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IAPP Membership Climbs to 6,000

YORK, Maine - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) announced today that its worldwide membership has grown to 6,000 individuals across 49 countries. Despite a down economy and challenging job market, the world's largest organization dedicated to supporting, defining and improving the privacy profession has grown by 1,000 new members since June 2008.

The IAPP has experienced 30 percent growth over the past two years and its global footprint is expanding. Currently, 85 percent of members reside in the United States, while 15 percent hail from outside the United States (primarily Canada, Europe and the Asia Pacific region). IAPP membership numbers outside the United States are expected to climb thanks to a new regional affiliate in Australia/New Zealand (IAPP ANZ: http://www.iappanz.com) and a new division in Canada (IAPP Canada: http://www.privacyassociation.org/canada).

Additionally, the IAPP has produced a benchmark study of the privacy profession in collaboration with the Ponemon Institute. This study explores privacy program structure and characteristics, program goals and activities and program effectiveness measurement techniques. The research will be released at the IAPP Privacy Academy 2009, held from September 16-18 in Boston, MA. The benchmark study's findings reinforce the growth trend the IAPP is currently experiencing. Key findings indicate:

• Privacy leaders rank high in their organizations, with 61% one or two reporting levels away from the CEO;
• Around 60% of privacy leaders reported two or more full-time employees; 43% reported two or more part-time employees; 22% reported no full-time staff and 42% reported no part-time staff;
• More than half (55%) of organizations use privacy liaisons to augment full-time privacy staff; and
• Of respondents, 36% indicated their privacy program was at the mature stage, 18% at the late middle stage, 27% at the middle stage, 13% at the early stage and five percent are pre-stage.

According to Jonathan Avila, IAPP President and Vice President - Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer, The Walt Disney Company, "Our strong growth and broadening worldwide presence underscore the ascent of privacy professionals as stewards of trust in a world that runs on data." Avila continued, "The IAPP is committed to providing new insights that help organizations strategically build and manage their privacy programs, as well as valuable networking, education and certification resources for our members."

"The time is right to invest in privacy professionals," said Nuala O'Connor Kelly, IAPP Vice President and Chief Privacy Leader, General Electric Company. "Especially in a challenging market, strong approaches to privacy help restore and build trust across the public and private sectors."

About the IAPP

The International Association of Privacy Professionals is the world's largest association of privacy professionals with more than 6,000 members across 49 countries. The IAPP helps to define and support the privacy profession through networking, education and certification. More information about the IAPP is available at www.privacyassociation.org.

Press only:
International Association of Privacy Professionals
Tammy Vigliotti, +1 207-351-1500
tammy@privacyassociation.org