling best practices, and know how to recognize and properly report breaches.
6.Use Certifications to Demonstrate Compliance such as IASME Cyber Baseline and Cyber Assurance to demonstrate your commitment to best practices. Gnosis partners with Cyber Tec Security to offer these certifications as part of our wider compliance support – get in touch to learn more.
7. Publish Privacy Notices to ensure that individuals are properly informed as to how their personal data is being used. These notices must be easy to understand and accessible to customers and employees alike.
8. Maintain Ongoing Monitoring with regular reviews and updates to ensure your organization stays compliant over time.
Whether you’re starting from scratch of tightening up your existing processes, Gnosis provides end-to-end data protection solutions for Bermuda businesses. We take the guesswork out of compliance, so you can focus on running your business. Get in touch today
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Gnosis is Bermuda’s Leading Managed Service Provider
Founded in 2018 with the belief that Bermuda businesses deserve market-leading business and technology consultancy services with client needs in mind. Gnosis’ expert accountancy team provides a range of short-term and long-term accounting solutions to help power your business.
Our qualified consultants can support your organization through an ever-changing business landscape, from staff departures and maternity cover to additional resources for project work. Our flexible approach ensures you and your team receive the most cost-effective, tailored solution to suit every need.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help support your business’ accounting needs, get in touch with our team today.
