When I tell people that I spent a year helping a large multinational company implement their GDPR strategy, the general response is "poor you", either in words or body language.
This is odd to me, because I really enjoyed the work helping a company transition from where it was into a situation that reflected the current legislation.
OK, maybe there were days that didn't fly by, but the majority of time we were making huge strides in the implementation of the European and associated UK legislation.
So what does GDPR mean for the future?
My summation is that every organisation needs to treat the personal data it stores with respect.
To only capture that data which is really required and only keep it for as long as is necessary. Added to this is the principle that a person is required to opt in to say marketing for this to occur and it seems quite straight forward.
The lawful grounds for data being captured are;
If a company cannot prove that the data they are holding or capturing falls into one of these categories, it should consider whether it is legal to do so.
Much has also been spoken about the right of people to be forgotten. This is also a legal requirement as long as this does not contradict another regulation. For example an invoice between you and a company must beheld for 7 years during which time the GDPR right for erasure is superseded. Once this time limit has been exceeded, GDPR rules say that the invoice should be deleted anyway regardless of any request from the customer.
Finally as a key point - only use the data for the purpose it was collected for i.e. don't market a new service to a person on the basis of a previous relationship.
The principle I would suggest be applied is "how would I feel if I as the customer or employee if the company did this to my data?"
If the answer is in any way in doubt, check before proceeding.
Throughout my extensive career, I have worked in a variety of industries and in combination with my out-of-work activities provide an excellent choice for a Non-Executive Director for a wide range of…
