Suddenly, everyone is talking about data protection, partly because of increased awareness about cyber safety following recent high profile attacks and partly because of GDPR.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which calls on businesses of all type and size to protect their customers’ information, is a massive issue for any business handling data – and that is just about all of them.
GDPR, which is set to replace the Data Protection Act 1998, will come into effect from the 25th May 2018. If you are not fully compliant, you can expect fines of up to 20m Euros or 4% of your annual turnover.
Mike Cherry, National Chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has welcomed Government efforts to support businesses ahead of the move.
He said: “Research from FSB shows that data protection is definitely on the minds of small business owners, with almost 60 per cent of members ranking data protection laws as a significant regulation they have to deal with.
“We know that many small businesses have concerns about the incoming GDPR and many are simply unaware of the scope of the changes. There is a clear and present danger that companies could inadvertently face a fine if action is not taken to provide support and guidance to help them properly prepare for data protection changes.
GDPR is on our mind, too, because our work offering a range of IT solutions that can help companies streamline their manufacturing processes relies on efficient management of data.
Call us on 0191 214 1750 or email info@bowe.co.uk to find out how we can help you manage your data.
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