Generally Accepted Records management Principles*
                                                  (GARP)

 

Principle of Accountability:
An organization shall assign a senior executive who will oversee a recordkeeping program and delegate program responsibility to appropriate individuals, adopt policies and procedures to guide personnel, and ensure program auditability.

 

Principle of Integrity:
A recordkeeping program shall be constructed so the records and information generated or managed by or for the organization have a reasonable and suitable guarantee of authenticity and reliability.

 

Principle of Protection:
A recordkeeping program shall be constructed to ensure a reasonable level of protection to records and information that are private, confidential, privileged, secret, or essential to business continuity.

 

Principle of Compliance:
A recordkeeping program shall be constructed to comply with applicable laws and other binding authorities, as well as the organization's policies.

 

Principle of Availability:
An organization shall maintain records in a manner that ensures timely, efficient, and accurate retrieval of needed information.

 

Principle of Retention:
An organization shall maintain its records and information for an appropriate time, taking into account legal, regulatory, fiscal, operational, and historical requirements.

 

Principle of Disposition:
An organization shall provide secure and appropriate disposition for records that are no longer required to be maintained by applicable laws and the organization's policies.

 

Principle of Transparency:
The processes and activities of an organization's recordkeeping program shall be documented in an understandable manner and be available to all personnel and appropriate interested parties.

 

*To access the complete document entitled "ARMA International Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles (GARP) , please see ARMA_GARP.pdf