Background on the GDPR
Introduction. In May 2018, the new European General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”) entered into effect.
It spans dozens of pages and imposes burdensome obligations on companies and organizations in virtually every aspect of collecting, processing, handling and storing personal data. At the same time, the GDPR enhances the rights given to data subjects to control personal data collected about them and to seek remedies.
Sygnia has developed this document to explain about representative examples of GDPR requirements and how Sygnia aims to comply with them.
Applicability. The GDPR applies to businesses established in the EU. It can also apply to businesses established outside the EU who offer their product and services to their EU business customers. Those EU business customers are subject to the GDPR and are required to flow-down their GDPR obligations onto their non-EU providers.
Because Sygnia operates business in the EU, and because Sygnia offers services to EU business customers, we have determined that the GDPR applies to Sygnia.
Sygnia’s operations are up to par with the GDPR, with Sygnia following technological, organizational, procedural and legal steps to ensure its ongoing compliance.
Data Stream Mapping
Sygnia has canvassed the various personal data streams and data sources flowing through the company and has identified and documented the use cases for the data. This serves both as a basis for GDPR preparedness and as a basis for compliance with the GDPR’s requirement of maintaining documented records of data processing activities.
TRANSPARENCY
Under the GDPR’s principle of ‘transparency’, organizations are required to take appropriate measures to provide information relating to processing to the data subject in a concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form. The GDPR encourages the provision of such information in writing, including, where appropriate, by electronic means.
Sygnia’s privacy policy serves as the main mechanism for compliance with the GDPR’s transparency obligations, to describe Sygnia’s practices with respect to personal data and to explain how Sygnia facilitates data subjects’ exercise of their rights under the GDPR.
DATA SECURITY
The GDPR requires organizations handling personal data to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to secure personal data, including encryption and security tests.
Sygnia takes measures to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of personal data. These include encryption, data masking, audit logs, vulnerability scanning, physical security controls and backups.
ENGAGING SUBCONTRACTORS
The GDPR legitimizes the use of subcontractors for data processing activities, subject to several conditions.
For example, as required by the GDPR, Sygnia performs due diligence into its subcontractors’ data protection practices to confirm that the subcontractors provide sufficient guarantees that its processing will meet GDPR requirements. When applicable, Sygnia also has data processing agreements with these subcontractor that are consistent with GDPR requirements for such engagements.
CROSS-BORDER DATA TRANSFERS
The GDPR restricts the cross-border transfer of personal data to jurisdictions outside the European Economic Area (EEA). As a general rule, personal data may only be transferred to jurisdictions recognized by the EU Commission as having an adequate level of data protection, or otherwise transferred under appropriate safeguards.
Sygnia and its subcontractors involved in personal data processing process personal data in member states of the European Economic Area, in territories or territorial sectors recognized by an adequacy decision of the European Commission as providing an adequate level of protection for personal data or through recipients subject to adequate safeguards under the GDPR (e.g., Model Clauses and Standard Contractual Clauses).