Truste, IAPP join for corporate privacy push

Computerworld - The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and Truste, a nonprofit privacy organization, today announced a partnership under which they will jointly promote privacy-related education and certification programs for corporations.
As part of the effort, the two organizations will offer bundled membership and privacy seal programs for companies. In addition, Truste will coordinate workshops for the IAPP's privacy academy and conferences.
San Francisco-based Truste is a self-regulatory organization that offers a privacy seal to member companies that adhere to certain privacy principles and agree to the organization's oversight and consumer resolution process. More than 1,200 Web sites, including those belonging to The Walt Disney Co. and BMW, carry the Truste "trustmark," or privacy seal. Membership costs for the Truste program range from $499 to $25,000 annually.
The IAPP is a Philadelphia-based user group comprising about 1,000 privacy and security professionals, largely from the health care and financial services industries. The organization's corporate members include PricewaterhouseCoopers and MasterCard International Inc.
As a result of the partnership, Truste members will get IAPP membership benefits such as access to privacy conferences, training programs and seminars; newsletter subscriptions; and list server membership "at no cost," said Trevor Hughes, executive director of the IAPP.
"We recognize that we have something of a unique synergy between the two organizations," Hughes said. "We felt there would be some value in extending IAPP membership benefits to Truste members."
The partnership will expand the reach of Truste into more companies and offer a new service for existing members, said Fran Maier, executive director of Truste. "The IAPP shares our focus and, as such, is a valuable partner for Truste, our seal holders and all Internet users," she said.