Survey: Noncompliance for 30% of EU Businesses Under GDPR

Thirty percent of European businesses are at risk of GDPR penalties because they are still not ready for the new EU privacy law which went into effect last May, according to the findings of a survey conducted by a group of tax audit advisors.

The survey results found that only 57 percent of respondents were confident of their GDPR compliance, while 13 percent were unsure one way or the other.

The results were compiled from two separate surveys in 2019 which collected a total of 967 responses. The “majority” of respondents have engaged with European Business Awards and are middle market European businesses with annual revenue of less than 100 million pounds.

Survey respondents selected a number of reasons for the noncompliance, including a lack of understanding of when consent is required, how to monitor the use of personal data, and the procedures required to govern third-party supplier contracts.

In addition, 21 percent of businesses admitted they have no cybersecurity strategy. This month, The UK data protection authority ICO announced plans to fine British Airways around $230 million and Marriott $124 million for insufficient security practices that resulted in data breaches.

Are you one of the thirty percent that need help? Here are three steps that your organization can take to begin the process.

1. Read the rules.

An in-depth understanding of GDPR compliance begins by reading the text. Although their are many nuances, the GDPR articles and published DPA guidance provide a great deal of direction. Alternatively, Clarip conducts regular webinars in order to help companies get a better understanding of the new data privacy requirements.

2. Begin data mapping.

Most privacy compliance begins with understanding your organization’s data collection, usage, and third-party data sharing. This is usually accomplished through a process known as data mapping. Whether you choose Clarip’s automated software solution or conduct manual surveys to collect the necessary knowledge of your organization’s possession of personal information, a plan to gather and update the information about a business’ data is needed to convey to consumers (and authorities) an organization’s privacy practices.

3. Implement enterprise privacy software.

Take a demo of our privacy software by calling 1-888-252-5653 to schedule an appointment today.