CII Members Instrumental in Creating GDPR Code of ConductCII members Tony Imossi and Mike LaCorte, among others, have worked diligently to create a code of conduct for the Association of British Investigators (ABI) that was recently approved by the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). This monumental task puts members who achieve code membership will be at the forefront of professionalism and protection of privacy rights within the confines of the General Data Protection Regulation. The following is a post by CII member Mike LaCorte: I am delighted to announce that on ICO deputy Commissioner officially APPROVED the Association of British Investigators Code of Conduct! Click here to view the ICO Press Release which has been widely circulated throughout the UK. I wanted to take a moment on behalf of the ABI to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey—whether by attending seminars and workshops, actively contributing to consultations, providing valuable feedback or providing direct assistance in drafting the Code. I would like to acknowledge especially the contributions of Dick Smith QPM and Vice President Mark Hodgson and Chairman Nicci Ashby. Above all, I would like to recognise the vision and tireless efforts of CII Member Tony Imossi (ABI Secretariat) without whom this Code could not have achieved final approval. Tony’s invaluable expertise has helped shape the ICO’s approach to many of the key challenges addressed in the Code. The finished product is a testament to the unwavering perseverance, dedication, resilience, and hard work that has gone into developing the ABI Code over these past five years. From the outset, gaining support from the legal profession was essential, and I’m pleased to share that both the Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority have backed this initiative since day one. They remain committed to promoting this unique, self-regulatory regime. Achieving Code membership is open to all practitioners who meet the criteria, which has been set on a level basis, as to skill, fit & proper standard and cost. This milestone offers a pathway to unite an otherwise fragmented and largely unregulated industry. The Law Society, along with the GC and the ICO, shares the vision of how transformative this Code could be. Additional stakeholders, including government departments and law enforcement, have shown keen and encouraging interest in the Code. What’s next? Once the monitoring body receives its final approval, the ABI will implement the program. Information on how to sign up for the Code can be found here Emily Keaney, Deputy Commissioner for Regulatory Policy at the ICO said: “Codes of Conduct are an excellent way of helping organisations demonstrate data protection compliance and protecting people’s data rights, and we are delighted to have approved the first Code of Conduct under UK GDPR. They enable organisations to address and resolve any data protection challenges, whilst also providing transparency and regulatory certainty. “We hope that our approval of this code encourages other sectors to also recognise the benefits of developing their own codes of conduct, demonstrating best practice and accountability.” Tony Imossi, the Secretariat of The ABI and author of the ABI Code of Conduct added: “The code exemplifies the ABI's commitment to professional investigations, upholding the highest standards of integrity and confidentiality. This is crucial for ensuring trust and compliance with the data protection law.” For further information on code of conduct, please visit the ABI website www.theabi.org.uk |