Confidentiality and Data Protection in Non-Profit Consulting: Legal, Ethical, and Practical Dimensions
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Journal: NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies (ERDO)
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-dataprotection-2025
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About the Article
Confidentiality and data protection are foundational principles of ethical consulting in the non-profit sector. This article examines legal frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, COPPA, and PDPA, alongside ethical imperatives of privacy, accountability, and transparency. It provides actionable strategies—encryption, access control, audits, and data minimization—complemented by staff training and organizational policies.
Case studies highlight confidentiality challenges in low-resource settings, healthcare environments, conflict zones, and international organizations, demonstrating how consultants safeguard trust even under high-risk conditions. The article also discusses cultural differences in privacy norms and explores emerging trends such as data localization and blockchain for secure information management.
Confidentiality is positioned not only as a matter of legal compliance but as a core standard of professional integrity, vital for sustaining trust, donor confidence, and organizational resilience.
Key Topics
- Legal frameworks: GDPR, HIPAA, COPPA, PDPA
- Core practices: encryption, access control, minimization, audits
- Case examples from diverse global contexts
- Cultural sensitivity in data protection
- Emerging issues: data localization, blockchain solutions
Academic Value
This article contributes to the intersection of ethics, governance, and information security in development consulting. For scholars, it advances discourse on applied ethics in non-profits. For practitioners, it provides practical guidance for embedding confidentiality and data protection in consulting engagements.
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