Pinsent Masons commits to London Data Charter to tackle London’s biggest challenges

Launched today by London First, the Charter sets out seven key principles to help organisations across the City unlock the power of their data – one of the capital’s most valuable but under-used assets. It guides organisations in how they can safely share data to enable them to work together and find solutions to challenges such as meeting the Mayor’s net-zero goals and tackling digital exclusion.

Arup, Bloomberg, BP, BT, Grant Thornton, Microsoft, Oliver Wyman Forum, Thames Water, Uber and UK Power Networks have all signed the charter and collaboration is already underway with Uber, UK Power Networks and others exploring the most effective places for electric vehicle charging points for drivers on the Uber app.

The team of data experts at Pinsent Masons responsible for drafting the charter included Andrew McMillan, Sue Chadwick, Chris Martin and Jonathan Kirsop.

Andrew McMillan, head of technology & digital markets at Pinsent Masons said:

The secure and selective sharing of data is critical in advancing opportunities for societal, economic and environmental good, but many organisations – for a variety of reasons – are not yet doing so. This is why the London Data Charter is so important – it provides organisations across the City with a framework of shared principles that can underpin their sharing of data. By ensuring private and public sector organisations start from a shared understanding, we can facilitate and accelerate the creation of collaborative solutions to tackle some of the major challenges facing London.”

David Lutton, Executive Director for Connectivity at London First, said:

The London Data Charter is a huge milestone – it is the first time London’s major businesses have together agreed to collaborate on the sharing of anonymised and secure data, for the benefit of the capital. The pandemic has shown the vital role data can play in coordinating responses at a city-level - the potential for data-led projects to positively impact our lives is limitless.

This Charter has clear principles on privacy and data sharing, which is critical to boosting confidence and harnessing the economic and social benefits that data-led transformation can bring."

Theo Blackwell, London’s Chief Digital Officer, said:

The London Data Charter is a critical part of the infrastructure needed to realise the Mayor’s ambition of unlocking data to meet the capital’s biggest challenges. Signatories to the Charter create a community of data experts and data owners who London’s government will consult and work with on new data collaborations that benefit London and Londoners.”

Pinsent Masons has been at the forefront of exploring how data can help tackle key issues including developing the legal framework for the ODI’s data trust pilot schemes and providing legal advice to the FSA on a data trust framework to tackle challenges around food labelling.