Data Privacy Strategy and GDPR Implementation
Data privacy is both a legal obligation and increasingly a customer expectation and competitive differentiator. Organisations that treat personal data with respect — collecting only what's needed, using it transparently, and protecting it effectively — build trust that translates to customer loyalty and reduced regulatory risk.
GDPR Fundamentals
- Lawful basis: Every processing activity must have a lawful basis — consent, legitimate interest, contract performance, legal obligation, vital interest, or public task
- Data minimisation: Collect only the personal data that is necessary for the stated purpose
- Purpose limitation: Use data only for the purposes for which it was collected
- Data subject rights: Right to access, rectify, erase, port, and restrict processing of their data — must be technically implementable
- Breach notification: Notify the ICO within 72 hours of discovering a personal data breach
Privacy by Design
Privacy by Design (Ann Cavoukian) is the principle of embedding privacy into system architecture from the start. Technical implementations: pseudonymisation and anonymisation, data minimisation in schema design, automatic data retention and deletion, access control that limits who can see what personal data, and audit logs for personal data access.
Data Protection Impact Assessments
A DPIA (Data Protection Impact Assessment) is required for high-risk processing activities. It evaluates the necessity and proportionality of the processing, identifies risks to data subjects, and identifies controls to mitigate those risks. DPIAs are good practice for any significant new data processing capability.