Once you know which data privacy and protection laws pertain to your organization, the next step is to determine the tools you need to achieve and maintain compliance. There are many tools available to assist you, among them:
One thing all these tools have in common is the need for documentation. Documentation frames all of these tools by communicating, describing and explaining the various paths towards compliance.
In our webinar 4th of March 2021, we discussed the documentation necessary to achieve and maintain compliance with data protection legislation. The webinar, entitled Key Compliance Documentation, explores this vital documentation through the lens of Demonstrable Accountability. Demonstrable Accountability focuses on how documentation is the evidence you need to show that you are accountable regarding your responsibilities under data protection law and towards your customers and the trust they place in your organization.
In essence, data privacy and protection laws set your obligations when processing personal data and then demand accountability for meeting those obligations. In the GDPR, for example, accountability is a pivotal, central point upon which all other principles enshrined in the legislation rest. The GDPR explicitly describes accountability as the responsibility to demonstrate compliance. (GDPR, Art.5(2)) The way to demonstrate this compliance, and thereby be accountable, is through proper, well-maintained documentation.
Along with the webinar, we decided to create you a useful chart of the Key Compliance Documentation, along with GDPR references. You can download this chart here.