10 Sep 2023
Towngas takes home Outstanding Gold Award at Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023
(10 September 2023) The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) recognises the importance of personal data privacy and has taken a wide range of measures to safeguard it. Towngas has been awarded the Outstanding Gold Award at the Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023, presented by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD), for the Company’s focus and efforts in protecting personal data privacy.
Towngas stood out from more than 130 other award-winning organisations and was awarded the top honour, the Outstanding Gold Award. Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Towngas Managing Director, felt encouraged by the award, “Towngas provides gas services to over 2 million customers daily and is always mindful of the protection of personal data privacy. Towngas will continue to optimise the measures related to personal data privacy and will continue to protect data privacy through systematic control and continuous assessment.” He also pointed out that all staff of Towngas strictly comply with the six Data Protection Principles under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, and department heads are required to show their work processes and fill in the relevant declaration forms since 2012. The Company also conducts Privacy Impact Assessments to ensure the protection of customer data and to confirm compliance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of Hong Kong.
To fully protect the privacy of the personal data of its staff, customers and stakeholders, Towngas has formulated the Personal Data Privacy Policy, which sets out the guidelines for handling personal data. Towngas has set up a personal data storage system and a data processor control system, and has adopted two sets of systems to store customers’ identity cards and credit card numbers separately, so that staff can only access the relevant information after departmental approval, thus ensuring that customers’ personal data are managed more effectively and handled in a stringent manner.
In the era of big data, Towngas has established a comprehensive network security system with an Information Security Policy to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the Group’s information and technology assets. In order to keep staff more updated with the latest information on personal data protection and cyber security knowledge, the Company not only provides training seminars and shares data security tips, but also sends out simulated phishing emails from time to time to enhance staff’s alertness. The Company also mobilises various departments annually to conduct data leakage drills to simulate the response procedures in the event of a serious system incident, in order to strengthen the security and contingency policies.
The PCPD organised the inaugural Privacy-Friendly Awards in 2021. The second Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023, under the theme of “Embrace Privacy Management Programme to Gain Trust and Benefits”, aimed to recognise the commitment and efforts of enterprises, public and private organisations, as well as government departments in protecting personal data privacy.
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Press photos:
Photo 1:
Ms Elsa Wong Lai-kin (centre), Head of Legal of Towngas, receives the Outstanding Gold Award at the Privacy-Friendly Awards 2023 from Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai (right), Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, and Ms Ada Chung Lai-ling (left), Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (Privacy Commissioner).
For media enquiries, please contact:
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
Mr Addie Lam
Assistant General Manager –
Corporate Affairs
Tel: 2963 2578 / 6702 6449
Email:
addie.lam@towngas.com |
Ms Kara Kwong
Senior Corporate Communications Officer
Tel: 2963 3497 / 6698 3357
Email:
kara.kwong@towngas.com |