Maintaining pace with increasingly complex data regulations can be overwhelming for every business. Data industry professionals explain how businesses find internal data champions to ensure their business remains compliant.

For businesses operating in highly regulated markets, such as education and legal, the pressure to meet and ensure employees fully recognise compliance and their position in it is very challenging. As a result, some companies are avoiding the issue of managing compliance efficiently and inevitably will likely experience further challenges in the future.

Businesses have struggled to determine how to invest in the necessary processes to ensure compliance. Implementing new technology or managing legacy systems required to meet regulations can be expensive but mandatory. Additionally, the time factor can be an additional cost issue for many businesses, particularly for smaller organisations lacking the resources to ensure compliance.

Regulations exist to meet a particular requirement or threat that impacts businesses or customers. Viewing them as just another tick-box process to meet standards means companies are missing the point and potentially putting data and their customers at risk. In reality, regulation is an ongoing process and not a one-off task.

Strengthening adherence in an organisation

Aside from meeting data regulations, businesses are also experiencing challenges with their existing regulation solutions. Many companies still depend on Excel systems, which results in potential adherence and security issues. It doesn’t enable businesses to identify and manage risk as part of the same solution. 

Data security breaches can be a disaster for companies, and the number impacted by them is rising. A recent government report highlighted that over half of businesses and about a third of charities have reported some form of cyber security attack in the last year. These figures increase furthermore for larger companies. Research has found that the average cost of a data breach in the UK averaged over £3 million, and a separate study by security firm, Egress shows that 40% of employees have lost their jobs, as a result of email security breaches. The expense of a data breach means relying on Excel or similar systems is no longer an efficient way of monitoring security and adherence to regulations. 

Embracing data champions

Some businesses are looking for solutions that help ensure data protection risks are seen and managed, and ensuring compliance is pivotal. At the core of successful compliance are the people. By managing the organisational design of a business and making specific employee data champions, companies can empower their workforce to manage the responsibility for compliance. 

Often, businesses place the responsibility on one person or department to meet regulations. Data champions work throughout an organisation and have more of an overview of the possible risks and what is required to eliminate any vulnerabilities. 

Embedding compliance into regular activities means it becomes more accepted and manageable. Creating a solution and enabling better policy management means companies have a more insightful and accurate idea of how the business is doing to achieve the necessary regulations.

Creating data champions in an organisation offers a solution that enables an overview of the risks, reporting on adherence and ensuring all employees are aware of the potential risks and their role is in ongoing compliance. Education is vital for adherence, and data champions can liaise with their teams to ensure everyone recognises the risks.

Regulations are here to stay, and in many industries, the regulatory landscape will likely become more complex. Shifting towards affordable and efficient solutions to ensure compliance and empowering employees to take responsibility and keep data safe are positive steps.

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