GDPR Compliance

GDPR Compliance

If your organization processes data of EU citizens—regardless of where you’re located—GDPR applies to you. With penalties up to €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue (whichever is higher), GDPR compliance isn’t optional. But beyond avoiding fines, GDPR represents data privacy best practices that benefit all your customers.

What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the EU’s comprehensive data protection law that took effect in May 2018. It applies to any organization processing personal data of EU residents, regardless of the organization’s location.

GDPR’s Scope:

  • Territorial: Applies globally to processors of EU data
  • Material: Covers all personal data processing (automated or manual)
  • Organizational: Applies to both controllers and processors

Core GDPR Principles

1. Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency

Process data legally, fairly, and transparently to the data subject.

2. Purpose Limitation

Collect data for specified, explicit, legitimate purposes only.

3. Data Minimization

Collect only what’s necessary for the stated purpose.

4. Accuracy

Keep personal data accurate and up-to-date.

5. Storage Limitation

Keep data only as long as necessary.

6. Integrity and Confidentiality

Protect data through appropriate security measures.

7. Accountability

Demonstrate compliance through documentation and governance.

Key GDPR Requirements

Every processing activity must have a legal basis:

  • Consent
  • Contract performance
  • Legal obligation
  • Vital interests
  • Public task
  • Legitimate interests

Data Subject Rights

GDPR grants individuals eight rights:

  1. Right to be informed: Transparent privacy notices
  2. Right of access: Provide copies of personal data
  3. Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate data
  4. Right to erasure: “Right to be forgotten”
  5. Right to restrict processing: Limit how data is used
  6. Right to data portability: Provide data in machine-readable format
  7. Right to object: Stop certain processing activities
  8. Rights related to automated decision-making: Human review of automated decisions

Data Protection by Design and Default

Build privacy into systems and processes from the start, not as an afterthought.

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA)

Required for high-risk processing activities—systematic evaluation of privacy risks and mitigation measures.

Breach Notification

Report breaches to supervisory authority within 72 hours; notify affected individuals without undue delay for high-risk breaches.

Data Protection Officer (DPO)

Required for:

  • Public authorities
  • Large-scale systematic monitoring
  • Large-scale processing of sensitive data

Our GDPR Services

GDPR Readiness Assessment

Comprehensive gap analysis against GDPR requirements with prioritized remediation roadmap.

Data Mapping and Inventory

Document what personal data you collect, where it’s stored, how it’s processed, and with whom it’s shared.

Privacy Policy Development

Create GDPR-compliant privacy notices that are clear, concise, and accessible.

Implement systems to capture, track, and manage consent across all processing activities.

Data Subject Rights Management

Establish processes and tools to respond to data subject requests within required timeframes (typically 30 days).

Security Controls Implementation

Technical and organizational measures to protect personal data:

  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Network security and segmentation
  • Backup and disaster recovery
  • Security monitoring and incident response

Vendor Management

Ensure third-party processors comply with GDPR through Data Processing Agreements (DPA) and due diligence.

Employee Training

Comprehensive GDPR training for all staff handling personal data.

Breach Response Planning

Documented procedures for detecting, investigating, and reporting data breaches.

GDPR + Other Regulations

GDPR + HIPAA

Healthcare organizations with EU patients need both. Privacy requirements overlap but aren’t identical.

GDPR + CCPA

California Consumer Privacy Act has similar principles. Unified approach possible with some jurisdiction-specific elements.

GDPR + Other EU Member State Laws

GDPR is supplemented by member state laws—understand specific country requirements.

Common GDPR Mistakes

Relying Solely on Consent: Consent is just one legal basis and often not the best choice for B2B processing.

Inadequate Privacy Notices: Generic, unclear privacy policies don’t satisfy transparency requirements.

Ignoring Vendor Processing: Your vendors’ GDPR compliance (or lack thereof) is your responsibility.

No DPIA for High-Risk Processing: Required for certain activities—failure to conduct is a violation.

Insufficient Breach Procedures: 72-hour notification deadline is tight—you need pre-built processes.

GDPR for US Companies

You Need GDPR If:

  • You have EU customers or website visitors
  • You offer goods/services to EU residents
  • You monitor behavior of EU residents
  • You process data of EU employees

Even Without EU Presence: GDPR applies based on data subjects’ location, not your company’s location.

Get GDPR Compliant

Need GDPR Compliance Support?

Schedule a free GDPR assessment. We'll determine if GDPR applies to you, assess your current state, and provide a clear roadmap to compliance.

Schedule Assessment Email GDPR Team

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