← NDPA 2023 · Governance

s.32 — Designation of a Data Protection Officer

high dporoles-responsibilities

Requirement

A data controller of major importance shall designate a Data Protection Officer with expert knowledge of data protection law and practice, who may be an employee or engaged under a service contract. The DPO advises the controller and its staff, monitors compliance, and is the contact point for the Commission (s.32). Other organisations should record why they are not required to appoint one.

What the engine looks for

Every group below must be satisfied — by an affirmative statement, not a plan, a hedge or a denial — for the control to count as covered. A term ending in … matches any word it begins. Supporting terms do not change the verdict — they raise confidence and distinguish a policy that names a mechanism from one that gestures at a category.

Required element 1 — any one of

data protection officerdpoprivacy officer

Required element 2 — any one of

designat…appointcontactpublished

Supporting terms — specificity signals

section 32expert knowledgereports toindependentservice contractmajor importance

Equivalent controls elsewhere

Matched on shared topics. Satisfying this control usually moves these too.

Framework	Control	Title	Shared topics
GDPR	Art.37	Designation of a data protection officer	dpo roles-responsibilities
GDPR	Art.38-39	Position and tasks of the data protection officer	dpo roles-responsibilities
GDPR	Art.26	Joint controllers	roles-responsibilities
GDPR	Art.27	EU representative for non-EU organisations	roles-responsibilities
GDPR	Art.29	Processing under the authority of the controller	roles-responsibilities
SOC 2	CC1.3	Organisational structure and reporting lines	roles-responsibilities
SOC 2	CC1.5	Accountability for control responsibilities	roles-responsibilities
ISO 27001	A.5.2	Information security roles and responsibilities	roles-responsibilities