The Ultimate GDPR Checklist For Your Business Processes
It’s been nearly 4 months since GDPR hit the stage and became a legal requirement. And contrary to what the internet would have you believe; the world didn’t end! Business still goes on as usual, and it wasn’t quite such a scary process after all. But for many businesses, they still aren’t sure if they are 100% compliant with the GDPR. After all, there’s a lot to it (and you can read it all here), and it can be difficult to work out what you need to do, particularly when it comes to your own processes. But don’t worry, that’s where we come in. At Scaleup Solutions, we can help you understand if your processes are GDPR compliant with this handy checklist, and what to do if they aren’t.
Why Do My Processes Need To Be Compliant?
Well, the first reason is that you have to – it’s a legal requirement. But there is also no doubt that businesses who have embraced GDPR now have a competitive advantage over those who haven’t. Customers want to work with and buy from businesses who are professional, up to date and prioritise the security of their data. But the hidden silver lining is that, in becoming GDPR compliant, a lot of businesses have also become more efficient and cost-effective. And honestly, making sure your processes are GDPR compliant isn’t as scary as it sounds. That’s why we’ve put together this simple checklist to help you identify where you can improve your processes.
Check Process Compliance: First things first, break down each of your business processes and identify where they handle sensitive data about customers, suppliers or employees (which is all protected under GDPR). You can do this on a piece of paper, on a spreadsheet or in a process management program, the aim is the same. Once you have identified where the data comes in, track how it travels through the process, and how close to GDPR compliant its handling is now. You may find that some of your processes are already compliant, while others need a lot of changes to bring them up to scratch. You can then document all the new data protection changes, including risks and controls, into your process diagrams.
Update Terms & Conditions: This is the area a lot of businesses missed out in their initial GDPR rush. Go back and find out if your terms and conditions are up to date with how you work now, and if they are compliant with GDPR. This is a good time to check your consent forms and other legal documents, and update them if need be. This is the first touchpoint with your business processes for a lot of customers, so it’s important to get them right for a solid start.
Make Sure Your Team Is Informed And Prepared: Your team are a key part of your processes, since they are the ones who will be managing and doing them! So make sure your employees are all aware of what GDPR means to the business, and how it will impact their day to day working practices. The best way you can do this is by creating a central knowledge repository for them to refer to, share information and save process knowledge. This will also force you to document your processes fully, which often highlights gaps.
Optimise Business Processes: Don’t forget, your processes still need to function properly once they are GDPR compliant, so don’t just adjust them and leave them alone. Make sure you are testing your new process models, and creating documentation that explains those changes for your employees.
Ensure Timely Notification Of Data Breaches: One of the big things GDPR demands is that you notify the ICO within 24 hours if you do suffer a data breach. So now, you need a process in place to ensure that data breaches are discovered and reported in a timely manner. If you can, automate processes to inform the relevant authorities in line with the new deadlines. This will keep you out of hot water with the ICO and give your business a consistent approach.
Can You Comply With Customer Demands: Of course, it’s not just the ICO you have to answer to. Now, customers can also demand to see the information you hold on them, and that you delete all trace of it if they ask you to. For a lot of businesses this can pose a challenge, particularly when data is stored in lots of different apps and platforms. To manage this, you need to create a process around dealing with these requests, including finding the information and deleting it.
At Scaleup Solutions, we help business owners improve their processes across the board. That means we don’t just help you achieve greater efficiency, but we also make sure you stay on the right side of the regulations as well. GDPR has made a lot of businesses take time to focus on their internal policies, processes and general information management, and many have seen improvements because of it.
If you’d like someone to help guide you through your processes, ensure they are compliant and performing the way you need them to, we’d love to help. Just get in touch with the team today for your free consultation.