Privacy Verified, an Amsterdam-based specialist in data privacy, helps companies provide proof of compliance with privacy laws. Its certifications ensure that privacy audits have been carried out by these companies and that they are conducting their business in compliance with these audits.
One such company is Piwik PRO, a Europe-based analytics vendor that offers privacy-friendly analytics software. For Piwik PRO, compliance with privacy laws is not just a matter of abiding by the rules. The solution the company offers is entirely dependent on how well Piwik PRO handles its own privacy obligations.
Striking the Right Balance
“Piwik PRO started in 2013 as an analytics company for organizations in data-sensitive industries, such as finance and government sectors. We work for the Government of the Netherlands, Crédit Agricole, the European Union, and many others,” says Maciej Zawadziński, CEO of Piwik PRO. “With our proprietary platform, Piwik PRO Analytics Suite, we aim to build a more robust and stable product that meets the growing needs of our enterprise clients. Since Piwik PRO Analytics Suite is used globally by organizations of all sizes and industries — we have over 300 Enterprise clients and thousands of free Core accounts — a lot is at stake.”
Since privacy compliance is part of its solution, Piwik PRO solicited the expertise of Privacy Verified to become certified. With privacy-proof evidence from an independent third party, the Polish company hopes to bolster its reputation. “We help organizations collect data and analyze full customer journeys across websites and apps while staying in line with privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, or sectoral and internal regulations. The way we act in the area of privacy greatly affects our product’s USP.”
Contrary to the popular opinion that privacy law compliance and a data-driven approach are mutually exclusive, Piwik PRO firmly believes that, as Zawadziński says, “striking the right balance is possible with a proper digital analytics solution. With our software, we empower our clients to make data-driven decisions while always putting privacy first.”
Says Zawadziński: “We spare no expense for our technology and internal procedures to be in line with GDPR requirements. In multiple cases, we are going the extra mile to do more than is required by law. But the main challenge here is communicating this to our prospects and stakeholders in a streamlined, concise, and understandable way.”
Privacy by Design
How do you tell the world that you are a better Google than Google when it comes to using analytics and protecting private data? Among the things Piwik PRO does better than Google are full GDPR compliance and Europe-based storage. To solidify Piwik PRO’s reputation and brand, Privacy Verified helped the company to demonstrate its compliance with the highest privacy standards. Piwik PRO already held the ISO 27001 certificate since 2018. But after receiving the Privacy Verified certification, Piwik PRO also became SOC 2 type II-certified. While the certification number may not be immediately clear to the reader, it comes down to Piwik PRO being able to demonstrate its solid commitment to data security.
“We were on the lookout for a certification that would primarily underline our commitment to privacy and compliance, and Privacy Verified’s scope was just what we needed. We also appreciated its close collaboration with ICTRecht, a recognized and influential institution in the data processing sector. And since it’s based on ICTRecht’s audit, Privacy Verified’s certification becomes all the more valuable.”
“Working with Piwik PRO was a rewarding experience for Privacy Verified,” says Lisette Meij, Privacy Verified’s Managing Director. “Piwik PRO is the perfect example of privacy by design. The company develops solutions to effectively harvest data within the boundaries of the law. It actively participates in its goal to become privacy certified. This makes for a great collaborative process.”
The certification will make it easier for Piwik PRO to give proof of its privacy-friendly approach and its compliance with the rules. Particularly, with confirmation from a well- known and respected third party such as Privacy Verified, Piwik PRO can demonstrate that it means business when it comes to privacy.
Piwik PRO is based on privacy by design, and it shows!
Compliance
Privacy Verified helps businesses, organizations and individuals to provide proof of compliance with privacy laws. Compliance with GDPR rules is required by law and is but one part of the challenge. It can also be important to show in which ways you are meeting those privacy requirements. Privacy Verified’s certificates make it possible to show that you have carried out privacy audits in your organization and give evidence of the ways in which you are complying with these audits.
There are three good reasons to apply for Privacy Verified’s certification beyond the legal requirements:
- Privacy Verified’s certificates ensure that your efforts to become privacy compliant are not in vain.
- Privacy Verified’s certificates can be a strategic asset with which you can distinguish yourself from the competition. Or, as in the case of Piwik PRO, they help you show that you live up to your reputation.
- Through its annual recertification program, Privacy Verified ensures continued compliance. This further strengthens a company’s reputation. Through its portal, Privacy Verified offers tools to remain compliant by issuing all necessary privacy documents.
The certificates Privacy Verified issues are based on audits carried out by legal experts such as ICTRecht. Privacy Verified ensures that the audit recommendations have been carried out and then issues a certificate that is valid for one year with the possibility of a one-year extension.
Besides Piwik PRO, Privacy Verified has issued certifications for Euromaster, Duwo, Kieskompas and many others.
Contact us if you are interested in taking your privacy compliance to the next level.
