Introducing the Data Privacy Hero Awards

From the early days of DataGrail, we’ve been inspired by brands that champion consumer trust by embracing transparency and safeguarding user privacy. Privacy, legal, IT, and security professionals challenge our field to evolve every day. Today, we’re launching the Data Privacy Hero Awards to recognize the unsung heroes whose vital work powers our future. 

Let’s dive into each award and nomination process.

Nominate a peer or yourself for a Data Privacy Hero Award

Note: nominations are now closed for 2024. 

The Visionary

The Visionary guides their organization to work across teams and ensure a best-in-class data privacy experience. Visionaries are senior leaders who have been able to bridge privacy, security, and legal functions on a path to transformation in their organization. The Visionary should: 

1. Establish clear, ambitious goals and develop a mature data privacy strategy and program that other brands would want to model themselves after
2. Motivate and mobilize their organization to tackle modern privacy challenges cross-functionally

The Innovator

The Innovator empowers their organization to minimize business risk while strengthening customer trust by pioneering and implementing new technical solutions. Innovators are forward-thinking leaders who embrace technology to drive organizational change and set new standards in privacy excellence. The Innovator should:

1. Skillfully implement solutions to automate manual privacy tasks such as fulfilling data subject requests, completing data protection impact assessments, and/or generating a Record of Processing Activity 
2. Promote a privacy-first mindset across their team and influence their peers to adopt best practices that will help improve productivity 

The Champion

The Champion inspires brands beyond their own to protect the human right to privacy. Champions are creative and bold leaders who leverage their personal platforms to advocate on issues of personal data privacy. The Champion should:

1. Advocate with a unique perspective on the future of privacy
2. Be highly respected for their expertise and insight on specific privacy challenges

Together, our Data Privacy Heroes set a new standard for data privacy. 

Nomination & selection process

After an individual is nominated, we will reach out to the nominee inviting them to accept their nomination. Should the nominee accept their nomination, they will have the opportunity to add any additional notes in support of their candidacy. 

All submissions are reviewed by a cross-functional panel of 10 DataGrail team members, using a rubric unique to each award type based on the descriptions above. In the case of The Visionary and The Innovator, submissions will also be anonymized before review to eliminate any possible bias. This was not possible for The Champion given this hero’s role in public advocacy. 

Winners will be selected and announced on September 19, 2024. Data Privacy Heroes can expect to receive communication from DataGrail during the week of September 16 to arrange prize logistics. 

Prizes & more

All three Data Privacy Heroes will receive a digital badge in recognition of their accomplishments as well as a physical memento. In addition, the Data Privacy Heroes are eligible for the following prizes:

• The Visionary: A $500 donation to the cause of their choice
• The Innovator: $500 in funds to support professional development travel
• The Champion: A $500 donation to the cause of their choice

In addition, simply by nominating a peer for an award, all can enter our raffle to receive a copy of DataGrail Summit Keynote speaker, Frances Haugen’s debut book, The Power of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew the Whistle on Facebook.

Common questions

Who is eligible to receive an award? 

Any individual working in privacy is eligible to win a Data Privacy Hero Award. Nominees do not need to be DataGrail customers to be considered for an award. Per the award criteria, Visionaries and Innovators are likely part of or leading privacy, legal, or security teams, while Champions could be part of the broader privacy community, such as public speakers, writers, and more. 

Can I nominate myself?

Yes! You will automatically be directed to complete your nomination acceptance. You will be entered into the nomination raffle as well as into consideration for an award. 

Can I nominate multiple people for awards?

Yes, simply submit a separate nomination form for each person you would like to nominate. 

Can I nominate one person for multiple awards?

We encourage you to pick the award that best fits your nominee. If you want to nominate someone for multiple awards, you’ll need to submit separate nominations for each award. 

What happens when I nominate someone? 

A DataGrail employee will reach out to them directly to inform them of their nomination. The nominee is not opted into any further outreach or tracking unless they choose to accept their nomination and be considered for an award. 

How do the prizes work?

We’ve designed our prize packages to be flexible to a variety of organizational policies. In the case of the Visionary and the Champion, winners will be able to choose from a large list of recognized nonprofits and charitable organizations to receive their donation. For the Innovator, the prize can be awarded as a travel-specific or visa gift card, or as a physical gift such as luggage and other supplies. The winner can decide how they would most prefer to receive the award.

I am not permitted to accept a prize package. Can I still enter the Awards? 

Absolutely. Award winners can win even if due to organizational policy they cannot accept a prize or do not prefer to receive one. DataGrail will omit any part of the prize package as needed on the part of the winner.