Digital Sovereignty and Information Management: How Do You Maintain Control Over Your Data?

In the first episode of the “Working Digitally and Safely” podcast, we sit down with Marco van Drogebroek, a business consultant at OneXillium. Together, we’ll explore digital autonomy as the foundation for working digitally and safely—and, most importantly, what you can do today to regain control of your information and meet tomorrow’s requirements.

Listen now on Spotify: Which cloud do you use for which processes?

Whereas organizations used to work primarily with documents, that has fundamentally changed today. Information is no longer confined to PDFs or files, but is spread across emails, chats, voice messages, and collaboration platforms.

That is why we are discussing enterprise information management today: an approach in which you manage information across the entire organization—not on a department-by-department basis, but as a whole. For example, an invoice never stands alone; it is part of a broader process involving communication and agreements. By maintaining that coherence, you gain greater insight and control.

When discussing cybersecurity, the focus is often on systems and data in applications such as ERP or CRM.

Nevertheless, a large portion of sensitive information resides outside those systems. Documents, emails, and other files often contain crucial information that is just as important to protect. Examples include contracts, internal communications, and employee data.

If that information isn't managed in a controlled manner, it creates a blind spot in your security.

The move to the cloud and the use of collaboration tools have led to a fragmented information landscape. Information is scattered across platforms such as Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, often without a clear structure.

The result? You lose track of things. Employees don’t always know where information is located, which version is the correct one, or who has access to it. This not only makes the process inefficient, but also increases security and compliance risks.

Digital sovereignty is often reduced to the question of where data is stored, but it’s also about control and dependence. What happens if prices change or regulations are amended? And to what extent do you still have influence over your own IT landscape?

More and more organizations are realizing that this is not purely a technical issue, but a strategic consideration regarding control and continuity.

Cloud solutions offer flexibility, but require careful consideration. Not every tool is suitable for every type of information. Collaboration tools such as SharePoint and Teams excel at handling day-to-day workflows, but are less suitable for information that must be retained for long periods or comply with strict regulations.

By consciously deciding which solution to use for each process, you create more structure and control.

An important insight is the difference between dynamic and static information. Collaboration tools are designed to operate flexibly, with documents constantly changing.

This is less suitable for business-critical information, which requires an environment where retention periods, authenticity, and compliance are ensured. It is therefore essential to make a clear distinction between working documents and archival information.

What becomes clear is that working securely in a digital environment is not just a matter of technology. It requires control over how information is created, stored, and shared. Only when policies, processes, and tools are aligned can you truly have control over your information.

Do you have a clear picture today of where your information is located? Do you know which systems you use and for what purposes? And can you demonstrate that you are managing your information properly?

If the answer isn't clear-cut, isn't that a clear sign that there's room for improvement?

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