Data protection

A global trend

The protection of personal data is gaining increasing importance worldwide. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) often serves as a model for legislative initiatives in other regions. Countries such as India and China have tightened their own data protection rules, and supranational organisations are also working on data protection standards. The resulting rise in regulatory pressure makes it essential for companies to rethink and adapt their global data protection strategies.

Learn more about the specific features of local laws in our summaries for selected EU and non-EU countries.

Building trust through data protection

Independent of legal requirements, the ethical handling of sensitive information is crucial for building trust among employees and customers alike. Secure, transparent, and fair processing of employee data forms the basis of a trusting work environment, and facilitates constructive collaboration with employees and their representatives. Externally, high data protection standards signal to customers that their data is handled with care, strengthening customer loyalty and market confidence. Finally, data protection structures are increasingly reflected in ESG ratings that investors consider in their decision-making. Seen from these twin perspectives of corporate and regulatory goals, data protection helps companies ensure their own success in the long term while also fulfilling their social responsibilities.

Avoiding risks, seizing opportunities

Effective data protection management is indispensable when it comes to avoiding risks. It enables companies to avoid severe administrative fines and claims for compensation by parties affected, including mass claims. Data protection management entails clear roles and responsibilities, processes, workflows, policies, and appropriate staffing.

Robust data protection management that builds an inventory of the personal data processed and the IT used to process it also creates business opportunities in the data economy. Only by knowing the nature and scope of the data being processed can companies unlock and leverage data assets to get more out of existing usage data and customer relationships.

Baseline assessments, maturity evaluations, and audits

• Support in assessing the status quo and analysing your data protection organisation, data protection processes, systems, and service providers

Expert assessments

• Legal review of data protection issues
• Examination of processing activities, tools, and (corporate) structures for data protection compliance
• Design of data protection-compliant solutions

Data protection advisory in (IT) projects

• Support for introducing new IT systems and service providers and modifying existing ones, and for deploying cloud solutions and applications, including artificial intelligence. 

Data protection management systems and tools

• At interfaces including IT, IT security, procurement, HR, sales and marketing: support in further developing your data protection organisation and processes.
• Support for the legally compliant, efficient, and reliable embedding of data protection processes in data protection management tools, both via our own tool solutions like the PwC Data Protection Manager and by implementing third-party solutions like OneTrust.

Data protection officer

• Assuming the role of external data protection officer (national and international) with a transparent cost structure.

Data protection as managed services

• Efficient handling of recurring tasks, such as the ongoing maintenance and updating of your data protection documentation (e.g. your record of processing activities), the continuous risk assessment of your processes and complaint and incident management, up to and including >data litigation
• International AI-based monitoring of new data protection requirements