GlobalTech Solutions, a multinational corporation specializing in advanced manufacturing, is facing significant challenges with data quality across its various departments and international subsidiaries. Recent regulatory changes in the European Union (EU) regarding data privacy and security necessitate immediate improvements in data governance and quality. The company\'s legacy systems, which have been in operation for over two decades, contain numerous data inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Furthermore, there is considerable resistance to change from department heads who are accustomed to their existing data management practices. A preliminary assessment reveals a lack of clear ownership and accountability for data quality, leading to fragmented efforts and duplicated data. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) has been tasked with implementing a comprehensive data quality management program aligned with ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023. Considering the complex interplay of regulatory compliance, legacy systems, organizational resistance, and lack of clear ownership, which of the following represents the MOST crucial initial step that GlobalTech Solutions should take to address these data quality challenges effectively?