Privacy Best Practices—How important is TRUSTe Certification for Security as a Service Platforms?

Recently, Brivo joined other leaders in the online community such as Intuit and Salesforce.com in completing the process to become certified in the TRUSTe® Privacy Program. A TRUSTe® certification means that Brivo abides by the Safe Harbor Framework as outlined by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Union.

TRUSTe’s program requirements are based upon the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Fair Information Principles, which include:

• Notification of how personal data is collected and used
• Choice/consent regarding uses of such data
• Access by individuals to their personal information so that it can be reviewed and corrected
• Security to protect against unauthorized access, destruction, use, or disclosure of the data
• Redress/enforcement to ensure compliance

Complying with the TRUSTe framework provides Brivo the benefit of a peer review from experts in online security and privacy. It also allows us to measure ourselves against the best practices of industry leaders. We are focused on building the maximum level of confidence in how we protect the privacy of our customers, and we believe that being a TRUSTe seal holder is further evidence of that commitment.

Do you know if your SaaS providers are similarly committed to such high standards of data and privacy protection? Or, if you’re a SaaS provider, what level of importance do such industry standards hold for your organization?

- John Szczygiel