*By Howard Boville
In the current context, in which we see an increase in cyber attacks and constant changes in regulations, two topics are gaining more and more space: data and trust.
To thrive in today's economy, organizations need access to a global and trusted data ecosystem. But there are increasingly complex issues surrounding data access and ownership. As a result, we see an expansion of laws and regulations worldwide that allow us to reduce risk and preserve privacy, security and ethical standards.
We see that the enactment of the General Law for the Protection of Personal Data (LGPD) in Brazil and the General Regulation on Data Protection (GDPR) in the European Union (EU) aim to improve security practices and prioritize the protection of personal data in companies that comply with these regulations.
For global organizations, this type of legislation is a reminder that privacy and data protection are necessary to proactively protect sensitive employee and consumer information wherever it is stored and shared.
Intersection of data governance and innovation
Countries around the world wonder what data governance means, especially in relation to these technology-related aspects. But often when people approach data governance, they are not always talking about the same thing.
Data governance is particularly important for companies because it is based on the idea that data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the country where the data is collected. Thus, if a company is doing business in China and Germany, the data it collects in each of these countries will have very different protection requirements and therefore the companies' operational compliance response will need to be adapted accordingly.
On the other hand, digital governance is a matter of concern at the national level, where regulatory policy is decided and enforced. When countries discuss digital governance, they are referring to the ability to have control over their own digital destiny. This includes the data, hardware and software they develop, ensuring that, as a sovereign nation, they do not rely on foreign tech companies to protect their data and enable their digital economies.
As with any complex issue, it is important to break governance down into parts that can be dealt with in a real and practical way. For companies tackling data governance, managing the individual layers that make it up is more practical. This way of proceeding allows them to better prepare for different scenarios that may arise and, in turn, meet the specific requirements of the country where they are doing business.
Understanding Sovereign Cloud Components
In a context of constant changes in the economic landscape, the proliferation of cloud technologies has introduced the concept of Sovereign Cloud, an emerging operating model for the industry that aims to help organizations meet the legal, regulatory and operational requirements of a given jurisdiction. . This is particularly important considering that, only 5% of companies in Brazil use a single type of cloud.
Companies should consider governance as a set of stackable layers that span data privacy, data residency, service location and governance. These interconnected components are all enablers of governance and together they create a comprehensive view of the “Sovereign Cloud”.
If we first understand the foundation of governance, we can pave the way for a greater understanding of the dynamic and interconnected regulatory forces, business priorities, and technology capabilities that are influencing cloud consumption around the world.
The future of talent and the expansion of data governance
Data governance is different in each country and some are more restrictive than others. For example, some countries may require the enterprise cloud to be operated and run locally and to be kept solely under their control.
While countries make decisions autonomously, economic trends suggest that broader access to talent, culture and ideas are prerequisites to compete effectively in today's world. If data governance means it is no longer possible to access the best international talent, at what point does it become an inhibitor to innovation and progress?
Although it is difficult to know what the future holds, it will be essential that there are a sufficient number of highly qualified professionals to face this challenge, since in 2022 alone, the World Economic Forum estimates that 133 million new jobs will emerge, the result of a new division of labor between people, computers and algorithms.
A look to the future
Data governance is a concept that continues to evolve and organizations will need to adapt. But as they do, it's important to remember that you don't have to solve the whole problem at once to get where you need to be. By breaking governance down into more manageable layers, companies can decide how and what to prioritize.
As companies think about data governance and how their organizations can meet the requirements, we challenge them to do so layer by layer and step by step. To truly emerge victorious in today's increasingly competitive economy, they need to ask themselves: Is my company ready to thrive or just survive?
*Howard Boville, Senior Vice President Global, IBM Cloud
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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