Frequently asked questions

The GDPR was approved and adopted by the EU Parliament in April 2016. After 2 years, the regulation took effect and the GDPR came into force on 25th May 2018.

Any data which can personally identify an individual - whether by itself or when combined with other pieces of information - is considered personal data. If that information has the potential to cause harm then it is considered a special category of personal data - things like bank details, sexual orientation, or political opinions, for example.

The GDPR applies to any companies who process the personal data of subjects residing in the EU, regardless of where the company itself is located.

There are two thresholds depending on the kind and severity of the breach. The lower threshold is 2% of annual income or €10 million and the higher threshold is 4% of annual income or €20 million. The fine that a company receives depends on what part of the legislation that they have breached. These rules apply to both controllers and processors.

No matter the size of your company; how many employees you have, customers you serve, or what your annual turnover is, the GDPR applies to you.

That magic 250 employee threshold is only mentioned once in the regulation and that’s in relation to record keeping. The GDPR requires that you keep detailed records of all processing activities - including records of consent, decision making, privacy notices etc. - but with fewer than 250 employees, you don’t need to. However, the rest of the GDPR still applies in full.

White papers & guides

Documents & other resources

Forms/Checklists

GDPR Checklist

Review the risks to data your organisation faces and assess whether the measures you have in place are up to the task of preventing them.

White Papers/Guides

The Six Lawful Bases for Processing Data

Find out more about the Six Lawful Bases for processing personal data.

Forms/Checklists

GDPR Accountability checklist

Accountability is arguably the most important principle of the GDPR. Accountability is all about demonstrating that you’re complying with the GDPR.

Posters

Day to Day good practice for GDPR

If your job involves handling personal information then you have a responsibility to ensure that this data is kept private and confidential.

Forms/Checklists

Data Protection Principles

Everyone who uses personal data must follow strict rules and you’ll learn about these as the principles of data protection.

Forms/Checklists

Rights over your personal data

The GDPR covers personal data about an identifiable, living person. It can be anything from a name, a photo, an email address, a person’s bank details, posts on social media, medical information, etc.