The ethical principles that shape an organisation should be formalised and incorporated into an internal policy document and also included in the organisation’s data strategy so they can help to determine how data is used.
The principles suggested in Recommendation 1 are in line with international good practice, plus the expectations of London residents, as tested by Camden Council. LOTI therefore believes that boroughs can confidently adopt these principles into policy without further engagement.
LOTI recommends that any policies and strategies are designed to be as practical as possible and that they focus on action (e.g. aligning organisational deliverables with the principles).
Camden’s Data Charter includes a set of commitments that the Council promises to deliver with different time frames and that are informed by the seven principles of the charter. This includes, for example, creating a Data Sharing Register to publish all data sharing agreements, or giving the right Officers the tools and responsibilities to handle data ethics within their organisation.
On top of this, Camden are also accountable to their residents via a follow up Resident Panel, to ensure that they meet the goals set out by residents.
