NIST Privacy Framework — COMMUNICATE Function
Overview
The COMMUNICATE function develops and implements appropriate activities to enable organizations and individuals to have a reliable understanding and engage in a dialogue about how data are processed and associated privacy risks. This function is essential for building trust and ensuring transparency with data subjects, regulators, and business partners.
COMMUNICATE Function Subcategories
CM.AW — Awareness
Raising awareness of data processing practices and privacy risks among stakeholders.
| Subcategory |
Description |
Implementation Guidance |
| CM.AW-P1 |
Mechanisms (e.g., notices, internal policies) for communicating data processing purposes, practices, and associated privacy risks are established and in service |
Publish layered privacy notices. Maintain internal data processing documentation. Establish communication channels for privacy inquiries. |
| CM.AW-P2 |
Mechanisms for obtaining feedback from individuals about data processing and associated privacy risks are established and in service |
Deploy feedback forms on privacy pages. Monitor privacy-related inquiries through support channels. Conduct periodic privacy perception surveys. |
| CM.AW-P3 |
System/product/service design enables data processing visibility |
Implement privacy dashboards for data subjects. Provide real-time data processing status. Enable granular consent visibility. |
| CM.AW-P4 |
Records of data disclosures and sharing are maintained and can be accessed for review or transmission |
Maintain disclosure registers. Enable data subjects to view sharing history. Automate disclosure logging. |
| CM.AW-P5 |
Data corrections or deletions can be communicated to individuals or organizations that have received the data |
Implement downstream notification workflows. Track data recipients for correction propagation. Automate deletion verification across partners. |
| CM.AW-P6 |
Data provenance and lineage are maintained and can be accessed for review or transmission |
Document data origins and transformation history. Provide lineage visualization. Enable audit trail access for authorized parties. |
| CM.AW-P7 |
Impacted individuals and organizations are notified about a privacy breach or event |
Develop breach notification templates. Establish notification timelines per jurisdiction. Maintain contact information for notification delivery. |
| CM.AW-P8 |
Individuals are provided with mitigation mechanisms for observed privacy risks |
Offer identity protection services post-breach. Provide self-service privacy controls. Communicate available remediation options. |
CM.PO — Communication Policies
Policies governing how privacy-related information is communicated.
| Subcategory |
Description |
Implementation Guidance |
| CM.PO-P1 |
Transparency policies, processes, and procedures for communicating data processing purposes, practices, associated privacy risks, and options for enabling data subjects' data processing preferences are established and in service |
Develop layered transparency framework. Define communication standards for each audience. |
| CM.PO-P2 |
Roles and responsibilities for communicating privacy-related information are established |
Assign communications ownership. Define approval workflows for external privacy communications. |
Transparency Framework
Layered Privacy Notice Architecture
Layer 1: Short Notice (Banner/Summary)
├── Who we are
├── What data we collect
├── Key purposes
├── Core rights
└── Link to full notice
Layer 2: Full Privacy Notice
├── Detailed purposes and legal bases
├── Data categories and sources
├── Recipients and transfers
├── Retention periods
├── Complete rights information
├── Contact information
└── Links to supplementary notices
Layer 3: Supplementary Notices
├── Cookie Policy
├── Children's Privacy Notice
├── Employee Privacy Notice
├── Specific Service Notices
└── Jurisdiction-Specific Addenda
Layer 4: Just-in-Time Notices
├── Collection-point notifications
├── Consent requests with context
├── Purpose-specific explanations
└── Processing change notifications
Communication Channel Matrix
| Audience |
Channel |
Frequency |
Content Type |
Owner |
| Data subjects (general) |
Website privacy center |
Continuous |
Notices, policies, FAQs |
Privacy Team |
| Data subjects (customers) |
Email, in-app notifications |
Event-driven |
Consent changes, updates |
Marketing + Privacy |
| Data subjects (employees) |
Intranet, HR portal |
Semi-annual + event |
Employee privacy info |
HR + Privacy |
| Regulators |
Formal correspondence |
As required |
Compliance reports, notifications |
Legal + DPO |
| Business partners |
Contract addenda, portal |
Annual + event |
Processing terms, audit rights |
Legal + Procurement |
| Board/executives |
Dashboards, presentations |
Quarterly |
Risk reports, KPIs |
CPO |
| Internal teams |
Confluence, training |
Monthly |
Guidelines, best practices |
Privacy Champions |
Privacy Notice Content Requirements
Mandatory Elements by Regulation
| Element |
GDPR Art. 13/14 |
CCPA/CPRA |
LGPD |
PIPEDA |
| Controller identity |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| DPO contact |
Required |
N/A |
Required (DPO equivalent) |
N/A |
| Processing purposes |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Legal basis |
Required |
N/A |
Required |
N/A |
| Data categories |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Recipients |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| International transfers |
Required |
N/A |
Required |
Required |
| Retention periods |
Required |
Disclosed on request |
Required |
Required |
| Data subject rights |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Right to complain |
Required |
N/A |
Required |
Required |
| Automated decision-making |
Required |
CPRA: Required |
Required |
N/A |
| Data source (indirect collection) |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Sale/sharing opt-out |
N/A |
Required |
N/A |
N/A |
| Financial incentive terms |
N/A |
Required |
N/A |
N/A |
Stakeholder Engagement Workflows
Data Subject Inquiry Handling
Inquiry Received
|
v
Classify Inquiry Type
├── General Privacy Question → FAQ/Knowledge Base → Respond within 5 business days
├── Data Subject Request → Route to DSR Workflow → Respond within regulatory deadline
├── Complaint → Escalate to DPO → Investigate → Respond within 15 business days
├── Breach Inquiry → Route to Incident Team → Coordinate response
└── Consent Change → Process immediately → Confirm within 24 hours
Privacy Communication Approval Workflow
| Communication Type |
Drafting |
Review |
Approval |
Distribution |
| Privacy policy update |
Privacy Team |
Legal |
CPO + General Counsel |
Web team |
| Breach notification |
Incident Lead |
Legal + DPO |
CEO + General Counsel |
Communications |
| Regulatory response |
DPO |
Legal |
General Counsel |
DPO |
| Marketing consent request |
Marketing |
Privacy Team |
CPO |
Marketing |
| Internal policy update |
Privacy Team |
Stakeholders |
CPO |
Internal comms |
Feedback Mechanisms
Privacy Perception Survey Template (Annual)
- How aware are you of our privacy practices? (1-5 scale)
- How easy is it to find information about how we use your data? (1-5 scale)
- How confident are you that we protect your personal data? (1-5 scale)
- Have you exercised any privacy rights in the past 12 months? (Yes/No, which ones)
- How satisfied were you with the response? (1-5 scale, if applicable)
- What privacy improvements would you like to see? (Open text)
- How likely are you to recommend us based on our privacy practices? (0-10 NPS)
Control Mapping
| NIST PF COMMUNICATE |
ISO 27701 |
GDPR Article |
APEC CBPR |
| CM.AW-P1 |
A.7.3.2 |
Art. 12, 13, 14 |
Principle 5 |
| CM.AW-P2 |
A.7.3.8 |
Art. 77 |
Principle 9 |
| CM.AW-P3 |
A.7.2.5 |
Art. 12(1) |
Principle 5 |
| CM.AW-P4 |
A.7.5.3 |
Art. 19 |
Principle 7 |
| CM.AW-P7 |
A.7.3.9 |
Art. 34 |
Principle 8 |
| CM.PO-P1 |
A.7.3.2 |
Art. 12 |
Principle 5 |
| CM.PO-P2 |
5.3 |
Art. 37-39 |
Principle 9 |
References
- NIST Privacy Framework Version 1.0 (January 16, 2020)
- Article 29 Working Party WP260 — Guidelines on Transparency
- EDPB Guidelines 04/2022 on Calculation of Administrative Fines
- ISO/IEC 29100:2011 — Privacy Framework (Privacy Principles)
1---2name: nist-pf-communicate3description: Implement the NIST Privacy Framework COMMUNICATE function covering CM.AW awareness raising and CM.PO communication policies. Provides transparency mechanisms, stakeholder engagement frameworks, privacy notice templates, and communication workflow guidance.4license: Apache-2.05---67# NIST Privacy Framework — COMMUNICATE Function89## Overview1011The COMMUNICATE function develops and implements appropriate activities to enable organizations and individuals to have a reliable understanding and engage in a dialogue about how data are processed and associated privacy risks. This function is essential for building trust and ensuring transparency with data subjects, regulators, and business partners.1213## COMMUNICATE Function Subcategories1415### CM.AW — Awareness1617Raising awareness of data processing practices and privacy risks among stakeholders.1819| Subcategory | Description | Implementation Guidance |20|-------------|-------------|------------------------|21| CM.AW-P1 | Mechanisms (e.g., notices, internal policies) for communicating data processing purposes, practices, and associated privacy risks are established and in service | Publish layered privacy notices. Maintain internal data processing documentation. Establish communication channels for privacy inquiries. |22| CM.AW-P2 | Mechanisms for obtaining feedback from individuals about data processing and associated privacy risks are established and in service | Deploy feedback forms on privacy pages. Monitor privacy-related inquiries through support channels. Conduct periodic privacy perception surveys. |23| CM.AW-P3 | System/product/service design enables data processing visibility | Implement privacy dashboards for data subjects. Provide real-time data processing status. Enable granular consent visibility. |24| CM.AW-P4 | Records of data disclosures and sharing are maintained and can be accessed for review or transmission | Maintain disclosure registers. Enable data subjects to view sharing history. Automate disclosure logging. |25| CM.AW-P5 | Data corrections or deletions can be communicated to individuals or organizations that have received the data | Implement downstream notification workflows. Track data recipients for correction propagation. Automate deletion verification across partners. |26| CM.AW-P6 | Data provenance and lineage are maintained and can be accessed for review or transmission | Document data origins and transformation history. Provide lineage visualization. Enable audit trail access for authorized parties. |27| CM.AW-P7 | Impacted individuals and organizations are notified about a privacy breach or event | Develop breach notification templates. Establish notification timelines per jurisdiction. Maintain contact information for notification delivery. |28| CM.AW-P8 | Individuals are provided with mitigation mechanisms for observed privacy risks | Offer identity protection services post-breach. Provide self-service privacy controls. Communicate available remediation options. |2930### CM.PO — Communication Policies3132Policies governing how privacy-related information is communicated.3334| Subcategory | Description | Implementation Guidance |35|-------------|-------------|------------------------|36| CM.PO-P1 | Transparency policies, processes, and procedures for communicating data processing purposes, practices, associated privacy risks, and options for enabling data subjects' data processing preferences are established and in service | Develop layered transparency framework. Define communication standards for each audience. |37| CM.PO-P2 | Roles and responsibilities for communicating privacy-related information are established | Assign communications ownership. Define approval workflows for external privacy communications. |3839## Transparency Framework4041### Layered Privacy Notice Architecture4243```44Layer 1: Short Notice (Banner/Summary)45├── Who we are46├── What data we collect47├── Key purposes48├── Core rights49└── Link to full notice5051Layer 2: Full Privacy Notice52├── Detailed purposes and legal bases53├── Data categories and sources54├── Recipients and transfers55├── Retention periods56├── Complete rights information57├── Contact information58└── Links to supplementary notices5960Layer 3: Supplementary Notices61├── Cookie Policy62├── Children's Privacy Notice63├── Employee Privacy Notice64├── Specific Service Notices65└── Jurisdiction-Specific Addenda6667Layer 4: Just-in-Time Notices68├── Collection-point notifications69├── Consent requests with context70├── Purpose-specific explanations71└── Processing change notifications72```7374### Communication Channel Matrix7576| Audience | Channel | Frequency | Content Type | Owner |77|----------|---------|-----------|-------------|-------|78| Data subjects (general) | Website privacy center | Continuous | Notices, policies, FAQs | Privacy Team |79| Data subjects (customers) | Email, in-app notifications | Event-driven | Consent changes, updates | Marketing + Privacy |80| Data subjects (employees) | Intranet, HR portal | Semi-annual + event | Employee privacy info | HR + Privacy |81| Regulators | Formal correspondence | As required | Compliance reports, notifications | Legal + DPO |82| Business partners | Contract addenda, portal | Annual + event | Processing terms, audit rights | Legal + Procurement |83| Board/executives | Dashboards, presentations | Quarterly | Risk reports, KPIs | CPO |84| Internal teams | Confluence, training | Monthly | Guidelines, best practices | Privacy Champions |8586## Privacy Notice Content Requirements8788### Mandatory Elements by Regulation8990| Element | GDPR Art. 13/14 | CCPA/CPRA | LGPD | PIPEDA |91|---------|-----------------|-----------|------|--------|92| Controller identity | Required | Required | Required | Required |93| DPO contact | Required | N/A | Required (DPO equivalent) | N/A |94| Processing purposes | Required | Required | Required | Required |95| Legal basis | Required | N/A | Required | N/A |96| Data categories | Required | Required | Required | Required |97| Recipients | Required | Required | Required | Required |98| International transfers | Required | N/A | Required | Required |99| Retention periods | Required | Disclosed on request | Required | Required |100| Data subject rights | Required | Required | Required | Required |101| Right to complain | Required | N/A | Required | Required |102| Automated decision-making | Required | CPRA: Required | Required | N/A |103| Data source (indirect collection) | Required | Required | Required | Required |104| Sale/sharing opt-out | N/A | Required | N/A | N/A |105| Financial incentive terms | N/A | Required | N/A | N/A |106107## Stakeholder Engagement Workflows108109### Data Subject Inquiry Handling110111```112Inquiry Received113 |114 v115Classify Inquiry Type116├── General Privacy Question → FAQ/Knowledge Base → Respond within 5 business days117├── Data Subject Request → Route to DSR Workflow → Respond within regulatory deadline118├── Complaint → Escalate to DPO → Investigate → Respond within 15 business days119├── Breach Inquiry → Route to Incident Team → Coordinate response120└── Consent Change → Process immediately → Confirm within 24 hours121```122123### Privacy Communication Approval Workflow124125| Communication Type | Drafting | Review | Approval | Distribution |126|-------------------|----------|--------|----------|-------------|127| Privacy policy update | Privacy Team | Legal | CPO + General Counsel | Web team |128| Breach notification | Incident Lead | Legal + DPO | CEO + General Counsel | Communications |129| Regulatory response | DPO | Legal | General Counsel | DPO |130| Marketing consent request | Marketing | Privacy Team | CPO | Marketing |131| Internal policy update | Privacy Team | Stakeholders | CPO | Internal comms |132133## Feedback Mechanisms134135### Privacy Perception Survey Template (Annual)1361371. How aware are you of our privacy practices? (1-5 scale)1382. How easy is it to find information about how we use your data? (1-5 scale)1393. How confident are you that we protect your personal data? (1-5 scale)1404. Have you exercised any privacy rights in the past 12 months? (Yes/No, which ones)1415. How satisfied were you with the response? (1-5 scale, if applicable)1426. What privacy improvements would you like to see? (Open text)1437. How likely are you to recommend us based on our privacy practices? (0-10 NPS)144145## Control Mapping146147| NIST PF COMMUNICATE | ISO 27701 | GDPR Article | APEC CBPR |148|---------------------|-----------|--------------|-----------|149| CM.AW-P1 | A.7.3.2 | Art. 12, 13, 14 | Principle 5 |150| CM.AW-P2 | A.7.3.8 | Art. 77 | Principle 9 |151| CM.AW-P3 | A.7.2.5 | Art. 12(1) | Principle 5 |152| CM.AW-P4 | A.7.5.3 | Art. 19 | Principle 7 |153| CM.AW-P7 | A.7.3.9 | Art. 34 | Principle 8 |154| CM.PO-P1 | A.7.3.2 | Art. 12 | Principle 5 |155| CM.PO-P2 | 5.3 | Art. 37-39 | Principle 9 |156157## References158159- NIST Privacy Framework Version 1.0 (January 16, 2020)160- Article 29 Working Party WP260 — Guidelines on Transparency161- EDPB Guidelines 04/2022 on Calculation of Administrative Fines162- ISO/IEC 29100:2011 — Privacy Framework (Privacy Principles)
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