Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong Earns Top Recognition at GovMedia Conference & Awards 2024

They won the Hong Kong Campaign of the Year - Regulatory for its Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023 initiative.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD), Hong Kong, has been awarded the prestigious Hong Kong Campaign of the Year - Regulatory award at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2024. This accolade celebrates the PCPD’s exemplary Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023, highlighting its commitment to advancing personal data privacy management across various sectors.

The Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023, launched with the theme “Embrace Privacy Management Programme to Gain Trust and Benefits”, aims to acknowledge and encourage the efforts of enterprises, public and private organisations, and government departments in Hong Kong in upholding the protection of personal data privacy. The initiative emphasises the crucial role of a comprehensive Personal Data Privacy Management Programme (PMP) in fostering robust data governance and enhancing stakeholder trust.

"Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, GBS, IDSM, JP, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (middle); Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, (left); and Mr Addy WONG Wai-hung, MH, JP, member of the judging panel (right) hosted the kick-off ceremony." — Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, GBS, IDSM, JP, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (middle); Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, (left); and Mr Addy WONG Wai-hung, MH, JP, member of the judging panel (right) hosted the kick-off ceremony.

The PCPD’s sustained advocacy for embedding personal data privacy protection within organisational policies and culture is evident in the Privacy-Friendly Awards. First introduced in 2021, the Awards recognised 100 organisations in its inaugural year. Building on this success, the 2023 edition saw increased participation, with 138 organisations receiving accolades. This 40% increase in the number of awardees underscores the growing recognition of the importance of data privacy.

The Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023 set forth five “Privacy Protection Measures” for organisations to achieve, with awards distributed based on the number of implemented measures. Categories included Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, along with the Outstanding Gold Award for exceptional commitment. This year, eight organisations received the Outstanding Gold Awards, 80 were honoured with Gold Awards, 33 received Silver Awards, and 17 were presented with Bronze Awards.

The Awards Presentation Ceremony, held on 31 August 2023, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was a significant event. Officiated by Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, GBS, IDSM, JP, the Ceremony attracted over 280 participants, marking a successful culmination of the Awards.

"Guests, judges and the PCPD’s representatives took a photo with the award-winning organisations." — *Guests, judges and the PCPD’s representatives took a photo with the award-winning organisations.*

To amplify the impact of the Awards, a robust post-event publicity campaign was launched. This included newspaper supplements across various media outlets and a highlight video showcasing the key moments of the event. Additionally, short videos were produced featuring the Outstanding Gold awardees, who shared their experiences and insights into effective personal data privacy management.

Further extending the initiative’s outreach, the PCPD organised two sharing sessions on good data governance in November 2023 and March 2024. These sessions provided a platform for Outstanding Gold Awardees to discuss their practical experiences in establishing PMPs, safeguarding data security, and addressing the challenges posed by technological advancements. Over 340 professionals from sectors such as banking, insurance, government/public bodies, medical and healthcare, legal, and IT participated in these sessions.

"Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, GBS, IDSM, JP, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (seventh from left), and Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, Privacy Commissioner (sixth from left), took a photo together with representatives of the eight Outstanding Gold Awardees" — Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, GBS, IDSM, JP, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (seventh from left), and Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, Privacy Commissioner (sixth from left), took a photo together with representatives of the eight Outstanding Gold Awardees

Looking ahead, the PCPD plans to continue its advocacy with more seminars and publicity campaigns, with a focus on enhancing data security and promoting privacy issues relating to artificial intelligence. This ongoing effort aims to further strengthen the culture of privacy protection and data governance within Hong Kong’s diverse organisational landscape.

The recognition at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2024 underscores the PCPD’s pivotal role in championing data privacy and sets a benchmark for regulatory excellence in the region.

The Gov Media Awards is presented by Gov Media Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's government projects and initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].