The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become law on 25th May 2018. This is the biggest data protection shake-up for 20 years and impacts every business in the world that processes the personal data of UK and European citizens.
The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) has therefore launched a new service to help members comply with GDPR.
GDPR governs the way a company holds, processes, stores and manages personal data. It relates to the data files, internal business processes and controls, and the way a business is run. It is wide ranging and ignorance will not be a defence.
APHC’s new service is being delivered in partnership with RDS Global, who will offer members a choice of discounted services designed to provide a range of support options all aimed at helping comply with GDPR and avoid costly fines which can be up to 4% of turnover.
The discounted support on offer ranges from Foundation support, where assistance and guidance is delivered via email and telephone, through to an onsite audit which includes a bespoke action plan. A document policy pack can also be purchased at a discounted price which includes usable documents and contracts, to assist APHC member companies transition to compliance.
John Thompson, CEO at APHC said: “From 25th May, GDPR will apply to everybody with very few exceptions and will be policed by the Information Commissioners Office who will have the power to issue fines for non-compliance, and will in fact aim to become funding neutral through these fines.
“Companies need to act now to establish what data they hold, where it is stored, who can access it and whether they have the correct permissions to hold and use the data. The next step is to then ensure that all current and new data will be dealt with in accordance with GDPR.
“GDPR will have a major impact on all businesses, regardless of size or trading structure. This is why we worked hard to establish a preferential solution for APHC members.”
Information can be sourced from the Information Commissioners Office’s website.
