Bell most trusted brand for privacy protection in major North American survey

Canadian consumers trust Bell Canada more than any other brand when it comes to protecting privacy, according to the results of the 2007 "Canada's Most Trusted Companies for Privacy" study.

In a survey conducted between April and June of this year by Carlson Marketing Worldwide and the U.S.-based Ponemon Institute, Canadian respondents were asked to identify which brands ? both Canadian and global ? are the most trustworthy in protecting private information. Bell Canada scored higher than any other brand.

The Enterprise Group at Bell is leveraging that company-wide privacy leadership to enable other organizations reach the same superior standards.

"A few years ago we created the Bell Canada Privacy Centre of Excellence to help other organizations also become high performers in the area of privacy," said Mike Gurski, privacy strategist at Bell and Director of the centre. "We help clients solve complex problems in a strategic way that integrates with their business strategy."

Gurski explained that Bell is unique in integrating both privacy and security into solutions for clients ? through combined risk assessments, as well as the use of a proprietary integrated incident management response solution. He added that his team also offers a range of tools that address compliance, risk, and data masking to reference architecture, so organizations can quickly identify vulnerabilities and take clear steps to resolve them. The team also offers leading-edge technology solutions in key areas such as data storage and voice biometrics.

"The other thing we do is make sure that privacy is at the core of a company's business strategy," he said, noting that his group is particularly active right now working with clients in the government, health care and financial sectors. "The end result is that the organization has a true culture of privacy embraced by every one of its employee and all of its partners ? and that's your best defence against privacy breaches and mishandling of personal information."