Data Protection Impact Assessment

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process to help you identify and minimise the data protection risks of a project.

You must do a DPIA for processing that is likely to result in a high risk to individuals. This includes some specified types of processing. You can use our screening checklists to help you decide when to do a DPIA.

It is also good practice to do a DPIA for any other major project which requires the processing of personal data.

Your DPIA must:

• describe the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing;
• assess necessity, proportionality and compliance measures;
• identify and assess risks to individuals; and
• identify any additional measures to mitigate those risks.

To assess the level of risk, you must consider both the likelihood and the severity of any impact on individuals. High risk could result from either a high probability of some harm, or a lower possibility of serious harm.

You should consult your data protection officer (if you have one) and, where appropriate, individuals and relevant experts. Any processors may also need to assist you.

If you identify a high risk that you cannot mitigate, you must consult JOIC before starting the processing.

JOIC will give written advice within eight weeks, or 14 weeks in complex cases. If appropriate, we may issue a formal warning not to process the data, or ban the processing altogether