Thematic Study: Accelerating justice and dispute resolution, a precondition for investment and growth (executive summary)
Thematic Study: Market inspections and surveillance (executive summary)
Standards and certification as a policy instrument for economic growth
SEV in collaboration with the Hellenic Association of Accredited Inspection and Certification Bodies (HellasCert) are organizing an online event entitled “Standards and certification as a policy instrument for economic growth”, on Wednesday November 3, 2021, at 16:00-18:00 (EET).
The objectives of the event are:
- To inform business executives and public administration about the tectonic global changes in certification, deriving from both legislative and technological developments.
- To present the way in which governments and legislators use standards and the certification system for policy making in their effort to achieve economic growth.
- To exchange views regarding the way the standardization-accreditation-certification system operates in practice and the ways in which it can be upgraded.
See the detailed program here.
Please fill in the participation form to receive your participation link.
The event will be held in both Greek and English.
For further information, please contact SEV (Ms. Avgi Oikonomidou, T: +30 211 5006130, E: aoikonomidou@sev.org.gr) and HellasCert (Ms. Christina Kariniotaki, T: +30 210 7290344, E: contact@hellascert.gr).
GDPR compliance: more than just a checklist
Neil Patrick
Director of SAP Centre of Excellence for GRC & Security covering EMEA
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-patrick/
Put yourself in a regulator’s shoes: how would you audit an organization to assess how well they comply with the GDPR? Having technical measures to encrypt data for example can be good, but doesn’t necessarily reflect the risk of physical, material or non-material damage to data subjects: why is that data encrypted? The GDPR requires demonstrating that use of personal data is specific to the purpose it was acquired for, that it can be ‘lawfully’ processed, and data controllers and processors actively record how they will process and protect personal data. What evidence would you need? Ideally you want a digital recording and audit trail of business processes covering the span of decision-making, data acquisition, use, and deletion; linked purpose & nature of processing; security and access management; level of risk; handling of issues and infringements; and corporate process ownership and accountability being exercised. I still see this aspect missing from customer’s GDPR compliance programs even though (a) software technology is available to do this, (b) this body of material is exactly what an auditor will examine to determine the size of fine or infringement, and (c) this is how you reduce the cost of data privacy compliance.
GDPR – Friend not Foe
Giles Watkins
International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) UK Country Leader
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-watkins-37ab3b2/
Even though the new Regulation introduces significant fines and sanctions, surveys show that the bigger risks are considered to be the damage to their reputation, brand and consumer trust.
Some of the newly required practices introduced include:
- stricter conditions for obtaining valid ‘consent’ to collect and use personal data;
- new and reinforced citizens’ rights, including the ‘right to be forgotten’ and the ‘right to data portability’;
- mandatory reporting of data breaches, within 72 hours;
- to apply ‘Privacy By Design’ principles and perform and document Data Protection Impact Assessments;
- The Accountability principle, requiring organisations to demonstrate their approach to GDPR compliance and provide evidence of the operation of their compliance activities; and
- a requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer (‘DPO’) in certain circumstances
The last point is particularly challenging, given the lack of qualified and experienced privacy professionals in the market. The IAPP has certified over 16,000 privacy professionals globally, however estimates indicate that the GDPR will require in excess of 75,000! Interestingly, the legislation specifically allows the role of the DPO to be outsourced.
Whether or not you are caught by the mandatory DPO provision, appointing someone appropriately qualified to be responsible for GDPR compliance should be a priority for any organisation processing significant amounts of personal information.
Despite the challenges, leading organisations see the change in legislation as an opportunity to create competitive advantage. They believe that good data protection practices create trust, leading to further data sharing, deeper insight and an opportunity to deliver their customers more relevant products and services, more efficiently, which can only be good for business.
Resparking the economy
KAS Greece and Cyprus, in collaboration with SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises and the Federation of German Industries (BDI), is organizing an e-discussion on resparking the economy. Find us on our YouTube Channel on Thursday 25 July at 17.30 and watch a discussion between Dieter Kempf, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Dimitrios Papalexopoulos, Chairman of SEV and Michael Tsamaz, Chairman & CEO of OTE Group, on how industries and governments can re-spark their economy in the post-Covid era.
INSEAD and SEV cooperation on the event: “Value creation through effective Governance”
INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre (ICGC) and INSEAD Directors Network in cooperation with SEV, organize a seminar titled «Value creation through effective Governance», on Thursday 24th May 2018, 16:00 – 19:00, at the «Electra palace» hotel (18-20 N. Nikodimou str., Athens) in which key note speaker will be professor Mr. Ludo Van der Heyden (INSEAD Chaired Professor Corporate Governance & Academic Director of the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre).
What are the challenges BoD members face under conditions of increased competition? How can BoDs that are compliant with the modern principles of corporate governance add value to the company? How can BoD members secure the implementation of a value creation strategy throughout the entire entity?
Those are some of the issues that will be addressed during the seminar, with the participation of distinguished representatives of the business world, experienced at the management of competitive leading businesses both of the Greek economy and worldwide.
Participations may be submitted until Thursday 17th May 2018 at the email address: event.athens.may24@gmail.com.
For more information or/ and clarifications you may contact Mrs. Kalantzi Sotiria at the telephone number 2115006113 or email address skalantzi@sev.org.gr.
Business restructuring and Bankruptcy as a requirement for economic recovery
SEV and the Business Environment Observatory will carry out a special consultation workshop on Tuesday 7th November 2017 titled:
“Business restructuring and Bankruptcy as a requirement for economic recovery”
The workshop aimed at the exchange of views between distinguished speakers on the effectiveness of pre- bankruptcy and bankruptcy procedures, the recording of problems detected in the bankruptcy framework and the formation of suggestions for immediate implementation.
- Click here for the study: The Greek bankruptcy framework: second chance or slow death? (only in Greek)
Business Digital Transformation Workshops: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
SEV will carry out on Wednesday 7th February 2018 and from 14:00 to 17:00, a special workshop titled “Opportunities and Challenges from the Implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)”, with the participation of the President of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority Mr. Manoudakos, and the International Association of Privacy Professionals UK Country Leader, Mr. Giles Watkins. Rrepresentatives of the Hellenic Association of Data Protection and Privacy and the Laboratory of Law and Informatics of Athens University as well as consulting, IT and legal enterprises and enterprises that have already begun to comply with the Regulation have also been invited.
The workshop is aiming at presenting the basic legal, technical and implementation issues arising from the Regulation, good practices stemming from European and Greek experience as well as specific challenges faced by Greek enterprises that have already complied with the new provisions.
Just a few months before the implementation of Regulation, the scope of the workshop is to eliminate business concerns, provide available legal and IT tools and market experience.