By Wendy Lim, Industry Development Director, Straits Interactive
Earlier in July, Singapore’s Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) certification was formally elevated to a new national standard under Singapore Standards, SS 714:2025, signalling a heightened level of maturity for Singapore’s data protection landscape.
Previously overseen by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), this transition brings the DPTM certification on par with global data protection benchmarks and international best practices. For certified organisations, it enhances the credibility of their data protection hygiene in a privacy-conscious business environment where consumer trust and regulatory compliance are paramount.
Why Getting DPTM-Certified Matters
Before diving into what’s new in SS 714:2025, it’s useful to revisit the original intent behind the DPTM. At its core, the DPTM was launched to help organisations establish and get recognised for their robust data governance standards, and in turn, build trust with their clients and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Organisations certified under the DPTM may benefit in the following ways:
1. Earn Consumer Trust: Having a DPTM signals alignment of an organisation’s data protection practices with the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and global standards. By demonstrating compliance and accountability, it reassures clients that their personal data is well-governed
2. Boost Competitive Advantage: Trust is a competitive advantage, especially in regulated sectors and processes where DPTM is an evaluation criterion, such as government procurement. More government agencies are including DPTM as “encouraged” with an assigned weightage to differentiate tenderers with DPTM from those that do not.
3. Mitigate Regulatory Penalties: Under the Personal Data Protection Commission’s (PDPC) Active Enforcement Framework, DPTM-certified organisations that suffer a data breach may request an undertaking in lieu of an investigation, with the DTPM as a mitigating factor.
4. Better Cyber Insurance: Insurers may offer more competitive terms and faster cyber insurance application processing for DPTM-certified companies as the certification is an assurance of sound & responsible data protection practices in place.
These benefits stem from the certification’s four anchoring principles: Governance and Transparency, Management of Personal Data, Care of Personal Data and Individuals’ Rights.
Grounded in the 11 obligations of the Singapore PDPA, these principles also incorporate global best practices from the data protection laws of other jurisdictions like Australia, Hong Kong, the European Union (EU). They also reference international benchmarks such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Privacy Framework — including the APEC Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) and APEC Privacy Recognition for Processors (PRP) System.
The four key principles of the DPTM certification framework
To help unpack the new DPTM developments, we at Straits Interactive recently hosted an information session with experts from Guardian Independent Certification Group (GICG) — a Singapore Accreditation Council-accredited certification body — and Anapi — a speciality cyber insurance broker — to clarify what SS 714:2025 entails and how it builds upon the foundation laid by the original DPTM under the IMDA.
If you are interested in joining our next DPTM info session, sign up here.
What’s New in SS 714:2025
While the core intent and principles of the DPTM remain intact, SS 714:2025 introduces several enhancements designed to keep pace with evolving data privacy expectations.
The transition to SS 714:2025 reflects alignment with globally-recognised data protection norms while offering organisations a clearer and more structured path to regulatory and statutory compliance. It improves cross-industry consistency in data governance practices, strengthens regulatory credibility, and deepens organisational transparency and accountability. Importantly, it also affirms Singapore’s long-term commitment to promoting trust-based data ecosystems, by ensuring that the certification remains relevant, rigorous, and sector-agnostic.
The DPTM continues to be a voluntary, enterprise-wide certification, but under SS 714:2025, the process and oversight have changed.
Professional assessments will now be conducted by Certification Bodies accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council, rather than appointed by IMDA. Further, organisations will work with the same Certification Body from application through to certification, streamlining their certification journey with a single point-of-contact.
Businesses can also expect more frequent audits. Annual surveillance audits replace the previous once-in-three-years audit cycle to demonstrate continued commitment to data protection and enhance confidence in the organisation’s data protection practices.
In addition, the new standard offers greater clarity on requirements by expounding what is expected of organisations and delineating how to meet them. Requirements are also phrased using more “ISO-like” language, featuring modal verbs to distinguish obligation from counsel, like so:
1. “Shall’ indicates a mandatory requirement;
2. “Should” indicates a recommendation;
3. “May” indicates a permission;
4. “Can” indicates a possibility or a capacity.
In a nutshell, these are the key changes from the IMDA DPTM to SS 714:2025:
Aspect | IMDA DPTM | SS 714:2025 |
Application Process | IMDA | Certification Body |
Assessment Process | Assessment Body | Certification Body |
Certification Issuance | IMDA | Certification Body |
Audit Cycle | One audit at the start of every three-year certification cycle | Annual surveillance audits in every three-year certification cycle |
Approved Certification Bodies | Appointed by IMDA | Accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council |
Framework and Requirements | The four key principles | The four key principles with expanded specifics |
Requirement Phrasing | Worded less precisely | Modal verbs like “Shall”, “Should”, “May”, “Can” are used to qualify requirements for precision |
For implementation support, organisations can refer to this mapping document from the IMDA to see how the previous DPTM requirements are mapped to the new standard, as well as their implementation guide for how to establish accountable data protection policies and practices to meet the requirements of the SS 714:2025.
In short, the SS 714:2025 harmonises trust standards with business operations, and enables organisations to demonstrate compliance and responsible data stewardship that strengthens consumer confidence in a growing digital-first economy
The Road to Certification
While SS 714:2025 brings some procedural changes and terminology refinements, the path to certification remains grounded in good practice, hinged on good governance, planning and documentation.
Central to this is the Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP) — a structured approach to operationalising the four key principles. Critically, the DPMP is not the responsibility of the DPO alone. It must begin with top management commitment, where identifying data protection risks are considered as part of the organisation’s broader risk management framework.
The Singapore PDPC’s 4-step framework for organisations to put in place a DPMP.
As shared by Baljit Singh, Assistant Vice President of Certification at GICG, timelines and planning are key in achieving DPTM certification. There are a series of milestones during the assessment preparation process that businesses should anticipate:
1. Secure management commitment
2. Gather data protection committee and data process owners
3. Define the context, scope, and objectives of one’s DPMP
4. Conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
5. Implement the DPMP
6. Establish controls to mitigate risks
7. Conduct staff training
8. Review and update the required documentation
9. Measure, monitor and review internal data processes
10. Conduct an internal audit
11. Undergo independent assessment by assessors
The independent assessment is further conducted in two stages:
1. Verification of documentation: Assessors will review the documentation and artefacts prepared by the organisation, detailing their privacy design considerations, policies, practices and/or implementation approach. There will also be interviews with the DPO, CEO and senior leadership members.
2. Verification of implementation and effectiveness: Evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of an organisation’s data protection measures involves site tours, assessment of physical and environment security as well as information security controls. Assessors will also interview relevant process owners, review records and knowledge, and more.
What Assessors Look Out For
According to Singh, assessors will evaluate how well an organisation’s data protection practices demonstrate governance, transparency, and accountability. Key areas of focus include:
1. Documented and Communicated Policies: Organisations must have data protection policies that are approved, regularly reviewed, and clearly communicated to relevant stakeholders. This means having internal data protection policies and notices for employees; public-facing data protection notices for external parties (e.g. customers, job applicants, visitors); third-party agreements for the handling of the organisation's personal data by vendors.
2. Query and Complaint Handling Procedures: There should be clear and accessible processes for individuals to raise queries or complaints on the collection, use, and disclosure of their personal data, supported by response mechanisms and escalation workflows for dispute resolution.
3. Risk Identification and Mitigation: Organisations are expected to conduct regular risk and impact assessments (e.g. DPIAs) across functions and processes involving personal data. These assessments should lead to management-approved action plans that address identified risks and demonstrate proactive data governance.
Tips for Nailing Re-certification
For organisations preparing for re-certification, they should begin preparations well in advance to ensure a smooth renewal process. Singh recommends a well-paced approach:
1. 5-6 months before audit: Convene your data protection committee, review all polices and procedures, and start filing evidences to demonstrate compliance
2. 3-4 months before audit: Confirm audit date with your Certification Body, run refresher data protection awareness training for staff, and conduct an internal audit
3. 1-2 months before audit: Final patching and review of controls, documentation and practices
The bottom line is - you must be able to demonstrate what you say you will do by corroborating policies and procedures with records of implementation. For instance, if your policy states that vendors are reviewed annually, you should have documentation of those reviews for the past three years.
Building a culture of data protection at the workplace
At the heart of a successful DPTM certification, whether under the IMDA or SS 714:2025, is a culture of data protection. Compliance must be lived out across the organisation.
Here’s how to embed that mindset:
1. Leadership First: Data Protection isn’t just an IT problem but a part of your holistic business strategy. Leaders must set the tone, create accountability, and reinforce shared responsibility to keep the organisation secure.
2. Make Training Engaging: Use quizzes, competitions, and incentives to make awareness training more effective and memorable to promote critical information retention among employees.
3. Invest in the Right Security Tools: You don’t need top-of-the-line solutions. Choose tools appropriate to your size, budget, complexity, and IT maturity.
4. Encourage Open Communication: Having open communication channels enables employees to identify and report incidents promptly without fear. Employees may have valuable insights and creative solutions to facilitate innovation, so foster an environment where staff are encouraged to speak up
5. Evaluate regularly: Conduct periodic internal audits or posture checks to identify vulnerabilities and gaps, and assess incident response readiness to stay ahead of new threats.
6. Get certified: Certifications provide external validation that your organisation meets rigorous requirements and adheres to established guidelines as well as industry-recognised benchmarks
Ultimately, a successful certification hinges not only on meeting technical requirements but on building a workplace culture where data protection is part of the organisational DNA. With the right leadership, planning, and mindset, SS 714:2025 can be a strategic enabler for trust, resilience, and sustained business growth.
Still unsure about what the new guidelines mean for your organisation? Join our next DPTM info session and get your questions answered by our experts.
If your organisation seeks to embark on their Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) certification journey, get in touch with us to discuss your gameplan to achieve data protection excellence.
This article was originally published on 16 Sep at the Governance Age.
