The clock is about to strike midnight. GDPR is nearly here. Is your house in order?
As you’ve surely heard, beginning May 25, the European Commission will require all companies processing data of European Union (EU) citizens to adhere to new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy practices. This represents an enormous shift from the way data has been collected and utilized in the past, significantly altering how sales and marketing professionals will be able to use data moving forward.
As GDPR applies to all companies that capture, process and/or store data on EU citizens, it will impact companies globally. Whether you’re based in the EU or not, if you’re selling into the EU, you’re at risk of significant fines for violations of the GDPR.
Before moving any further, please understand that the information contained in this document should not be interpreted, in any way, as legal advice. Nor is it intended to educate you on the nitty gritty details of GDPR. Rather, this document is a checklist of sorts, helping you to identify whether you have plans in place for some of GDPR’s most significant requirements.
The measures on this list should already be completed. Are they?
- Is everyone in your organization aware of GDPR? Do they have a sufficient understanding? This pertains to everyone, from your high-level executives down to your entry-level sales staff and IT personnel.
- Do you currently own personal data of EU citizens? Is your current data salvageable? Meticulously comb your current data and categorize it.
- Can you prove consent? Be prepared for an audit; review and improve how you obtain and record consent.
- Are your privacy notices revised to comply with GDPR? Do you have a legal basis for collecting personal data? GDPR strictly regulates not just what your policy includes, but how you say it.
Was this checklist helpful? Would you like a more complete checklist? Read 11th Hour Prep for GDPR – Are You Prepared for a more extensive, more detailed version. We sincerely hope that your company is prepared for GDPR rollout on May 25, and that our checklist helped you to feel good about your preparation efforts.
If you still have concerns, ITEM Media, publisher of Interference Technology and Electronics Cooling, has partnered with OneTrust to help provide our clients with tools for GDPR compliance, such as for obtaining cookie consent and for receiving and managing Data Subject Access Rights (DSAR). To request more information on ITEM Media’s partnership with OneTrust, email Graham Kilshaw at graham@lectrixgroup.com.