Data Integrity Policy

Date: February 2023

Overview

• At Skills House (the Company, we, our or us), we take data integrity very seriously. We understand the importance of maintaining accurate, reliable, and confidential data, for both our clients, and partners as well as for the reputation of our company. This Policy outlines the measures we take to ensure the integrity of the data we collect, store, and use in our research and training projects. 

• Also, at our Company, we understand the importance of maintaining data integrity, even when working with shared data from partners. We take the responsibility of handling shared data very seriously and recognize the importance of ensuring that the data is treated with the utmost care and attention.

• This Policy outlines the measures we take to maintain data integrity when working with all data types.

Scope 

• This Policy and the rules contained in it, therefore, apply to all staff of Skills House irrespective of seniority, tenure and working hours. This includes all employees, directors, and officers, consultants, contractors, casual or agency staff, trainees, homeworkers, and fixed-term staff, as well as any volunteers or interns (Staff), who use computer systems or work with documents and information that concern clients, suppliers, or any other partner for whom the Company has a cooperative agreement.

• This Policy applies to all of our services: Research, Training, and Software Development. 

Confidentiality

• We treat all shared data from partners as confidential and recognize that such data must be handled with a high level of security and sensitivity. We ensure that access to shared data is only given to authorized personnel and that this data is only used for the specific purposes agreed upon with our partners. We have a confidentiality agreement in place with our partners, and we ensure that all employees are aware of the confidentiality obligations of handling such data.

Data Quality

• We ensure that all shared data from partners is of high quality and reliability. We verify the accuracy of the data before we use it and take measures to correct any errors or inconsistencies found in the data. We also ensure that any data analysis or processing that we conduct on the shared data is done with appropriate care and attention to detail.

Data Collection

• We collect data in a transparent and ethical manner, ensuring that participants are fully informed about the purpose and scope of our research or training projects and that their privacy and confidentiality are respected at all times. We obtain consent from participants before collecting any data, and we do not collect any data that is not necessary for the project.

• Only authorized employees and employees working on the project have access to the collected data.

Data Storage

• All shared data and data collected in our research and training projects are stored securely and confidentially, using appropriate technical and organizational measures to prevent unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We store data in a centralized database that is regularly backed up and maintained by our IT team. Access to the data is limited to authorized personnel only, and we use strong passwords to protect our systems from unauthorized access.

Data Processing

• All data collected in our research and training projects is processed in a transparent and ethical manner, ensuring that data is accurate, reliable, and free from errors or biases. We use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data, and we report our findings in a clear and objective manner. We take care to ensure that data is used only for the purpose for which it was collected, and we do not share or sell data to third parties.

Data Retention and Disposal

• We retain data for only as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected and shared. Once data is no longer needed, we dispose of it securely, using appropriate measures to ensure that data is not recoverable. We do not keep unnecessary copies of data, and we ensure that all data is securely deleted from our systems.

Data Breaches

• In the unlikely event of a data breach, we have established procedures to minimize the impact of the breach, notify affected parties, and take appropriate measures to prevent further breaches. We maintain up-to-date security measures to minimize the risk of data breaches, including regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.

Compliance

• We comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations. We regularly review our data integrity Policy to ensure that it remains up-to-date and effective.

• By following these guidelines, we ensure that our research and training projects are conducted in an ethical and transparent manner, and that the data we collect, store, and use is accurate, reliable, and confidential.

• If you have any questions related to this Policy, please contact us at [email protected].