{"id":4213,"date":"2018-04-09T10:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-04-09T09:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=4213"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T10:39:13","slug":"gdpr-preparation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/gdpr-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"GDPR preparation: Top tips from businesses and what you need to do now"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStrategy, Legal & Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGDPR preparation: Top tips from businesses and what you need to do now\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tStacey McIntosh<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

With the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation<\/a> (GDPR) only a few weeks away, businesses such as yours are waking up to the fact that they need to make changes to their processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a business owner, it\u2019s likely that your firm will store a lot of personal data, be it from your customers or employees, so you will need to put a GDPR preparation plan in place and change the way you process and store it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As businesses prepare for the GDPR<\/a>, we asked a selection of our Sage Business Experts \u2013 business owners, accountants and entrepreneurs \u2013 to reveal what steps they are taking to get their firms ready for the new legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet the experts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Antonia Chitty<\/a> is an author and entrepreneur, Alison Parsons is an accountant at accountancy firm Albert Goodman<\/a>, Keith Tully is a partner at Real Business Rescue<\/a>, Steve Johnson is the owner of Graphite Web Solutions, and Nicky Larkin is the managing director and founder of Goringe Accountants<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what they had to say and here\u2019s their advice that will help you in your bid to be GDPR compliant<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
<\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

On the topic of GDPR preparation, what steps is your business taking to get ready for it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Antonia Chitty<\/strong>: \u201cWe have been looking at how we hold data, the contracts we have with suppliers who might handle data, and the privacy policy on the websites we run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alison Parsons<\/strong>: \u201cInternally, we have been working on this for some time, with dedicated staff taking charge of the process. With a lot of clients in our client base, we had to start early, especially where client response is required, for example on marketing preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExternally, we have been posting on social media and forwarding on relevant sensible advice from other LinkedIn contributors. We have also joined with other local professional firms to host free events for local businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keith Tully<\/strong>: \u201cWe have created a steering group\/committee that includes senior management, legal, various team leaders and appointed an information security officer to take the business through the GDPR process. The group\/committee will be responsible for identifying the risks within the various parts of the practice that include IT, HR, marketing and, of course, the client side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe outcome of the findings will determine what actions are taken, be they through the implementation of new IT software, policy creation or education. GDPR also runs very closely alongside cyber security<\/a>, which is a very big topic, so we are looking at both of these together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Johnson:<\/strong> \u201cAs a web agency, Graphite Web Solutions was already aware of data protection requirements and has been preparing for the new rules since late 2017. The steps we have taken are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n