We live today, every one of us, in a symbiotic relationship with digital technology … the way we connect, communicate, dissent, learn and trade happens daily through digital means.

There is much to be excited about, and most of that excitement stems from the potential of digital data to help boost our organisation’s impact.

Much of the discussion about digital in the non-profit sector in Australia focusses on the opportunity it presents to do things better. Yet when we talk about opportunities, we give the illusion of control, that we can plan and devise the process by which our non-profit organisations will “become” digital or digital ready. The truth is, virtually all non-profits are already digital organisations … phones, email, social media – all are part of digital technology.

All digital organisations, including non-profits, collect digital data. The issue in the NFP sector, however, is that not all organisations consider how they should manage, use and protect all the information they amass.

While Apple or Facebook would never let a user opt out of providing personal details in order to access their services, should a non-profit take the same approach? Should we deny a community member access to information or services simply because they don’t want to provide an email address or would prefer we not keep non-essential information about them on our servers?

May seem simple…

These may seem like simple questions on the surface, but consider what is involved. If your organisation’s website requires users to log in, how would you provide access to a stakeholder who does not want their email address retained? If you have a stakeholder wanting to repatriate any personal data your organisation holds on them, are you able to oblige, and if not, would you be able to defend your position? If a user of your service wants to know which staff members and vendors (such as cloud storage providers) have access to their bank-account details, would you know, and would you be comfortable in responding?

These conversations are part ethics, part IP law and part software and hardware understanding. The challenge for all non-profits is to ensure that not only do they have conversations around digital data governance in the same way they talk about their financial assets, but also to ensure they have the right personnel to make good decisions about these matters.

Recognising the challenges digital governance may present some NFPs, finance services company Perpetual has invested in a three-year partnership with Stanford’s Digital Civil Society Lab. The lab is designing a space where civil organisations can openly share their policies, practices and vendor contracts for digital governance and management issues. This means that every non-profit organisation – as well as the consultants and support agencies working with them – can begin or review its digital journey without needing to re-invent the digital wheel.

This offers a blank paper on which to design how we use, manage and protect digital data in the non-profit sector. As an industry, we must ensure we develop a blueprint that aligns to both our needs and the needs of our stakeholders.

We cannot – and should not – rely on what has already been developed for the broader corporate world. This is an opportunity to create and implement a plan aligned with our values as a sector, rather than aligning ourselves to the world others are building.

Caitriona Fay, National Manager Philanthropy and Non-Profit Services, Perpetual.

This article originally appeared in the September 2016 print magazine- click here for more info.