Managing Secure Document Storage to Comply with GDPR  Back

If you manage a business, there’s a high chance that you will have heard of and been affected by GDPR. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect from May 2019, standing as data protection and privacy legislation across the EU.   

Down to concern over privacy breaches and risks, regulations have clamped down on the misuse and circulation of personal data, indefinitely impacting how businesses collect, store and dispose of such data.  

There’s a high chance that you may have made some changes to your ways of working. Yet are you aware of the importance of secure document storage and how effective actions can comply with GDPR? 

While complex in some unique ways, as universal guidance, there are some steps to consider when managing secure document storage to comply with GDPR. Here’s some insight into GDPR regulations, along with how you can safeguard documentation and the privacy of your customers/clients through secure document storage solutions, offered here at Secure Storage Services.  

What is GDPR? 

Ultimately, GDPR is a fairly new set of regulations that protects personal data and privacy. Regulations highlight changes within how companies collect, store and dispose of customer/client data to reduce data breaches and risks.  

For customers/clients, GDPR is a positive step in the right direction, offering opt-in actions to file personal data for marketing and business purposes. Providing structure and safeguarding measures for companies, GDPR is both beneficial and a headache, down to the new processes that it promotes within secure document storage.  

Once a stable process is in place, GDPR compliance strategies can be easy to maintain. Yet, to reach this point, many companies will need to look internally and question ‘what type of files need secure storage?’ and ‘how can I follow GDPR principles?’. If that’s you, keep reading to understand the importance of GDPR compliance, along with implementing such processes within your document management solutions.  

The importance of secure document storage 

Storing documentation to comply with GDPR is very important, as legislations carry GDPR penalties and fines. To breach GDPR will mean that personal data has been leaked, that data has been used without consent, that data has been stored for longer than regulations allow, that data has been used unsuitably, and that privacy and security have been overlooked.  

It’s very important to be aware of and understand GDPR principles, and subsequently how to store documents securely, as a breach can result in a significant fine of 2-4% of a company’s global annual turnover.  

As GDPR breaches can be complex, cases are usually dealt with individually, which may also carry further penalties regarding business operations and liabilities. Down to its importance, it’s therefore essential to understand and activate the below steps on managing secure document storage to comply with GDPR.  

Managing secure document storage to comply with GDPR 

There are some steps you can take as a company to store, access and dispose of documents securely, to comply with GDPR principles. Below is a breakdown to implement within the management of secure document storage, which we can assist with. 

Accessing documents 

Documents that you’ll need to store will surround HR files, contractual arrangements, medical information, personal details, files of collated personal information and sensitive data. All of which should be stored securely to protect privacy, but to also allow for easy access. 

Due to the fact that GDPR guidelines allow for customers/clients to consent for their data to be removed and destroyed, under the right to be forgotten, storage solutions must allow for this to be completed indefinitely.  

It’s also important to remember that data in which has no purpose with no reason to still exist will also need to be destroyed, requiring protection at efficient disposal. Managing secure document storage is therefore necessary and easy to comply with GDPR principles and timeframes.  

Reliable document storage  

GDPR principles fully back the need for secure document storage, as such storage solutions must be reliable and safe. Personal information is sensitive and just that, personal. Customers/clients have the right to expect full discretion when considering the handling and storage of their data.  

Your storage solution should therefore be reliably maintained, ensuring that only those with responsibility, following GDPR principles have access. 

Safe disposal of documents  

Principles of GDPR highlight storage timeframes, which focus on the safe disposal of documents. You should have a process in place to ensure that data can be disposed of with confidence, using a specialist shredding service.  

Data such as accounts, personal information and tax-related data will not be required after a certain period. Having a pre-arranged deadline for the disposal of such data will ensure compliance with GDPR.  

Our standards here at Secure Storage Services 

As document storage can be unique to each business, to ensure that you are complying with GDPR, it’s firstly recommended that you understand your position with such liabilities. Securing awareness of how long your data should be stored for, for example, will be recommended, based on the type of data that you hold.  

In tandem with this, ensuring that you’re managing secure document storage to comply with GDPR will be a must, which we can assist with here. By considering secure offsite document storage and disposal services, you can safeguard the reliability of document storage, you can ensure that it’s accessible and you can also feel confident with disposal processes.  

By making use of our services, which are of a high standard, credible and consistently reliable, you can create a seamless process of document storage, from collecting and holding information to disposing within set timeframes.  

Having the knowledge that you’re complying with GDPR guidelines can be reassuring. Feel confident that you’re protecting your customers/ clients with our backing at Secure Storage Services.  

GDPR regulations must be followed, as a breach can result in a significant fine and penalties. Avoid this by streamlining your storage process, with involvement, access and full confidence in your safety standards.  

Keep in the know of all GDPR changes, to ensure that your data and documents can be stored adequately.  

Sources 

https://www.gdpr.associates/data-breach-penalties/  

https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/