PDPA
Singapore regulation governing private sector personal data protection
ISO 19600
International guidelines for compliance management systems
Quick Verdict
PDPA mandates personal data protection for Singapore organizations with fines up to S$1M, while ISO 19600 provides voluntary CMS guidelines for global compliance management. Companies adopt PDPA for legal compliance; ISO 19600 for structured risk-based governance.
PDPA
Personal Data Protection Act 2012
Key Features
- Mandates competent DPO reporting to senior management
- Requires breach notifications within 72 hours if harm likely
- Enables deemed consent by notification for legitimate uses
- Demands risk-based Data Protection Management Programme
- Prescribes reasonable security with encryption and PETs
ISO 19600
ISO 19600:2014 Compliance management systems — Guidelines
Key Features
- 1. Risk-based PDCA management system structure
- 2. Governance principles with compliance independence
- 3. Scalable to all organization sizes
- 4. Broad compliance obligations identification
- 5. Integration with other ISO management systems
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
PDPA Details
What It Is
Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2012 is principal legislation regulating collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal data by private sector organisations. It adopts a principles-based, risk-based approach emphasising accountability, with core obligations like consent or exceptions, notification, access/correction, protection, retention limitation, transfer limitation, and breach notification.
Key Components
- Nine core data protection obligations plus Do Not Call provisions.
- Accountability pillar via Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP).
- Built on principles aligning with global norms like GDPR, but with Singapore-specific deemed consent (DCN, BIP).
- Compliance demonstrated through DPO appointment, DPIAs, inventories, no formal certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory legal compliance to avoid fines up to S$1M or 10% global revenue.
- Reduces breach/enforcement risks, builds stakeholder trust.
- Enables data-driven innovation with privacy-by-design, vendor partnerships.
- Enhances reputation, operational efficiency via inventories and controls.
Implementation Overview
Phased roadmap: governance/DPO setup, data mapping/DPIAs, policies/technical controls (encryption, RBAC), training, breach playbooks (A-C-R-E). Applies to all Singapore private sector entities handling personal data; scales by risk profile, no certification but PDPC tools like PATO for self-assessment.
ISO 19600 Details
What It Is
ISO 19600:2014 is an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guideline for compliance management systems (CMS). It provides scalable, principles-based guidance for establishing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving CMS across all organization types and sizes. The risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach integrates compliance into governance and operations.
Key Components
- Core clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
- **Principlesgood governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.
- Emphasizes obligations identification, risk assessment, controls, monitoring; non-certifiable guidelines.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates compliance risks, reduces penalties, enhances culture.
- Supports regulatory defense, stakeholder trust, integration with ISO standards.
- Drives efficiency, strategic decision-making, reputation protection.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy design, controls rollout, monitoring.
- Applicable universally; scalable by size/complexity; no certification, internal audits suffice. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | PDPA | ISO 19600 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Personal data protection in private sector | General compliance management systems |
| Industry | Singapore private sector organizations | All industries and organization types globally |
| Nature | Mandatory national legislation with fines | Voluntary international guidelines (non-certifiable) |
| Testing | Self-assessments, DPIAs, breach simulations | Internal audits, management reviews, monitoring |
| Penalties | Fines up to S$1M or 10% revenue | No legal penalties, loss of alignment |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PDPA and ISO 19600
PDPA FAQ
ISO 19600 FAQ
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