What’s the First Step My Business Should Take to Stay Compliant With Data Protection Laws?
The first and most critical step is to gain a clear understanding of how data protection laws apply to your business and assess how personal data is currently being handled across your operations.
This typically involves conducting a comprehensive data compliance review, which should cover:
What personal data you collect
How and why you collect it
Where it is stored
Who has access to it
Whether you act as a data controller or processor
Establishing this baseline helps you determine your legal responsibilities under key regulations such as the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, or other local data laws.
A useful starting point is creating a data inventory or data map, documenting all personal data flows within your business. This will help you identify gaps, risks, and priorities.
Understanding the legal definitions, obligations, and scope of the regulations that apply to you especially if you handle data from overseas customers, is essential to avoid missteps early on.
Once you have this foundation, you can move on to more detailed compliance actions, such as updating privacy notices, formalising data processing records, reviewing contracts, and implementing appropriate security controls.