While most of us have heard of data protection regulations, fewer are aware of their scope and the implications they have for almost all businesses. It is important that companies are aware of their obligations under the legislation and get themselves fully compliant. Any business caught failing to comply can expect some pretty hefty fines, so here is our brief summary to put you in the picture.
1) Understanding the law. The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) Legislation came into force in May 2018 throughout the EU. The law aimed to further safeguard people’s privacy in the digital age. It covered not just the EU but any company trading in or with the EU. Since then, of course, Britain has left the EU, but the legislation remained, albeit with a few minor changes. The law states, in essence, that any personal information you ask for from a customer or employee must only be used for the purposes for which you requested it and that the data must be disposed of in a secure way.
2) Data Protection Officer. Under the legislation, every company will need a person who is responsible for handling personal data, and companies that store large amounts of personal data will need an appointed DPO (Data Protection Officer).
Building in good practice.
3) Security. While cyber security is critical in protecting data, physical data or paper data needs to be taken care of too. You will need to plan the procedures to deal with it, such as secure storage, and make staff aware of it and their obligations.
4) Data Shredding. Get a professional company to deal with your data shredding and disposal. It’s one less thing to worry about, and you can be sure of its secure disposal without the risks of fines, companies such as https://www.printwaste.co.uk/confidential-shredding/confidential-shredding-swindon specialise in confidential waste disposal Swindon and elsewhere.
5) Staff working from home. Since the Covid pandemic, many firms still have staff working from home, full-time or part-time, so if any data or paperwork is taken home, a code of practice should be in place to keep everything as secure as in the office.
Finally, while it may seem daunting, once you have systems in place, good cyber security and a company to deal with your paper data securely, things should run smoothly.
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