News

26 Apr 2018

One month until GDPR comes into effect

Come the 25 May 2018 new laws will come into place regarding General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR.

With the impending deadline, businesses of all sizes are reminded to ensure they have made the necessary changes to ensure they continue to abide by the new laws.

The arrival of GDPR will put the control of personal data back into the hands of the individual, allowing a number of rights including access to their data and the ability to withdraw it.

It also means that organisations must have a lawful reason to gather data, for example consent or a legitimate interest, and must prove that they are doing all they can to protect the data they do hold.

The law applies to any company that is targeting consumers in the European Union and holding or transporting data relating to them, meaning it has the potential to impact large and small business, including farmers who have diversified and small rural business owners.

Failing to comply with the new laws could see businesses fined as much as €20 million, or 4% of a company’s global annual turnover – a cost not worth thinking about.

With less than one month to go, here are some tips to help you on your GDPR compliance journey:

• Identify and document what personal data you currently hold e.g. email databases, booking details, client contact details
• Identify the lawful basis for processing personal data i.e. consent, contract, legitimate interest, legal obligation, vital interest, public task, special category data, criminal offence data
• Consider how the personal data you hold is kept safe and document this
• Review your current privacy policy and ensure this includes all the required information, including:
  • What information you are collecting
  • How this going to be used
  • How will it be kept secure
• Review how you seek, record and manage consent to hold personal data and implement any changes needed

For more information, visit The Business Barn’s overview of GDPR.

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