NATO’s Key Data Principles are the cornerstone of NATOs data governance framework. They are statements of intent with executive level support intended to shape the framework for all data-related initiatives such as policies, standards and processes. These principles set a clear standard for NATO data to promote trust among diverse stakeholders within the Alliance. Programmes that employ, generate, or create data are required to adhere to the Key Data Principles. This enables NATO to move in the same direction and encodes NATO values and culture into data-related decisions. (A complete guide is available at Appendix 2 of the Data Strategy for the Alliance.)