Information governance services
Information Asset Register
Identify information assets across the organisation
Record ownership and storage locations
Understand information value and risk
Consultation with business and information owners
Identification of systems and storage locations
Documentation of responsibilities and risks
A practical structure for ongoing maintenance
Improve visibility and control of your information
Know what you hold
Create an organisation-wide view of the information your teams create, receive and manage across business systems and storage locations.
Clarify responsibility
Identify the teams, roles and information owners responsible for managing each asset and making decisions about its use and protection.
Identify information risks
Recognise information that could expose the organisation to significant operational, legal, security or reputational risk if it were lost, unavailable or compromised.
Respond to information requests
Knowing where information is stored helps teams locate relevant content for Freedom of Information, Right to Information and other formal requests.
Strengthen business continuity
Identify information that is essential to critical business activities so it can be appropriately protected, accessed and recovered when needed.
Plan organisational change
Understand which information assets, systems and teams may be affected by technology projects, restructures or changes to business processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Information Asset Register?
An Information Asset Register, or IAR, is a structured record of an organisation's information assets. It documents what information is held, where it is stored, who is responsible for it and the governance or risk requirements associated with it.
What is an information asset?
An information asset is a collection of information that has value to an organisation. Examples can include customer or employee information, financial records, contracts, property information, operational data, policies and corporate records.
Why does an organisation need an Information Asset Register?
An Information Asset Register provides visibility over information held across the organisation. It supports ownership, risk management, compliance, business continuity and better planning for projects or organisational change.
What information should an Information Asset Register contain?
An Information Asset Register may include the asset name and description, business owner, responsible team, storage location, supporting system, information sensitivity, business value, risks, retention requirements and access controls. Its contents should be tailored to the organisation's needs.
How does an Information Asset Register support information governance?
An Information Asset Register creates a central view of information ownership, location, value and risk. This helps organisations assign responsibility and make consistent decisions about how information should be protected, retained, accessed and managed.
How can an Information Asset Register help with risk management?
The register helps identify information that may create significant consequences if it is lost, unavailable, disclosed without authorisation or otherwise compromised. This allows the organisation to prioritise appropriate controls and risk treatments.
Can an Information Asset Register assist with FOI or RTI requests?
Yes. Recording where information is held and which teams are responsible for it can help organisations locate relevant information more efficiently when responding to Freedom of Information or Right to Information requests.
How does an Information Asset Register support business continuity?
An Information Asset Register can identify information that is critical to essential business activities, where it is stored and who is responsible for it. This helps inform continuity, recovery and protection planning.
How does FYB develop an Information Asset Register?
FYB works with stakeholders to identify information assets and document their ownership, location, value, risks and management requirements. We then develop a structured register that reflects the organisation and can be maintained over time.
Can FYB review an existing Information Asset Register?
Yes. FYB can review and update an existing register to address missing or outdated information, improve consistency and ensure it continues to reflect the organisation's systems, responsibilities and governance requirements.
How often should an Information Asset Register be reviewed?
An Information Asset Register should be reviewed regularly and whenever significant changes occur, such as the introduction or retirement of a system, organisational restructuring, new business functions or changes to information risks and responsibilities.
