Certified Data Protection Officer (C-DPO) Certificate

All candidates must have passed the Certified Data Protection Officer (C-DPO) exam before applying for DPO status.

The following courses are considered equivalents to the C-DPO qualification:

• BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection
• IAPP Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E)
• IAPP Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM)
• IAPP Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT)
• PECB GDPR – Certified Data Protection Officer

This list is not exhaustive; other courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

CPD can be evidenced through various means to showcase ongoing learning and skill development. Here are some examples, which all need to be related to your field of work:

• Certificates and qualifications: certificates from workshops, courses, seminars, webinars and certifications.
• Training records: records of completed training sessions, including dates, topics and duration.
• Conference attendance: proof of attending conferences, trade shows and industry events.
• Workshops and seminars: documentation from participation in workshops, seminars and training sessions.
• Online learning: records of completing elearning courses, online modules and virtual classes.
• Webinars and podcasts: evidence of attending webinars, podcasts and virtual seminars.
• Published work: articles, research papers or books you’ve authored or contributed to.
• Mentorship or coaching: documentation of participating in mentoring or coaching programmes.
• Professional memberships: proof of active membership in professional organisations that require ongoing learning.
• Peer review or feedback: positive feedback from colleagues, supervisors or clients indicating your growth and development.
• Self-assessment: periodic self-assessment reports demonstrating your reflections on your learning journey.
• Learning journals: personal journals documenting your experiences, insights and lessons learned from learning activities.
• Project participation: documents indicating your involvement in projects or initiatives that required new skills or knowledge.

The Certified Data Protection Officer certificate will be valid for three years from the date of approval.

You can renew your Certified Data Protection Officer certificate by:

• Passing the C-DPO exam or attaining the next tier within three years of the previous exam; and
• Providing evidence of 3 years’ privacy work experience and 100 CPD learning hours.

Article 37(5) of the GDPR states: “The data protection officer shall be designated on the basis of professional qualities and, in particular, expert knowledge of data protection law and practices and the ability to fulfil the tasks referred to in Article 39.”

According to itjobswatch.co.uk, the median annual salary for a DPO in the six months to June 2021 was £55,000.

Anyone with “expert knowledge of data protection law and practices and the ability to fulfil the tasks referred to in Article 39” of the GDPR.

Essentially, any professional obligation that could be at odds with the tasks of an independent DPO. For example, most senior positions are likely to create a conflict (e.g. chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, chief medical officer, head of marketing, head of HR and head of IT).