Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
Effortlessly manage risks in planned and ongoing activities, safeguard your business from legal and reputational risks, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
Simplify and streamline your organization’s Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) with the help of RESPONSUM.
What is a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)?
The Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is part of the Data Protection by Design principle and is covered by Article 35 of the GDPR.
A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is a process used by organizations to assess and mitigate privacy risks in data processing activities, helping them comply with regulations and protect individuals’ privacy. It involves mapping processing activities, assessing risks, and identifying measures to address them.
DPIAs are mandatory when processing activities are “likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons” and typically consist of the following steps:
Description/ scope of the processing
Pre-DPIA to determine the need for a DPIA
Risk identification of the rights and freedoms
Risk assessment of the rights and freedoms
Action plan to address the risks
Monitoring and review
Challenges of a DPIA
The GDPR does not go into specifics on how to execute a DPIA, yet certain Supervisory Authorities, like the French CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés) have already published guidelines on the topic. However, experience shows that the biggest challenges of performing a DPIA are more practical:
Getting accurate information
When the privacy team is not immediately involved in every project, you’re often unsure whether you have the latest or even complete information.
Receiving the information in time
Often, the biggest time-consumer is receiving information from colleagues. Everyone is busy, and it’s up to the privacy department to properly follow up on their requests.
Documentation of previous actions
In order to be compliant and meet the accountability requirement in GDPR, organizations are required to document their past assessments and actions – not an easy feat in a spreadsheet.
Continuous reevaluation
As organizations and processes change, DPIAs should be continuously reviewed and reassessed. Keeping track of those review schedules and consequential actions is no easy task.
Guided DPIA process
As a RESPONSUM user, you are guided step-by-step through the process – from Scope setting to Review – so you’re sure to include all the necessary information. Much of that information can be found in the Records of Processing Activities, which is easily used in the DPIA module. Thanks to that link, you will save tons of time as you will immediately have most of the data available.
When you need additional information, feedback, or an expert’s opinion, RESPONSUM enables you to reach out to colleagues through our built-in communication/task delegation features. On top of that, you’re able to set up review cycles to ensure you’re always on top of things.
Pre-DPIA
Execute a quick pre-DPIA to see if the DPIA is necessary in the first place.
Risk Identification & Assessment
Identify and assess the risks for the rights and freedoms of the data subjects.
Action plan
Decide on your action plan to mitigate the risks.
Review
Monitor and review your DPIA regularly.
Simplify DPIA through software
Our customers have reported executing DPIAs up to four times faster when using RESPONSUM.
Link the DPIA
Link the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) with other RESPONSUM solutions, such as the record of processing (RoPA), and have the data you need immediately available.
Enhance communication
Boost communication with other departments by immediately reaching out to colleagues through our built-in communication / task delegation features.
Clear Overview
Have a clear overview of all the DPIAs in your organization and set up review cycles to ensure you are always up-to-date.
We (probably) speak your language
RESPONSUM is available in nine languages: English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Thai & Finland. Do you require another language? Let us know!
Not just a tool. A solution.
Automation
Simplify repetitive tasks by automating them and take suggested actions based on data, within the tool.
Collaboration
Connect with different teams and departments and keep an eye on every project within the organization.
Linked items
RESPONSUM links data from separate modules so you always have all the relevant information immediately available.
Accountability & Availability
Have the correct information readily available in one single platform in case of an audit.
Simplification
Translate complex Privacy legislation requirements into easily understandable and applicable language through our guided workflows.
Education
Raise and maintain your organization's awareness to the highest level through simulations and online trainings.
Trusted by industry leaders
Optimize your DPIA process.
Book a demo with one of our privacy experts and take the first step to executing a DPIA 4x faster.
