1. The Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Act controls how your personal information is used by organisations, businesses or the government.

Everyone responsible for using data has to follow strict rules called ‘data protection principles’. They must make sure the information is:

● used fairly and lawfully

● used for limited, specifically stated purposes

● used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive

● accurate

● kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary

● handled according to people’s data protection rights

● kept safe and secure

● not transferred outside the UK without adequate protection

There is stronger legal protection for more sensitive information, such as:

● ethnic background

● political opinions

● religious beliefs

● health

● sexual health

● criminal records

(Info gathered from https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act)

How has this effected ASDA?

This has effected ASDA as they have had to create a privacy policy that covers the data protection act in amongst other privacy issues (http://www.asda.com/help/privacy-policy.html) as well as an agreement between ASDA and their customers. This has a positive effect in that the

company cannot release or sell things like buying habits of customers that are more valuable to ASDA than if they were sold.

One example of ASDA breaching the data protection act is a forum where someone has posted about an ASDA delivery driver leaving their load planner at the customers house, the load planner contains all the names, addresses and phone numbers of customers expecting deliveries that day this violated the law due to the fact that it was not “kept safe and secure” and wasn’t “adequate”.

(Forum post http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=493789)

Computer misuse act (1990)

This act criminalises:

1. Unauthorised access to computer material

2. Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of

further offences.

3. Unauthorised acts with intent to impair, or with recklessness as to

impairing, operation of computer, etc.

4. Making, supplying or obtaining articles for use in offence under section 1

or 3.

(http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/18/crossheading/computer-

misuse-offences#commentary-c1975882)

How has this effected ASDA?

The computer misuse act has effected ASDA as they have to adhere to it and

create an agreement with the staff that protects them against their actions,

because ASDA could potentially run scams like collecting card details and pin-

numbers through manipulating their tills and card machines this is especially

relevant.

Another way this has effected ASDA is more positive as it gives hackers a

perspective on the things that can happen to them if they were to attack ASDA

through computers and protects ASDA against hackers trying to harness data

from their servers. One case where ASDA were effected by hackers is when the

company behind ASDA car insurance were breached but no data seemed to be

effected.

(http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/03/asda_car_insurance_minor_breac

h/)

Freedom of information act (2002)

“1. The Freedom of Information Act The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives you the right to access recorded

information held by public sector organisations.

Anyone can request information – there are no restrictions on your age,

nationality or where you live.

Your request will be handled under different regulations depending on the

kind of information you ask for, e.g. the:

● Data Protection Act if you ask for information an organisation holds

about you

● Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) if you ask for

environmental information

An organisation could refuse your request if the information is sensitive or the

costs are too high.”

(https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-

of-information-act)

How has this effected ASDA?

The freedom of information act has effected ASDA as they have to make any

information about customers readily available to them if they do request it

plus they have to handle different information under different regulations

meaning if they didn’t handle any requests or issues properly they could be

sued, fined or subject to other penalties. There isn’t a recorded account of

ASDA violating the act.

https://opticians.asda.com/info/FreedomOfInformation

A problem or situation that requires a person or organization to choose

between alternatives that must be evaluated as right (ethical) or wrong

(unethical).”

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/ethical-issue.html

Use of E-mail

The use of E-mail is an ethical issue because it has both negative unethical and positive ethical points for example it stops the waste of natural resources like trees for paper and is better for the planet in that aspect but also effects the way that we communicate as it is less personal and the use of the devices to send the e-mail’s contributes to global warming.

How has this effected ASDA? This has effected ASDA as it is a quicker and easier way to contact their many customers that is cost efficient as it is a free service although it is less personal to the customers and can cause some miscommunication this also adds to ASDA’s carbon footprint. Furthermore it could be said that it is an issue that E-mail is an internet based service that could lead to ASDA’s e-mail account being hacked.

Internet

The internet is an ethical issue as it has both negative and positive points for

example it is a place where you can research a range of different things, people

can post things to express themselves and interest others and you can search

about anything but anyone can post anything and put malicious things on the

internet like viruses that can access whatever data you have stored on your

personal computer. For businesses it could be seen to be an ethical issue due

to the fact the company would only advertise their positive points and deals

where as any negatives would be hid.

How has this effected ASDA?

This has effected ASDA in both positive and negative ways because they can

advertise their products across the internet and keep good communication and

relations with the customers through the many things the internet can do

furthermore through their webpage they can advertise new deals and positive

projects as well as link their social networks. The negative ways the internet

has effected ASDA are that their scandals and mishaps are publicized for

everybody in the world to see through a few clicks and searches for example

the horse meat scandal and veterinary drug scandal, if you search ASDA

scandal into google both of these are on the top 3 results available from one

quick search of two words.

(https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=asda+scandal&oq=asda+scandal&aqs=ch

rome..69i57j0l5.2900j0j9&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8)

Whistle blowing

“Whistleblowing is when a worker reports suspected wrongdoing at work.

Officially this is called 'making a disclosure in the public interest'. A worker can

report things that aren't right, are illegal or if anyone at work is neglecting their

duties, including: someone's health and safety is in danger.” This is considered

to be an ethical issue because it can put the ‘whistle-blower’ in danger and put

the company that gives them a living in jeopardy but at the same time stops a

company from carrying out illegal activities and protect the public.

How has this effected ASDA?

This has effected ASDA as they themselves have been suspected to work with

the Office Of Fair Trade to ‘blow the whistle’ on the price fixing of milk, cheese

and butter which included ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s and some

major dairy companies that cost consumers millions over the years.

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2819483/Asda-to-blow-the-

whistle-in-OFT-inquiry.html)

Organisational policies & Code of practice

Definitions:

Organisational policies:

“Policies and procedures provide the framework within which an organisation

operates. They define what your organisation does and how you do it. clear

policies and procedures support effective decision making and delegation

because they provide guidelines on what people can and cannot do, what

decisions they can make and what activities are appropriate.”

(http://www.rcvda.org.uk/policies_and_procedures.html)

Code of practice:

“A set of written rules which explains how people working in a particular

profession should behave” e.g. “The auctioneers are violating a code of

practice by dealing in stolen goods”

(http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/code-of-practice)

How does ASDA comply with current legislation by organisational policies and

code of practice?

ASDA comply with current legislation through organisational policies by a

series of documents like their privacy policy that cover how they operate in

adherence to the legislations like the data protection act. They comply with

current legislation through code of practice by creating annual GSCOP

compliance reports for the grocery supply chain code of practice they have to

follow for the groceries market investigation order.

(Privacy policy - http://www.asda.com/help/privacy-policy.html)

(Code of practice reports - http://your.asda.com/our-policies)

How does ASDA deal with ethical issues by means of organisational policies

and code of practice?

ASDA deal with ethical issues by means of organisational policies with their

policies that can be found on their webpage that deal with issues like

sustainability and local suppliers covered in different policies as well as the

issues surrounding e-mail and the internet covered in their privacy policy.

Furthermore they deal with ethical issues through code of practice by creating

annual GSCOP compliance reports for the grocery supply chain code of practice

that covers ethical issues and how they should go about dealing with them.

(‘Our policies’ page - http://your.asda.com/our-policies/our-policies)

(Privacy policy - http://www.asda.com/help/privacy-policy.html)

(Code of practice reports - http://your.asda.com/our-policies)

Policy/Procedure:

Why does ASDA require this policy/procedure?

◊ Security of

Information

Security of information “is the practice of

defending information from unauthorized access, use,

disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection,

recording or destruction.”

(https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?hl=en&tab=ii&ei=IEB3V

JXkGtX7arvzgYgB&ved=0CBIQ1S4&safe=active&ssui=on#sa

fe=active&hl=en-

GB&q=security+of+information+definition)

ASDA requires this procedure because any information that

ASDA are in possession of is important to them as it can be

very valuable to the business as well as the fact that they

are held liable for the security of information and can be

prosecuted according to what happens if the information

was sold or compromised.

◊ Back ups

Back-ups are “someone or something that can be called on

if necessary; a reserve.” For example a series of servers

under buildings that store copies of all information that the

business are in possession of.

(https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-

instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-

8&safe=active&ssui=on#q=back+ups+definition&safe=activ

e&ssui=on)

ASDA require this procedure because they need to have a

sense of security that if their data was corrupted from the

primary source they have a second storage that has all the

information that could potentially be lost. The way that

they would back up their information is to have servers in

each store, office etc. that collect all the information and

then send it to another back up in the head office so there

are multiple back-ups of the important information.

◊ Health and

Safety

“A set of laws made in the UK in 1974 in order to protect

people at work and make sure that they do not have to

work in dangerous conditions, without the proper clothing

or safety equipment etc.”

(http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/Health-and-

Safety-at-Work-Act-the)

ASDA require this policy so that they are covered in most

situations due to the fact that if it is not present in the

business then ASDA are highly liable for any injuries that

happen to people this could then leave ASDA in a very bad

situation financially and in the public eye so.

◊ Organisational

Policies

“A course or method of action selected, usually by an

organization, institution, university, society, etc., from

among alternatives to guide and determine present and

future decisions and positions on matters of public interest

or social concern. It does not include internal policy

relating to organization and administration within the

corporate body, for which ORGANIZATION AND

ADMINISTRATION is available.”

(http://www.definitions.net/definition/organizational%20p

olicy)

ASDA requires these policies to keep the business running

in the ways that the board of directors want it to run plus it

means that the workers have to adhere to these policies

covering the business as the employees contract states that

they must adhere to the organisations policies or they can

be released. Lastly it informs the public of their values and

practises so that they can reference them if they have a

enquiry or problem.

◊ Business

Continuance

Plans

“BCP' The creation of a strategy through the recognition of

threats and risks facing acompany, with an eye to ensure

that personnel and assets are protected and able to

function in the event of a disaster.”

(http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business-

continuity-planning.asp)

ASDA requires this procedure because they need to plan

their strategy if they were in a situation where the business

was at risk for example if the economy collapsed and how

they would keep the business functioning with a minimum

in losses.

◊ Costs –

Additional

resources needed

Costs of

development

Costs are “an amount that has to be paid or spent to buy or

obtain something.” Additional resources needed is the

extra products and materials that the business need to

achieve business aims and objectives and cost of

development is “Total of all costs incurred from initiation to

implementation of a project. Subsequent costs

are called operational costs.”

(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/developme

nt-cost.html#ixzz3KqhG7UnS)

(https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-

instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-

8&safe=active&ssui=on#safe=active&q=costs+definition)

The business requires these procedures as otherwise they

would not have any new developments and when they are

short of supplies or other things vital to the business

activities then they wouldn’t be able to function correctly

and would lose time and money.