2022 Global Privacy Benchmarks Report

TrustArc’s 3rd Annual Global Privacy Benchmarks Report reveals a more complex and demanding privacy landscape, as organizations emerge from the pandemic into an environment of persistent regulatory change, cyber threats, and organizational strain. Drawing from over 1,400 responses worldwide, this report offers a critical lens on how privacy strategies are evolving and where confidence may be faltering.

Unlike previous years, the 2022 report registers a dip in privacy confidence and competence. Although 90% of large enterprises have dedicated privacy offices, many struggle with under-resourced teams and fragmented program execution. While privacy remains a top organizational priority, translating strategy into success proves increasingly difficult in the face of rising global compliance demands, such as cross-border data transfer regulations and a patchwork of regional laws.

New in this year’s report are deeper insights into privacy team structures, KPIs, and the use of purpose-built software solutions. TrustArc’s Global Privacy Index fell from a peak of 70% in 2021 to 50% in 2022, revealing a clear gap between executive optimism and the day-to-day reality faced by privacy professionals.

Key takeaways:

• 71% of organizations believe they must do more to improve privacy practices, especially amid declining stakeholder confidence.
• Only large enterprises (>$5B) maintained steady privacy competence scores; smaller firms saw sharp declines.
• Companies that fully implemented cookie consent and privacy certifications scored highest on the Privacy Index.
• ISO 27001 emerged as the most valuable compliance certification, while GDPR continues to lead in regulatory awareness.
• 42% of companies plan to invest over $1M in privacy, underscoring a growing recognition of privacy as a business enabler.