GDPR Execution with TurtleShield | 6 Steps to Achieve Compliance

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a cornerstone of global data privacy laws, introduced by the European Union to empower individuals with more control over their personal data and to mandate that organizations handle such data responsibly and transparently. Though it came into effect on May 25, 2018, GDPR compliance continues to challenge businesses worldwide, especially those processing EU citizens’ data.

To simplify this complex journey, we break down GDPR execution into six critical steps. These not only align with key GDPR articles but also demonstrate how automated solutions like Ardent’s TurtleShield suite can streamline compliance, reduce risks, and instill trust.

Conduct PIA/DPIA/TIA (Risk Assessments)

Start by identifying the risks involved in your data processing activities. Conduct Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA), Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA), and Transfer Impact Assessments (TIA) to understand how your organization handles Personally Identifiable Information (PII), especially if data is transferred outside the EU/EEA.

GDPR - Article 35, 36, 44

Ardent Solution: The TurtleShield PA (Privacy Automation) automates and streamlines privacy-related processes and tasks. Conducting DPIAs and TIAs enhances privacy practices, ensures Europe GDPR compliance with applicable privacy laws, and also protects sensitive information.

Discover PII (Personal Data Bill of Materials)

Understanding where personal data resides is critical. Use data discovery tools to create a Data Bill of Materials (DBoM) and a Record of Processing Activities (RoPA). These are foundational to maintaining accurate records and responding effectively to audits or DSARs (Data Subject Access Requests).

GDPR - Article 5 (1)(c), 30

Ardent Solution: Our Innovative and patented technology "TurtleShield DD (Data Discovery)" addresses these challenges by discovering hard-to-find datasets at scale, enabling quick actions, and reducing compliance costs. It locates and categorizes data based on regulatory requirements in GDPR, ensuring companies maintain compliance, secure sensitive information, and minimize data breach risks.

Implement Data Subject Rights Management

Build a secure portal for Data Subjects to exercise their rights (ex: Right to object to Processing, Right to restriction of Processing & Right to withdraw consent) and privacy teams to manage and fulfill requests.

Enable privacy and data teams to take actions on Data Subject’s Rights using data discovery module.

GDPR - Article 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Ardent Solution: TurtleShield DSAR streamlines the Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) process, ensuring efficient compliance with GDPR. It offers a centralized portal for intake, automated data discovery, and secure response delivery.

Establish Centralised Consent Management system

Build a centralised system for consent collection, storage, verification and withdrawal. Establish privacy notice and preference management (including digital marketing consent) for Data Subjects.

Processing of the personal data of a child shall be lawful where the child is at least 16 years old. Where the child is below the age of 16 years, such processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that consent is given or authorised by the holder of parental responsibility over the child. Member States may provide by law for a lower age for those purposes provided that such lower age is not below 13 years.

GDPR - Article 7, 8, 13, 14

Ardent Solution: TurtleShield CM (Consent Management) automates required user privacy notices, the gathering and management of consent/opt-out privacy preferences, and the operational honoring of preferences by both internal and downstream third-party data sharers.

Enforce Storage Limitation Requirements

Establish storage limitations to regularly review the Personal Data they hold and erase or anonymise it when it is no longer required.

GDPR - Article 5(1)(e)

Ardent Solution: TurtleShield DM (Data Minimization) helps you reduce the data and focus on enterprise-centric data. It can provide you detailed insights to get rid of non-essential data, reducing cost of security and storage and building confidence of business owners and data custodians.

Implement Data Breach Management and Notification

Automate internal data breach management and external notification process to respond within stipulated time frames by enabling systems/workflows for notification to the affected Data Subjects and Commissioner to meet regulatory requirements without any delay.

GDPR - Article 33, 34

Ardent Solution: TurtleShield DBM (Data Breach Management) module helps organizations efficiently verify, assess, contain, manage and respond to data breaches including notifying affected individuals and regulatory bodies as per the legal requirements. TurtleShield DBM streamlines data breach management process, handles stakeholder management, accelerates breach response, enabling organizations to notify regulators and stakeholders within the required timeframe.