How to Keep your Documents GDPR Compliant

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a law that protects personal data by setting strict rules on how your business collects, stores, and process it, ensuring privacy and security. Staying GDPR compliant is paramount to your business, keeping you legally bound to handle personal data correctly.

Failure to stay compliant may result in high volume fines, significant data breaches of sensitive information, and violations of the law, ultimately causing detrimental damage to a business, its future and reputation.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the best practices for maintaining GDPR compliance, explore secure document storage solutions, and share effective data protection strategies. Helping your business stay compliant, whilst providing the best service to your customers possible.

Understanding GDPR & Document Compliance

GDPR is a data protection law which was introduced by the European Union in 2018. It sets out strict rules on how businesses must handle personal data, ensuring individuals have more control over their personal data, and as a result maintain their privacy.

Key aspects of GDPR include:

Lawful processing
Data security
Retention and disposal
User rights
Fines for non-compliance

GDPR compliance is crucial for documents storage because it not only ensures that personal data is handled securely but also reduces the risk of data breaches, legal penalties, and reputational damage. Additionally, organisations must meet legal obligations as well as safeguard individual rights to privacy and data security. Ultimately, maintaining compliance helps to build trust with customers and strengthens overall data protection practices.

Types of documents covered by GDPR

Personal data
Employee records
Customer details

Best GDPR Compliant Document Storage Practices

To keep your documents secure, protected, and compliant, document storage providers actively implement a range of best practices. Additionally, they continuously update security measures to help stay ahead of potential risk and regulatory changes.

Physical Documents

Document storage providers actively protect physical documents by implementing a combination of security measures, environmental controls, and compliance protocols.

Best practices from storage providers to ensure physical document compliance:

Access-controlled storage units
CCTV Surveillance
Security personnel
Temperature controlled units
Fire-proof vaults
Access only to authorised personnel
Barcoding, digital tracking and regular audits
Confidential disposal and shredding

Digital Documents

Digital storage is kept safe through advanced security measures, keeping data protected and only accessible to authorised users.

Best practices ensuring compliance for digital documents:

End-to-end encryption
Multifactor authentication and restricted access
Regular data backups
Secure cloud storage
Cybersecure firewalls, intrusion detection systems and threat monitoring
Automated retention policies and secure deletion methods

GDPR Document Rentention and Disposal

Retention Policies

While GDPR doesn’t state a fixed retention period, businesses must keep personal data for as long as it is necessary for its intended purpose. Therefore, it is crucial for organisation to assess their data retention policies regularly.

Retention periods vary depending on the nature of the document, but above all, businesses may be legally required to keep documents/data anywhere from 30 days to 6 years or longer.

GDPR Compliant Document Disposal Methods

Shredding is the most secure method for disposing of physical documents under GDPR. It ultimately ensures sensitive personal data cannot be reconstructed or accessed after disposal.

How shredding ensures compliance

Micro-cutting methods ensure reconstruction of data is impossible.
Businesses can shred onsite or offsite with certified destruction services.
Shredding providers issue a certificate verifying secure disposal.
Locked bins are used to prevent any further unauthorised access.

However, erasing digital files securely is more complex than simply deleting a file, as data may still be recoverable, because of this further erasure processes may be needed.

Secure erasure methods:

Data wiping software overwrites data multiple times to prevent recovery.
Cryptographic erasure encrypts data before deletion, making it unreadable if accessed.
Physical destruction of hard drives may involve degaussing (magnetic erasure) or shredding of software.
Automated systems programmed to securely delete data once retention period expires.

Conducting Regular GDPR Complaint Audits

Regular audits are essential for ensuring your organisation continues to meet data protection standards. Audits may help to identify areas of improvement, help minimise risk and avoid potential penalties.

Consequently, it is important to have the correct tools and software for efficient and compliant document management. Key features to look for include secure storage, encryption, retention management, and audit trails.

Moreover, staff training also plays a key role in maintaining GDPR compliance. Properly trained employees are more likely to handle data correctly, avoid mistakes, and respond swiftly to potential issues.

This can be done through:

Regular training sessions
Role specific training
Phishing and cybersecurity awareness
Awareness of GDPR policies and procedures
Data breach response training

Did your know at Kelly's our online portal notifies you when your retention dates are coming up ensuring you securely and confidentially dispose of documents.

Common GDPR Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

There are three common mistakes businesses make that may jeopardise their compliance, negatively impacting their business.

Storing Documents Longer than Necessary

According to GDPR, personal data should only be kept for as long as necessary to fulfil its purpose. In turn if stored for longer than required, compliance issues, legal risk and unnecessary costs may arise.

This can be avoided by:

Implementing data retention policies
Automating data deletion
Conducting regular audits

Lack of Security Measures

Failure to implement adequate encryption and security protocols can put sensitive data at risk to cyber attacks, breaches and unauthorised access. Ultimately, violating GDPR’s data protection principles.

This can be avoided by:

Encrypting all sensitive data
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to limit access only to those authorised
Conduct vulnerability assessments and security audits
Cybersecurity training for all employees

Not Updating Policies in Line with New Regulations

It’s important to stay up to date with GDPR laws as compliance is an ongoing process. Failure to do so may expose you to risk and potential fines.

This can be avoided by:

Staying informed by regularly review updates
Updating and revisiting privacy policies
Employee training and awareness on new policies
Regular compliance audits

Conclusion

Staying GDPR compliant is essential for any business handling personal data. One of the most important ways to achieve this is by utilising secure storage. Furthermore, implementing clear retention policies and conducting regular audits can significantly minimise potential risks.

Therefore, regularly reviewing your document storage practices is crucial to maintaining compliance and mitigating any risks that could negatively impact your business.

At Kelly’s Records Management, we provide comprehensive storage solutions ensuring that even your most sensitive documents are kept secure and GDPR complaint. Whether you need secure storage or efficient document management, our services are specifically designed to not only protect your data but also streamline your operations effectively. Additionally, we prioritise both security and accessibility, giving you peace of mind while maintaining efficiency.

Ensure your Business Stays GDPR Compliant with Kelly's Records Management

Our secure document storage solutions protect your sensitive data, help you manage retention policies, and simplify compliance. Get in touch today to safeguard your records and streamline your operations!