Nymity recognized as Privacy by Design Ambassador for role in advancing
privacy as the default for business practices

Develops paper with IPC on embedding privacy into operational policies and procedures

TORONTO , Nov. 10 /CNW/ - The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) has officially recognized privacy and data protection research firm Nymity as a Privacy by Design Ambassador for its role in advancing the concept of privacy in business practices.

Privacy by Design is a concept that was developed by Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian , back in the '90s. It asserts that the future of privacy cannot be assured solely by compliance with regulatory frameworks; rather, organizations should strive to make privacy their default mode of operation. Initially conceived to address the ever-growing and systemic effects of Information Technologies (IT), Privacy by Design now extends to a "trilogy" of arenas: 1) IT systems; 2) physical design and infrastructure; and 3) accountable business practices.

Recognizing that traditional approaches to implementing privacy often place constraints on an organization's business practices, Nymity initiated a research project with the objective of creating an approach to privacy compliance that enables businesses to prosper while, at the same time, advancing the protection of personal information.

"Nymity's Legal Research Team developed a pragmatic process that allows organizations to bake privacy into their business activities, to ensure compliance without restricting business - a win/win scenario," says Terry McQuay, Nymity President.

A new paper developed with the IPC: "A Pragmatic Approach to Privacy Risk Optimization: Privacy by Design for Business Practices," introduces Nymity's Privacy Risk Optimization Process (PROP) - a process that enables default privacy within operational policies and procedures, resulting in Privacy by Design for business practices. The paper was released at the recent pre-conference event co-hosted in Madrid by Commissioner Cavoukian and Yoram Hacohen, Head of the Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority (ILITA): Privacy by Design: The Definitive Workshop.

"I am very pleased to welcome Nymity as a Privacy by Design Ambassador," says Dr. Cavoukian . "Nymity's Privacy Risk Optimization Process provides an important service, enabling organizations to build accountable business practices, in which privacy has been embedded."

As part of her philosophy known as the 3Cs: Consultation; Collaboration; and Co-operation - Commissioner Cavoukian has consistently worked with organizations, both public and private, to build the Privacy by Design concept into everything from the layout of hospital waiting rooms to e-mail marketing campaigns - anywhere that an individual's personal information may be used.

Privacy by Design Ambassadors embrace the principles of Privacy by Design, to independently advance the concept to other constituents, helping to grow the idea virally - to the benefit of citizens in Ontario, and around the globe.

For a copy of the new paper on business practices, or to learn more about Privacy by Design, please visit www.privacybydesign.ca

About IPC

The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by and reports to the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner's mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which applies to both public and private sector health information custodians, in addition to educating the public about access and privacy issues.

About NYMITY

Nymity is a global privacy and data protection research services firm with a specific focus on compliance and operational risk management. Nymity research is currently conducted within the United States , Europe and Canada with expansion into the Pacific-Rim and South America in 2010.

For further information: Media contacts: Angus Fisher, Communications Manager, IPC, Direct line: [phone], Cell phone: [phone], Toll free: 1-800-387-0073, [email protected]; Eva Kanovich, Marketing Manager, Nymity, [email protected], phone: [phone], toll free: 1-866-369-6489