A journey of trust and value
At Ordnance Survey, we recognise the critical role that data plays in shaping our world. It’s more than just numbers and coordinates.
As the national mapping service for Great Britain, we hold some of the country’s most valued geospatial data. And it’s not just geospatial data that’s important to us. As a data business, our corporate data is equally important.
Over the past six months, we’ve embarked on an exciting data governance journey. This journey was not just about setting rules, but was also about transforming how we perceive and handle data. We developed a robust data governance framework, and enhanced our data principles to ensure they are fit for purpose in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Our goal is simple yet profound: to ensure that our customers and Partners can trust, find, and use our data with ease. Governance is about more than just oversight; it’s about nurturing our data, treating it as a valuable asset that deserves time, resources, and prioritisation.
The core principles are grouped into the three main themes: trust, easy to find, and easy to use.
These principles apply to all OS data, products and services, not only geospatial. They closely align to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).
By adhering to these principles, we ensure that our data delivers maximum benefit for the environment, the economy, and society. For example, using our OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) data our emergency services are supported to respond more effectively in critical situations.
Our mission is to enable our customers to trust, find, and use OS data. By connecting data through the language of location, we provide greater insights, better decisions, and smarter outcomes. Whether you’re new to geospatial data or a GIS expert, the OS Data Hub grants access to our highly accurate geospatial data and printed maps, helping individuals, governments, and companies to better understand the world around them.
