ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the evolution of the approach taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross to data protection as a core component of its digital transformation under its Information Environment Strategy, particularly its framing in the period 2014–20. This account focuses on this specific period and outlines the approach taken to institutionalise data protection during the development and implementation of its major digital transformation strategy.
The strategy integrated an approach to data protection that goes well beyond compliance, an approach aiming to be a foundation for a rights-based, operationally embedded framework that balances innovation with humanitarian principles. The technology-agnostic stance and focus on responsible data governance reflected an institutional commitment to safeguarding individuals’ privacy and to trust-building in an increasingly connected and data-rich humanitarian environment. By highlighting some of the trade-offs involved, the chapter shows the complexities of digital transformation.
