What is it?

A collection of resources that document the data ethics board and accompanying processes that Brent Council has established to provide a framework for governing data projects.

Why did we create it?

LOTI boroughs recognise that the data they collect and hold is one of their most valuable assets. Used intelligently, it can help them make better decisions, drive service improvements and better serve their residents. However, they are acutely aware of the need to use data not just legally but also ethically, transparently and in a way that is worthy of their residents’ trust.

With boroughs planning and initiating increasingly complex and innovative data projects, there is a need to establish a consistent and trustworthy process for data ethics appropriate for use in both individual borough and pan London collaborative projects.

The resources collected here are the first part of an ongoing discovery that will create a reference data ethics process for London.

Who should use it?

Local authorities exploring setting up their own data ethics processes can use this collection of resources to build an understanding of existing data ethics approaches in use in the public sector.

Resources:

Brent Data Ethics Approach
A detailed breakdown of the data ethics approach taken at Brent Council. Including why and how a data ethics board was established and how it operates.

Data Ethics Process Flow
A generic data ethics process flow based on Brent’s data ethics process.

Setting up a data ethics process – a checklist
A checklist of steps to take when setting up a data ethics process based on Brent’s approach

Digital Exclusion Mapping Project
A case study of a multi-organisation project that has been through the Brent data ethics process.

Bonus casestudies

Essex Office of Data Analytics (ECDA)
A summary of the data ethics approach taken by ECDA.

Transport for London (TfL)
A summary of the data ethics approach taken by TfL.