Understanding GDPR Compliance for SMEs in the Liverpool Region

What is GDPR?

GDPR is the legislation that sent shockwaves through boardrooms and IT departments back in 2018. The General Data Protection Regulation protects individuals’ personal data. It requires organisations to be transparent and accountable about how a person’s data is collected, stored and used, giving individuals more control.

While the hype over GDPR may have diminished since it was first introduced in 2018, GDPR regulations are still very much in force. Liverpool SMEs will ignore GDPR at their peril, particularly when the catastrophic fines for the misuse of personal data can be too devastating for some SMEs to withstand.

Data handling is an IT issue. GDPR compliance now influences how an SME’s IT infrastructure is constructed and managed.

E2E Technologies is a managed IT service provider. Here, we provide a guide to GDPR for Liverpool businesses, explaining key requirements and common challenges, and how robust managed IT support can help to keep your Liverpool based SME GDPR compliant.

Why GDPR compliance matters to your Liverpool based SME

GDPR gives individuals certain rights when it comes to their personal data.

• They have the ‘right to access’ information about the data your organisation holds about them and how it will be used.
• They also have the ‘right to erasure’, which means they can make you delete their information, even if they want to remain a customer.
• At the point of data collection, each individual has the ‘right to be informed’ that their data will be used by your company.
• Individuals also have the ‘right to restrict processing’ of their data.
• They have the ‘right to rectification’ if any of the information is incorrect.
• The ‘right to data portability’ means individuals can obtain and reuse the personal data you hold for their own purposes.
• Individuals have the ‘right to object’ to their personal data being processed under certain circumstances.
• The ‘rights related to automated decision making including profiling’ cover automated decisions made without human involvement.

GDPR compliance matters to SMEs because it enforces their obligation to protect the data of all customers and stakeholders from incidents which result in their personal data being stolen or sold. Transparent and accountable data storage is key, as is the ability to report and demonstrate compliance at all times, not just in the event of an incident.

Breaches and data loss can result in heavy fines, which can lead to bankruptcy, or at the very least damage a company’s reputation.

Key Requirements of GDPR Compliance for SMEs

Data processing

Companies with fewer than 250 employees only need to keep records of data processing activities if they regularly process personal data, or the data is sensitive, contains criminal records or threatens individuals’ rights.

While larger businesses must now appoint a Data Protection Officer, SMEs must only do so if data processing is the primary function of the business. That said, it would reduce the risk of falling short on GDPR compliance if someone within the business is nominated to be responsible for data.

Consent

You must be able to audit how data comes into your business and prove that you have the consent of individuals to hold it. GDPR consent stipulates that the individual freely agrees to you storing and processing their data in the way in which you have told them it will be used. Without explicit consent, you cannot collect and store an individual’s data.

Importantly, this consent includes conditional data collection, where data is collected as a condition of using a service. If you are unable to prove consent, you could be faced with a hefty fine.

Data controllers and data processors

SMEs must appoint data controllers and processors, either internally or through a third-party provider. A data controller determines how and why personal data is collected. They are responsible for ensuring the business is GDPR compliant. The data processor is responsible for processing the data on behalf of the data controller, ensuring that appropriate levels of security are always in place.

Common GDPR compliance challenges for SMEs

Limited resources

The implementation of GDPR compliance measures requires resources such as finance, technology and people, which SMEs often lack.

Limited awareness

Many SMEs have only a basic knowledge of what GDPR is and how it applies to their businesses. This leads to breaches or misinterpretations of the regulations.

Data collection

SMEs must identify and map all the data they store, which is time-consuming. They must also minimise the amount of data they collect – only collecting the data that is necessary for their pre-determined purpose. This requires specific skills or training and adequate resources.

Managing consent

Consent is key to GDPR. SMEs need the time and resources to implement robust consent policies and processes that are clear and allow individuals to easily withdraw consent at any time.

Data security

Once collected, SMEs must protect individuals’ data from cyberattacks or other data loss. Encryption, access controls and security audits are all options for doing this, but SMEs usually don’t have the skillsets for implementing them.

Breach response plan

A breach response plan is required to ensure there are no barriers to swiftly informing the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that a breach has taken place, with all the necessary information immediately available. Without trained staff, SMEs are unlikely to know how to implement or manage this.

Implementing GDPR-compliant solutions through managed IT services

E2E Technologies supports a wide range of Liverpool based SME clients through managed IT services. We design and implement data solutions that keep SMEs on the right side of GDPR compliance.

We take on the role of data processors and data controllers, depending on your specific requirements. Our teams learn about your organisation to fully understand what is required of your IT infrastructure for GDPR compliance.

E2E Technologies GDPR compliance services include data mapping and inventory, cybersecurity packages, access controls, management of individuals’ rights and handling of consent.

Our expert teams can conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for processing activities that are high risk for data security. We can also implement robust incident response planning.

Critically, E2E Technologies keeps up to date with changes in data protection legislation to ensure you always comply with GDPR.

If you’re an SME with limited resources and/or knowledge of GDPR, our services provide the support and reassurance you need at a fraction of the cost of creating a GDPR team in house.

Speak to E2E Technologies about GDPR compliance support across Liverpool

Get in touch with E2E Technologies by calling 0151 203 2040. Alternatively, please complete an enquiry form on our website.