# Five Essential Pillars of Big Data GDPR Compliance
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2017-09-23
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: The Path to GDPR Compliance: Data Governance
Meta Description: Discover the key challenges and best practices for achieving GDPR compliance through effective data governance strategies. Get ahead of the game today!
URL: https://financedigest.com/five-essential-pillars-of-big-data-gdpr-compliancehtml

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_The Path to Compliance Through Data Governance_

On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect in the European Union. Chances are you’ve already seen quite a bit of buzz surrounding GDPR and for good reason – it represents a significant change in how data will be handled around the world.

But if you’re still getting up to speed, or you are one of the [50% of affected organisations worldwide who will be unprepared](http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3701117) one year from now, most of the provisions and stipulations boil down to one simple thing: **data governance**.  And by putting [solid data](https://www.financedigest.com/wall-street-gains-dollar-climbs-on-solid-data-debt-ceiling-progress.html "Wall Street gains, dollar climbs on solid data, debt ceiling progress") governance practices in place, you’ll be well on your way to compliance.

For companies in [Big Data](https://www.financedigest.com/banks-struggle-to-harness-big-data.html "BANKS STRUGGLE TO HARNESS BIG DATA") (or any data for that matter), one of the most daunting things about the GDPR is that organisations have already accumulated massive amounts of data and the regulations apply not just going forward, but retroactively as well. The path towards GDPR compliance for [Big Data organisations](https://www.financedigest.com/avoiding-a-big-data-car-crash-how-to-organise-your-data-to-detect-fraudulent-claims.html "Avoiding a big data car crash: How to organise your data to detect fraudulent claims") begins by identifying the five critical challenges:

1. [Data Storage](https://www.financedigest.com/data-storage-market-revenue-is-expected-to-increase-at-a-cagr-of-13-6-during-2021-2025.html "Data Storage Market revenue is expected to increase at a CAGR of 13.6% during 2021-2025")
2. Aligning Teams
3. Accommodating Data Subject Requests
4. Data Governance
5. Adaptability

**Data Storage**

**_Determining where personal data is stored across multiple different (potentially siloed) data sources_**

When it comes to the GDPR, organizations will ultimately need to take [stock of where all their data is stored](https://www.financedigest.com/out-of-stocks-in-supermarkets-and-grocery-stores.html "Out of stocks in supermarkets and grocery stores") and ensure that it is accessible, but only to those with a business need to access it. Data team leaders (and DPOs if they are required for your organization under the GDPR) should be able to easily understand and audit data sources, who has access to what, and what sources are being used for which projects.

**Aligning Teams**

**Aligning everyone across the company (including IT, marketing, customer support, and data teams) on new** [policies and execution of any changes.](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-hsbc-fund-arm-toughens-thermal-coal-policy-to-curb-climate-change.html "Exclusive-HSBC fund arm toughens thermal coal policy to curb climate change")

The GDPR changes will certainly force any [organization not currently](https://www.financedigest.com/organic-soy-products-market-outlook-current-and-future-industry-landscape-analysis-2029.html "Organic Soy Products Market Outlook, Current and Future Industry Landscape Analysis 2029") fostering collaboration between teams to do so quickly. But it’s not just a matter of increasing [communication over email or company](https://www.financedigest.com/key-ingredients-to-formulate-and-communicate-a-successful-company-ethos.html "Key ingredients to formulate and communicate a successful company ethos") chat. There will need to be a certain amount of transparency surrounding data protection that allows a customer service [team](https://www.financedigest.com/frameplay-announces-new-attention-metric-in-video-game-environments-validated-in-partnership-with-dentsus-attention-economy-team-by-first-to-market-studies.html "Frameplay Announces New Attention Metric in Video Game Environments, Validated in Partnership with dentsu’s Attention Economy Team by First-to-Market Studies") to field requests without having to ask the data team for an answer every time or the marketing team to understand what the GDPR restrictions are and not inadvertently violate them when completing a customer targeting project. Additionally, data teams working on new [projects](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-de-nora-teams-up-with-ges-on-hydrogen-battery-project.html "Italy’s De Nora teams up with GES on hydrogen battery project") can communicate back to the legal team responsible for maintenance of the customer consent agreement and can update it accordingly.

**Accommodating Data Subject Requests**

**Putting processes in place to accommodate requests from data subjects and ensuring all [teams can execute](https://www.financedigest.com/zivver-expands-leadership-team-names-three-new-c-level-executives-2.html "Zivver Expands Leadership Team, Names Three New C-level Executives") on processes in a timely matter.**

One of the biggest changes with the GDPR is the rights of data subjects.

Under the new legislation, data subjects have the right to:

- Be forgotten (have their data erased).
- Access (obtain information about exactly what data is being processed where and for what purpose).
- Data portability (receive a copy of the personal data concerning them).
- Question and fight decisions that affect them that have been made on a purely algorithmic basis.

While it’s impossible to predict how many data subject requests you may receive, it’s critical to be prepared and have an efficient process in place. And it’s not a good idea to wait and develop a process when the first request comes in.

**Data Governance**

**_Ensuring proper data governance, security, and monitoring are in place in case of audit_**

For this challenge, the answer is the same, and if you’ve addressed the previous challenges, you’ve already gotten started: by centralizing all data work into one place, data governance and potential audits are easy. Security can be tightly controlled via the [data science](https://www.financedigest.com/crowdsourcing-of-data-to-drive-the-life-science-market.html "Crowdsourcing of data to drive the Life Science Market") platform, eliminating the risk of rogue personal data floating around on employees’ laptops or local spreadsheets.

**Adaptability**

**_Implementing agile solutions that keep your operations flexible and easily adaptable to change._**

Change is inevitable, and the reality of data protection and privacy [regulations is that they will continue to evolve](https://www.financedigest.com/evolving-ransomware-and-regulations-is-your-firm-ready.html "Evolving Ransomware and Regulations: Is your firm ready?") with emerging new technologies. So for all businesses working on GDPR compliance, it’s important to adopt a [flexible solution that will change along with future technologies and regulations](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-payments-flexibility-regulation-and-bespoke-models.html "The Future of Payments: Flexibility, Regulation, and Bespoke Models"). This, of course, means choosing a solution that offers access to cutting-edge data science tools and the best of the [open source](https://www.financedigest.com/why-should-investors-be-paying-more-attention-to-open-source-software.html "Why should investors be paying more attention to open source software?") world so that the business can continue to grow and evolve and not be stagnated by regulatory requirements. But it also means finding a solution to [data governance and the other challenges](https://www.financedigest.com/meeting-the-data-challenge-in-financial-services.html "Meeting the data challenge in financial services") presented by GDPR that evolve with those requirements instead of backing your business into a technological corner. This is especially true for companies dealing with GDPR that are not based in the EU, and even more so for those facing Brexit uncertainties.

These challenges only [scratch the surface](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-western-sanctions-on-banks-only-scratch-surface-of-fortress-russia.html "Explainer-Western sanctions on banks only scratch surface of Fortress Russia") when it comes to the changes your organization might need to make in order to comply with the new GDPR. Once these central challenges are resolved, your business will be able to move on to addressing some of the smaller procedural changes and organisational adjustments necessary for full GDPR compliance – because there is ultimately a huge amount of information, [regulations and details](https://www.financedigest.com/china-regulator-says-alibaba-tencent-have-submitted-app-algorithm-details.html "China regulator says Alibaba, Tencent have submitted app algorithm details") that need to be addressed by any organisation who works with any type of data.


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