Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility

This progressive book critically analyses the current state of data protection enforcement and proposes a new auditable framework of practical guidelines to contribute to a more sustainable data-driven future.

In outlining the debates relating to current data protection structures, Paolo Balboni and Kate Elizabeth Francis argue that legislation alone cannot sufficiently protect individuals’ fundamental rights and freedoms, and instead consider the pressing need for a more ethical approach to data protection. They present the Maastricht University Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility Framework (UM-DPCSR Framework), outlining not only its features, but also how it can fill the gap left by the inadequacies of a merely legal approach to data protection. Balboni and Francis persuasively call on organisations wishing to contribute positively to society through data processing to adopt this framework and to commit to doing good with data or, at the very least, to avoid harming individuals by processing their data.



Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility will be a beneficial read for scholars and students with particular interest in corporate law and governance, human rights, internet and technology law, and privacy. It will also appeal to legal professionals, cybersecurity professionals, and sustainability specialists alike.