Balancing privacy rights and management control
3rd November 2009, Uría Menéndez, Madrid

25 years after the “Big Brother” society described in George Orwell’s 1984, businesses are struggling with balancing the privacy, and personal lives of their customers and staff, with their business aims. Privacy issues are increasingly coming to the attention of top management as an area of potential business risk - the loss or lack of adequate attention to privacy and personal data has serious legal as well as reputational consequences.
Legislative changes across Europe and around the world - especially the US - are redefining what personal information companies can and cannot require from their customers and employees, with the ultimate threat of court action and fines. In addition, during these tough economic times the theft of business sensitive and confidential information by employees is an increasing threat to companies.
How should businesses and their advisors therefore guide their organisations to achieve an optimum balance between management control and the rights of individuals, including customers and employees?

The speakers at this one-day seminar included:
• The data protection regulators from Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK
• General counsel with companies such as Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard, Iberdrola and Pepsico
• Leading privacy lawyers from Germany, Netherlands, Spain and UK.

Participants heard concrete advice on solving key issues regarding:
• Monitoring use of telephone, e-mails, the Internet and social networking sites
• Whistle blowing
• Pre-employment screening of job applicants
• Use of CCTV cameras
• Drugs and alcohol testing
• Privacy during mergers, acquisitions and divestitures
• Interacting with labour unions and works councils
• Constructing a Europe-wide employee surveillance policy.