TDC needs to collect and use certain types of information about people with whom it deals with in order to operate. These include current, past and prospective employees, suppliers, clients and others with whom it communicates. This personal information must be dealt with properly, however it is collected, recorded or used, whether this be on paper, in a computer or recorded on other material. There are safeguards to ensure that this is in line with the Data Protection Act (incorporating the General Data Protection Regulations) 2018.
We regard the lawful and correct treatment of personal information by TDC as very important to successful operations and to maintaining confidence between those with whom we deal and ourselves. We ensure that our organisation treats personal information lawfully and correctly.
Under the data protection legislation there are six data protection principles that the Centre and all staff must always comply with in their data processing activities. In brief, the principles say that personal data must be:
- Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject (lawfulness, fairness and transparency);
- Collected only for a specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes (purpose limitation);
- Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed (data minimisation);
- Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must also be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay (accuracy);
- Not kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed (storage limitation);
- Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (integrity and confidentiality);
- The Centre is responsible for and must be able to demonstrate compliance with these data protection principles (accountability).
Therefore, TDC will, through appropriate management and the strict application of criteria and controls:
- Observe fully the conditions relating to the fair collection and use of information;
- Meet it’s legal obligations to specify the purposes for which information is used;
- Collect and process appropriate information and only to the extent that it is needed to fulfil operational needs or to comply with any legal requirements;
- Ensure the quality of information used;
- Apply strict checks to determine the length of time information is held;
- Ensure that the rights of people about whom information is held can be fully exercised under the Act.
These include:
- The right to be informed that processing is being undertaken;
- The right of access to one’s personal data;
- The right to prevent processing in certain circumstances;
- The right to correct, rectify, block or erase information which is regarded as incorrect;
- Take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal information;
- Ensure that personal information is not transferred abroad without suitable safeguards.
In addition:
- Overall responsibility for Data Protection in TDC rests with the Managing Director, Simon McHardy;
- Everyone managing and handling personal information understands that they are contractually responsible for following good data protection practice;
- Everyone managing and handling personal information is appropriately trained to do so;
- Everyone is appropriately supervised;
- Anybody wanting to make enquiries about handling personal information knows what to do;
- Queries about handling personal information are promptly and courteously dealt with;
- Methods of handling personal information are clearly described;
- A regular review and audit is made of the way personal information is managed;
- Methods of handling personal information are regularly assessed and evaluated.