Beyond compliance: turning data regulation into a strategic advantage

In recent years, those of us who work in technology and innovation have watched data become far more than a tool: it is now the core of the relationships of trust and power inside companies and across society.

But it hasn't been an easy road. Seeing how some organizations exploited data without transparency made us realize something was fundamentally wrong: an invisible but powerful pact between companies and people had been broken.

Technology and data have given us enormous potential to personalize, predict and optimize the way we relate to each other digitally. Around the world, a window has opened to take that power forward ethically.

In Chile, the new data protection legislation and the Open Finance system have arrived as a call to reorganize how we handle personal information, an opportunity for companies to show they are agents of positive change and not simply extractors of private value.

A new era for corporate purpose

The transformation the business sector needs goes beyond regulatory compliance.

Today, complying with the law is the starting point, but the key is to go beyond that compliance and restore prestige and trust. This is not only about avoiding fines or following imposed rules; it is about redefining corporate purpose in a world where data and privacy have taken on new value.

For companies, seizing this opportunity means innovating in transparency and communication. Opening the doors and building an authentic relationship with users: what information do you need from them? What will you use it for? How long will you keep it? Simple questions, but invaluable ones for restoring a bond of trust. This is the essential step leaders need to take.

And not only because it is the right thing to do, but because today it is also a competitive advantage.

From risk to profitability: the value of doing things right

Meeting the new regulations gives companies much more than risk avoidance; it opens a path to profitability in a context of limited economic growth. Ethical, transparent data management can become a distinguishing mark, a reason for consumers to choose one company over another. We are at a moment when a commitment to privacy and information security is an invaluable asset.

The Open Finance law, with its high security standards and consent requirements, is a clear example of how respect for privacy and consumer rights is not only necessary but also strategic. Transparency and respect for user data are already values of our time, as Tironi puts it in his latest book, “La Justificación de la Empresa y el Nuevo Capitalismo”. Companies that lead in this field will not only improve their reputation; they will build stronger long-term relationships with customers, generate more loyalty and open new business opportunities under a more collaborative and open financial system.

Rebuilding trust: a call to action for business leaders

History shows us that the crisis of trust facing the business sector is nothing new, but it is a renewed opportunity to do things differently. Tironi points out that the extreme focus on economic value, inspired by the Friedman doctrine, pushed aside the social dimensions every company should value, and that in Chile it was taken as dogma. Now, with a new capitalism in view, we are called to make a real turn toward a model that puts responsibility, transparency and respect first.

If you lead an organization, the challenge is clear: lead with purpose, take an ethical approach to data management and show that your company can be an agent of change. Profitability and sustainable growth will not come from commercial strategy or operational efficiency alone; they will come from a genuine commitment to users' privacy, security and trust. This is the moment to take on the role that, as Tironi rightly notes, modern capitalism is looking for to justify its existence in society.

This is the moment to create value and trust

Today, more than ever, companies have a unique opportunity to redefine their purpose and create value in an authentic, sustainable way. By adopting these changes as strategic pillars rather than mere requirements, organizations will not only comply with the law; they will become models to follow in an increasingly digital and conscious economy.

The transformation is inevitable, and the question we should be asking is not whether we will comply with the regulation, but how we will turn it into a competitive advantage and a symbol of ethical profitability. In a world that demands transparency and accountability, this is the moment for companies to show they can be more than engines of profit; they can be the agents of change society needs.