In data security and privacy: The assurance that information has not been altered, corrupted, or tampered with by unauthorized parties. Data integrity ensures that information remains accurate, complete, and consistent throughout its lifecycle, from creation to storage, processing, and transmission—essential for reliable decision-making, regulatory compliance, and operational trust.
In business and ethics: The assurance that organizational principles, commitments, and practices have not been altered, corrupted, or compromised by external pressures, competitive dynamics, or convenient opportunities. Business integrity ensures that values, promises, and actions remain accurate, complete, and consistent throughout the organization’s lifecycle—from investor selection and product development to customer relationships, pricing practices, and partnership decisions. Maintaining organizational integrity is crucial for building sustainable trust, fostering long-term relationships, and ensuring that stakeholder expectations align with actual business conduct.
Why they’re connected: Gandhi’s concept of Satyagraha (truth force) revealed these as the same principle. Just as data integrity means information doesn’t get altered based on who’s accessing it or what’s convenient, organizational integrity means commitments don’t get corrupted by pressure or circumstance. You cannot outsource data integrity to a vendor who lacks organizational integrity—the two are inseparable.