Facial Recognition in the Spotlight: Advent IM Responds with New Compliance Review
News and information from the Advent IM team.
- by Olivia Lawlor-Blackburn
- Advent IM Blog Advent IM News
**PRESS RELEASE**
Facial Recognition in the Spotlight: Advent IM Responds with New Compliance Review
Advent IM Unveils Facial Recognition Technology Audit Compliance Review Service to Support Police and Wider Public and Private Sector Organisations in Meeting Data Protection Standards.
Media Contact: Olivia Lawlor Blackburn
+44 (0) 121 559 6699,
Date : 27.10.25
Advent IM, a leading UK information security consultancy, is proud to announce the launch of its new Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) Audit Compliance Review service. This offering is designed to support any organisation deploying facial recognition technologies in meeting their legal, ethical, and governance obligations.
With the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) actively auditing police forces for their use of FRT, Advent IM has drawn on its deep experience in data protection and governance to develop a robust audit and compliance framework. While originally informed by work with law enforcement, the service is equally relevant to local authorities, transport bodies, retail, and private sector organisations using FRT for security, access control, or customer experience.
“Facial recognition technology presents unique challenges in balancing innovation with privacy,” said Mike Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer at Advent IM. “Our new compliance review service helps organisations navigate this complex landscape with confidence, ensuring lawful, fair, and transparent use of biometric data.”
The FRT Audit Compliance Review covers:
- Governance & Oversight
Assessment of accountability, decision-making, and transparency in FRT deployment. - Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)
Review of DPIAs for completeness, legal compliance, and risk management. - Data Handling & Retention
Evaluation of personal data use, retention policies, and proportionality. - Staff Training
Review of training to ensure staff understand biometric data responsibilities. - Safeguards & Controls
Analysis of technical and organisational measures protecting biometric data. - Necessity & Proportionality
Justification of FRT use, consideration of alternatives, and ICO-defensible documentation. - Data Minimisation
Verification of biometric template use and strict control of raw image retention.
Whether you’re a public sector body or a private enterprise, Advent IM’s FRT Audit Compliance Review provides the assurance needed to deploy facial recognition responsibly and in line with UK data protection laws, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
For more information, visit https://www.advent-im.co.uk/consultancy/cyber-security/audit-compliance-review-frt/
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Advent IM
Advent IM is an independent specialist consultancy, focusing on holistic security management solutions for information, people and physical assets, across both the public and private sectors. Established in 2002, Advent IM is a centre of excellence for security services, promoting the benefits of best practice guidelines and standards and the need to address risk management to protect against potential threats.
From its offices in the Midlands and London, its Consultants work nationwide and are members of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec), The Security Institute (SyI) and British Computer Society.
Our Consultants are recognised experts in their field and have unparalleled experience in delivering security solutions. They are all suitably qualified and experienced professionals, holding relevant industry qualifications and certifications such as ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditors/Implementors, ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementors and Cabinet Office/Home Office trained physical security assessors. Our Consultants are also members of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) and The Security Institute (SyI).