GDPR: the months after….

We don’t know about you but we for our part have experienced the aftermath of the GDPR implementation as quite hectic and somewhat confusing. The initial panic that got the best of most of us was followed by a tsunami of organisations offering to make everyone GDPR-proof. Now, over two months later, only a handful of companies seems to have availed themselves of these services. DIY seems to be the way to go. However, creating and ultimately riding a bike requires more than just manufacturing all separate parts.

DIY approach

We assume that insufficient capacity of controlling authorities is at least part of the explanation. After all, there seems to be little chance of being caught, especially since we are still waiting for the first ‘big fish’ to be sanctioned. And then there is money of course! In general, large companies and multinationals have meanwhile hired a DPO to take care of the job. SMEs in turn, having more limited means to spend, feel compelled to whip up some kind of methodology on their own. The market is now flooded with all kinds of GDPR compliance tools, templates and schemes to draw up your very own processing agreements, including the use of ‘open GDPR’.

A fresh pair of eyes

Such templates potentially represent the first step in the right direction. As no two organisations are completely alike however, standards always need substantial tweaking to match each individual organisation. In this context, we appreciate the efforts of several law firms to organise workshops to explain how to use these standards in more detail. Last but not least, there is the human factor: your (and our) staff. Without sufficient awareness among your employees, GDPR compliance is not yet within reach. A fresh pair of eyes in the form of trainings can accelerate this process significantly. When combined with auditing services, you can kill two birds with one stone.

Rooted in the world of data integrity and auditing, we are more than capable of being of assistance. To put it in cycling terms: we have the parts, the bikes and the mileage it takes to help you cross the finish line!

Please contact Petrik Cuijpers for more information.