How to understand, manage and secure public sector information assets with confidence.
Public sector teams work in high-pressure information environments. Sensitive data sits across clinical systems, legacy tools, cloud services and spreadsheets. If you cannot see what you hold, why you hold it, or understand how it moves, you cannot meet GDPR or your governance duties.
Spreadsheets are not enough. They slow teams down, create blind spots, and leave gaps in audits, data flows, and ownership. Our information asset management solution fixes that. It gives you a single, reliable view of your information, so governance, risk and data protection work can actually move.
During rollout, most teams tell us the same thing. They want clarity, consistency, and a system that cuts out the manual work. Information asset management is a great starting point for that shift.
What is Information Asset Management?
An information asset is anything that holds or processes data. It could be an EHR system, a shared drive, a case management tool, a spreadsheet or a bespoke system built for one team. If it contains personal data or supports an operational or statutory function, it is an information asset.
Information asset management is the foundation of good data governance. It gives teams a clear view of what the organization holds, where it sits, who owns it, and how it moves. For public sector bodies juggling legacy systems, cloud tools, paper workflows and sensitive data, this level of visibility is essential.
Done well, information asset management becomes more than documentation. It becomes the evidence base for; GDPR, the Data Security and Protection Toolkit and internal information governance requirements.
What a strong information asset register must capture
A complete register should record:
- Asset name and description
- Business owner and operational owner
- Location and storage method
- Data categories and sensitivity levels
- Lawful basis for processing
- Linked information and data flows
- Third parties or processors involved
- Retention rules and decommissioning steps
- Risks, controls, and outstanding actions
If a solution cannot capture these core fields cleanly and consistently, it will not stand up to GDPR audits, DSP Toolkit assessments, or internal IG reviews.
What good information asset management technology should deliver
Look for software that makes the register accurate, reliable and easy to maintain:
- Easy ways to assign ownership and keep it up to date
- Clear mapping of data flows across teams and systems
- Role-based permissions so the right people can view, edit, or approve assets.
- Visibility controls that protect sensitive information while keeping governance transparent
- Automated reminders for reviews and approvals
- Risk scoring is consistent, reliable & built into the asset record
- Reporting that gives IG, DPOs and leadership real oversight
- Fast, flexible configuration without relying on development resources
Why this matters, in the public sector
When your register is accurate and regularly updated, teams gain real accountability. You can see who is responsible for what, how data moves, and where weak points sit.
This visibility supports GDPR compliance, strengthens risk management and removes the guesswork from information governance.
In practice: how CoreStream GRC supports public sector information asset management
Health Education England shows what happens when information asset management is done properly. After an 8-week rollout, their team could manage the full lifecycle of more than 700 information assets with built-in risk scoring, automated alerts, ownership controls, and clear reporting.
This model is now used across multiple public sector bodies with the same regulatory pressures and GDPR obligations.
Want to learn more?
Ready to manage your information assets with confidence?
If you want a clearer, more reliable way to manage your information asset register and support GDPR, the DSP Toolkit and wider information governance, our team can show you how other public sector organizations are doing it.
See the CoreStream GRC platform in action and speak with our information asset management specialists.
FAQ on information asset management
Information Asset Management is the process of identifying, documenting, and managing the systems, files, databases, and tools that hold your organization’s data. It shows what information you hold, where it lives, who owns it, how it moves, and why you process it. Public sector teams use IAM to meet GDPR, strengthen governance, and reduce risk.
GDPR depends on visibility. You cannot meet Article 30, understand lawful basis, or complete DPIAs if you do not know what data you process or how it flows between systems and teams. A good information asset register becomes the evidence base for GDPR audits, DSP Toolkit reviews, and internal IG checks.
Spreadsheets create blind spots. They become outdated quickly, make ownership unclear, and break when assets span multiple departments. They cannot show live data flows, calculate risks, or automate reviews. Public sector teams that switch to CoreStream GRC gain a single, accurate system that updates in real time.
Most public sector teams begin using CoreStream GRC within weeks. Implementations are fast because the platform is fully configurable without code. Health Education England deployed its IAM solution in eight weeks and now manages more than 700 assets with automated risk scoring and live reporting.
Business owners and operational owners share responsibility. IAM tools like CoreStream GRC make this easier by assigning ownership at asset level, sending automated reminders, and keeping a full audit trail of updates and approvals.
