GDPR Compliance: A Multi-Dimensional Challenge

Pre, During, and Post: A Continuous Compliance Cycle

Unlike one-time compliance efforts, RT’s 360º methodology follows a structured pre, during, and post-compliance approach to ensure long-term data protection and regulatory adherence. In the pre-phase, companies assess risks, define compliance roadmaps, and implement technical and legal safeguards. The during-phase focuses on execution—ensuring policies, security controls, and processes function effectively. The post-phase is critical, offering services like cyber insurance, ongoing risk assessments, and automated compliance monitoring to maintain GDPR adherence as regulations evolve. By integrating compliance as a continuous lifecycle, businesses can mitigate risks, streamline operations, and ensure sustained regulatory success.

GDPR Compliance: A Multi-Dimensional Challenge

Achieving GDPR compliance is a complex, multi-disciplinary process that requires expertise across several domains. It can be broken down into Legal Compliance (25-30%), which focuses on regulatory frameworks, data processing agreements, and liability considerations; Technical Compliance (30-35%), which covers data security, encryption, and system architecture; Organizational and Operational Compliance (20-25%), ensuring internal policies, processes, and staff training align with GDPR principles; Risk Management (10-15%), which involves assessing data protection risks and implementing mitigation strategies; and Communication and Stakeholder Engagement (5-10%), ensuring transparency and trust with customers, regulators, and internal teams. Relying on only one specialty leaves a company vulnerable—without a holistic approach, gaps in compliance can lead to breaches, fines, and reputational damage.

1. Legal Compliance (25-30%)

• Focus:

• Understanding and implementing legal requirements under GDPR (e.g., contracts, policies, data processing agreements).

• Drafting and reviewing privacy policies, terms of service, and business associate agreements.

• Handling data subject rights requests (SARs, Right to Erasure, etc.).

• Advising on international data transfers and standard contractual clauses (SCCs).

• Specialists: Legal experts, data protection officers (DPOs), privacy lawyers.

2. Technical Compliance (30-35%)

• Focus:

• Implementing security controls to protect personal data (encryption, pseudonymization, access control).

• Conducting vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.

• Ensuring secure storage, processing, and transfer of data.

• Deploying systems for data breach monitoring, detection, and response.

• Specialists: IT security teams, data engineers, DevOps, cybersecurity specialists.

3. Organizational and Operational Compliance (20-25%)

• Focus:

• Mapping and documenting data flows (Records of Processing Activities – RoPA).

• Training employees on GDPR principles and operationalizing compliance.

• Ensuring ongoing monitoring and auditing of processes.

• Creating and managing governance frameworks for compliance.

• Specialists: Data protection managers, compliance officers, HR professionals, internal audit teams.

4. Risk Management (10-15%)

• Focus:

• Conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk processing activities.

• Identifying and mitigating risks related to personal data processing.

• Establishing incident management protocols and breach response procedures.

• Specialists: Risk managers, data protection specialists, incident response teams.

5. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement (5-10%)

• Focus:

• Communicating with regulators (e.g., data protection authorities) and ensuring proper reporting mechanisms.

• Managing data subject requests and inquiries from customers.

• Building trust through transparent communication with stakeholders about data protection measures.

• Specialists: Public relations teams, external consultants, and DPOs.