CSR Stakeholders

We are engaging Business Champions from diverse sectors including Financial services, Education, Food & Beverage, Hospitality & Leisure, Insurance, Lifesciences & Healthcare, Media/Sport/Entertainment, Automotive, Retail, Technology, Logistics & Transportation, and Energy sectors: the Business Stakeholders. Together with the Data Protection Stakeholders , including Consumer Protection and Data Protection Rights Representatives, we will create a stakeholder platform that will contribute to the validation of the principles of Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility.

More precisely, the Stakeholders will help ECPC in this ground-breaking research in order to successfully translate theoretical ethical principles into tangible and practical guidelines to build a solid framework for Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility.

Advantages for Stakeholders

By participating in this stakeholder research group, Stakeholders will actively contribute to shaping the future of the innovative and constructive framework for Data Protection as a Corporate Social Responsibility. It has been confirmed that data protection is an asset that positively contributes to the bottom line of companies, and we believe that the next logical step in the evolution of data protection and privacy is the transformation of these fundamental concepts into something that concretely benefits all stakeholders. 

Early participants to this research ecosystem have the opportunity to formulate avant-garde research in the context of Maastricht University which can be leveraged:

• by Data Protection Stakeholders to further their objectives, in terms of enhancing the protection of consumers and data subjects, and contribute to the creation of a data-driven society and economy inspired by socially responsible rules; and 
• by Business Stakeholders on three levels:

Strategic business priorities: Proper data protection compliance has the potential to drive growth and contribute to the Stakeholders’ bottom line. DPCSR goes one step further and has the potential to drive cost savings, lead to customer acquisition, and customer retention.

Reputation and external awareness: Customers, the media, the community, and even regulators will bear witness to the Stakeholders’ commitment to data protection which will positively contribute to building trust.

Internal stakeholders: Data protection is not just for the outside world, but also for Stakeholders’ employees. Individuals are happy to work in an environment that promotes fairness and transparency.  

Financial Contribution from Business Stakeholders

The ECPC:

• is requesting from the Business Stakeholders (i.e., companies and business associations) a financial contribution to participate to this Research Project which will be used to finance the related research activities;
• is not requesting any contribution to Data Protection Stakeholders (i.e., consumer protection organizations, data protection rights representatives, Supervisory Authorities, etc.).

Rules of Engagement and Anticipated Effort of Stakeholders

All Stakeholders are invited to contribute to the Research Project by providing feedback, exchanging views and discussing practical experience. 

No Stakeholders can influence or make any impositions with respect to the Research Project. 

The Research Project is developed according to the highest academic and ethical standards in full independence and for the benefit of the rights and freedoms of individuals, which consists of developing data protection practices that are socially responsible and feasible and which are to be agreed upon and adhered to by the Stakeholders.

We request that a single contact point in each Stakeholder organisation is dedicated to providing contributions to the research project on behalf of the organisation. Communication between the researchers and the Stakeholders will take place via email and regularly scheduled conference calls. We anticipate this activity to occupy 4-8 hours per month for the selected Stakeholders’ contact point, depending on the desired level of engagement of the relevant organisation.