Enterprise information management standards: Overview, definition, and example
What are Enterprise Information Management (EIM) standards?
Enterprise information management (EIM) standards are a set of guidelines, rules, and best practices that organizations use to manage, organize, store, and protect their information across the enterprise. EIM standards ensure that information is accurate, accessible, consistent, and secure, enabling effective decision-making, compliance with regulations, and operational efficiency. These standards cover a wide range of areas, including data governance, data quality, data security, information lifecycle management, and metadata management.
The goal of EIM standards is to create a structured framework that governs how information is managed and used within an organization, ensuring that all stakeholders can rely on the data for their business processes and operations.
Why are EIM standards important?
EIM standards are important because they help organizations maintain consistency, quality, and security in their information systems. With large amounts of data being generated and processed across different departments, establishing EIM standards ensures that information is managed in a way that enhances business operations, supports regulatory compliance, and minimizes risks related to data misuse or breaches.
By adopting EIM standards, organizations can improve data accuracy, reduce errors, avoid redundancies, and increase the overall effectiveness of their information management systems. These standards also support better decision-making by ensuring that the right data is available to the right people at the right time.
Understanding EIM standards through an example
Imagine a global corporation with multiple departments, each generating and using large volumes of data. To ensure that all the data is accurate, secure, and accessible, the corporation establishes EIM standards that include data governance policies (who is allowed to access data), data quality requirements (how data is validated and cleaned), and data security protocols (how sensitive information is encrypted and protected).
For example, the corporation may adopt a standard where all customer data must be validated against a central database to ensure consistency before being stored in their CRM system. It may also implement security standards requiring that sensitive data, like financial information, be encrypted and only accessible by authorized personnel.
In another example, a healthcare provider might implement EIM standards that require patient data to be stored in a standardized format, ensuring that all patient records are consistent and can be easily shared between departments or with external partners while complying with privacy regulations like HIPAA.
An example of EIM standards clause
Here’s how a clause about EIM standards might appear in a contract:
“The Parties agree to adhere to the Enterprise Information Management (EIM) standards outlined in this Agreement, including data governance, data security, and information lifecycle management. Both Parties shall ensure that all data processed or stored under this Agreement complies with the applicable EIM standards to ensure the accuracy, consistency, and security of all shared information.”
Conclusion
Enterprise information management standards are crucial for managing and protecting the vast amounts of data that organizations use in their operations. These standards ensure that information is accurate, accessible, and secure, supporting better decision-making, compliance, and efficiency. By establishing clear guidelines for data management, organizations can optimize their information systems, reduce risks, and improve their overall business performance.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Cobrief is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.