This task removes who said what from a voluntary monitoring survey. The Equality Act 2010 backs the use of such surveys. Pay-gap reports also rest on grouped totals, kept apart from hiring. anonym.plus marks names and direct fields on your device. So the survey can guide analytics, yet name no one.
When this applies
A voluntary survey may tie an answer to a name or an email. You strip the direct field so replies stay grouped only.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the survey data in anonym.plus on your device.
- The app scans each response for direct identifiers.
- It marks names, emails, and staff references.
- Confirm the markings and keep the demographic fields.
- Turn the alias map OFF for irreversible removal.
- Save the cleaned dataset locally.
What you need to provide
- The survey data (CSV, XLSX, or PDF).
- An operator (Redact for true removal).
- The alias map turned OFF for true anonymity.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | respondent name → [RESPONDENT] |
| Origin | NRP | self-ID field → [DEMOGRAPHIC] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | work email → [EMAIL] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | staff NINO → [NINO] |
| Location | LOCATION | office site → [LOCATION] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | submit date → [DATE] |
Compliance achieved
- Keeps monitoring data apart from hiring under the Equality Act 2010.
- Preserves demographic fields for aggregate analytics and pay-gap reporting.
- Offline work keeps respondent identity off any server.
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Limitations & cautions
A small office plus a rare characteristic can re-identify one respondent. Aggregate or suppress tiny cells before you publish a chart, so no person is singled out under the motivated-intruder test.
Frequently asked questions
Why separate monitoring data from hiring?
Equality monitoring under the Equality Act 2010 is voluntary and kept apart from decisions. Stripping identity supports that separation.
How do I avoid re-identifying small groups?
Bucket or suppress cells with few respondents. The app removes direct references; you control aggregation.
Is the data uploaded?
No. The app runs locally, so survey responses stay on your device.