Your trusted partner for data protection
External Data Protection Officer - Your Path to Compliance
Data protection is essential for every company. An external data protection officer (DPO) not only ensures compliance with legal requirements such as the GDPR, but also strengthens the trust of your customers. As an expert external data protection officer, we support companies of all sizes and in all industries throughout Europe.
Appointment as external data protection officer- Personal consultation with specialized lawyers
- Certified compliance training courses
- Comprehensive & digital data protection audit
Over 1,000 companies already rely on heyData's external data protection officers
The External Data Protection Officer: Required by law, strategically valuable
Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation is mandatory for companies that work with the personal data of EU citizens and often requires the appointment of a data protection officer. This becomes particularly relevant when companies regularly process a large amount or sensitive personal data. The option of appointing an external data protection officer not only provides compliance expertise but also enables the company to save time and money. It also allows the company to save time and resources that can be invested in the growth of the business.
Arrange a free consultationThe Crucial Role of the External Data Protection Officer
An external data protection officer is essential for data protection and plays an important role in any organization. The most important tasks are described in detail below:
Monitoring Compliance with Regulations
The Data Protection Officer ensures that the organization consistently complies with data protection laws, such as the GDPR. This includes regularly conducting data protection impact assessments (DPIA) to identify potential risks in processing personal data and proposing suitable technical and organizational measures (TOM) to mitigate risks.
Training and Awareness-raising
The Data Protection Officer conducts regular compliance training for employees to raise awareness of data protection practices and ensure that everyone in the company strengthens personal data protection.
Contact Point for Data Protection Issues
As the central point of contact for all data protection issues, the Data Protection Officer provides advice and support for the introduction of new technologies or business processes that affect personal data.
Cooperation with the Regulatory Authorities
In the event of data breaches or legal inquiries, the external data protection officer is responsible for communicating with the data protection supervisory authorities and assists with the documentation and reporting of data breaches.
Review and Implementation of the Privacy Policy
According to the GDPR, a company's privacy policy must be up to date. An external data protection officer makes a significant contribution to implementing a reliable privacy policy on your website.
Data Protection Documentation and Reporting
The Data Protection Officer documents all measures and processes relevant to data protection and prepares reports for the management to ensure transparency.
Review of Third Party Provider Contracts and Procedures
The external data protection officer monitors and evaluates compliance with data protection regulations by external service providers and partners, in particular concerning the transfer of personal data to third countries.
The Advantages of Appointing an External Data Protection Officer
In-depth Legal and Technical Know-how
Thanks to our legal and technical expertise, you don't have to worry about a thing. Our experts are always up to date and are very familiar with the individual challenges of each industry.
Minimization of Liability Risks for the Management
Our services reduce the liability risks associated with data protection and safeguard your company. We make sure everything is compliant so that management can focus on your growth.
Authority Knowledge and Maintaining Contact
If necessary, we maintain communication with the authorities so that we can respond to their requests in the best possible way.
No Commitment of Internal Resources or Conflicts of Interest
We take the burden off your team so that they can concentrate on their core tasks, thereby increasing your productivity. As an external service provider, we also guarantee an objective and neutral perspective that does not allow for any internal conflicts of interest.
We are Flexible and Available at Short Notice
Data protection issues know no office hours. That's why we are available for you around the clock and can respond quickly and reliably to urgent matters. Depending on the service you choose, you will receive an answer within 24, 48 hours or 5 days at the latest.
Transparent Costs
Our service is tailored to the needs of the company. This means that each company receives an individual offer tailored to its needs, resulting in considerable cost savings.
Choosing the Ideal External Data Protection Officer
When selecting an external data protection officer, you should pay particular attention to their legal skills and industry-specific knowledge. Another important aspect is data protection audits and whether they can effectively assess your data processing practices. Make sure the DPO can provide certified compliance training to improve your team's awareness and knowledge. Last but not least, price transparency to ensure that all costs are clearly communicated and fast support is important so that you always get quick and professional help with data protection issues.
As a competent external data protection officer, we offer you a wide range of expertise on the subject of data protection. We are always up to date with the latest data protection regulations and are in contact with the relevant authorities. We also offer an all-in-one compliance solution that includes powerful automation, compliance training, vendor risk management, and much more.
External DPO vs. Internal DPO
Internal DPO
External DPO
Employment
Employee of the company.
Appointment as external data protection officer.
Integration
Closely integrated into internal processes and structures.
Works on a project basis or call, working with all departments to uncover potential data risks in their processes.
Availability
Available full-time or part-time in the company.
Depending on the contract, he may also be available at any time. Wit heyData, you may receive an answer within 24 hours.
Costs
Fixed salary and social security contributions, often with further training costs.
Contractually agreed fees, with us you get a transparent offer that includes everything you need (may be up to 90% cheaper in some cases).
Reliability
Knows the company and its specific data protection requirements well. However, may not be as intensively involved in all of the company's processes.
Brings broad knowledge and experience from various companies and industries.
Flexibility
Can react more or less flexibly to internal issues depending on availability and/or vacation/sickness.
Specialized knowledge can be more flexible and usually also more up-to-date.
Confidentiality
Potential conflicts of interest, especially if the role of data protection officer is combined with other tasks.
Less risk of conflicts of interest provides independent advice and valuation.
With heyData, you can easily and digitally monitor compliance with data protection regulations
Get in touch!Hear it From Our Customers
"heyData impressed us with their digital software solution and expertise. Like us, heyData is a digital pioneer in a rather traditional and less digital industry. heyData is a strong partner for the BRZ Group."
Markus Schobert
Head of Customer Service at BRZ Gruppe
"heyData is a great help for us and makes the topic of data protection really easy. We are very satisfied with the digital audit, the online training and the customer support."
Leonard von Kleist
CTO & Co-Founder at Hive Technologies GmbH
"I value this feature for its ability to simplify supplier risk assessment. It is an indispensable tool for anyone dealing with data compliance in the European Union and Switzerland."
Jan Stephan
Head of Legal Affairs at Learnship
"As a customer, we have only had good experiences with heyData's support and communication. Questions were answered in detail, responses were always prompt and personal 1-1 support is also no problem."
Roman Georgi
Director Of Customer Support at AMBOSS
“What sets heyData apart is its responsiveness and rapid implementation.”
Sandra Scherzer
Legal department at Bioland
"We always receive competent and prompt advice from heyData and have so far been able to find a satisfactory solution to every question relating to the GDPR or data protection in general."
Nikolai
CTO at Instaffo GmbH
Personalized Pricing: Adapting to Your Unique Needs
Payment plan:
Starter
From€89.–/Month
Request a quoteA starting package that provides basic protection for businesses.
- Mandate as external data protection officer
- Free annual audit + report
- Creation of all data protection documents
- Liability
Professional
From€175.–/Month
Request a quote For companies that need specific support in order to continue to grow.
- Everything included in the starter package
- Compliance training for employees
- Data protection impact assessments
- Data protection seal
Enterprise
From€319.–/Month
Request a quoteFor established companies that require maximum security and support.
- Everything included in the Professional package
- Additional expert support
- Whitelabeling
- Higher liability, integrations, and much more
Bespoke GDPR Support for all Industries with an External Data Protection Officer
In the healthcare sector, for example, handling sensitive patient data requires not only strict compliance with Art. 9 (processing of special categories of personal data) of the GDPR, but also an understanding of other specific regulations such as the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in the EU. An external data protection officer ensures that healthcare facilities comply with these regulations while maintaining patient trust and confidentiality.
In the financial sector, where data breaches can have serious consequences, an external data protection officer can provide the necessary monitoring and updating of security practices to prevent data misuse, as set out in Art. 33 (Notification of a personal data breach to the supervisory authority) and Art. 34 (Notification of a personal data breach to the data subject) of the GDPR.
For tech companies, often dealing with large volumes of user data and multiple vendors, an external data protection officer is crucial to manage international data transfers under Art. 44 (General Principle for Data Transfers) and navigate the complex landscape of international data protection laws in line with GDPR requirements. The expertise of an external data protection officer not only helps companies in these sectors to comply with the GDPR, but also to seamlessly integrate these practices into their operations.
Our team of experienced data protection officers will help you become GDPR-compliant quickly!
Get in touch now!How the Appointment of the External Data Protection Officer Works at heyData
1
Initial Consultation
Request a quote using our contact form. We will work with you to determine your personal compliance requirements.
2
Software Demo and Personalized Offer
Our experts will show you how our software works, explain our services and answer your questions. At the end, you will receive an offer from us that is tailored to your requirements.
3
Kick-Off & Onboarding
You appoint us as your external data protection officer, we introduce your team to the platform and explain everything you need to do to comply with the legal requirements.
4
Data Protection Audit and Continuous Support
Thanks to our platform, you can carry out a digital data protection audit in which we examine your processes and procedures together. We will then jointly determine the measures to be taken and our team of experts will guide you through each necessary step.
FAQ
In general, it is not only a question of the number of employees. Even if you are not obliged to appoint a data protection officer, your company must still comply with all data protection requirements. A data protection officer is required in any case if one or more of the following criteria apply to your company:
- You have more than 20 employees
- You process special categories of personal data on a large scale (e.g. data about a person's ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or health).
- You use video surveillance or employ new technologies, e.g. algorithms or artificial intelligence.
- In almost all businesses that have a connection to personnel: personal data are transmitted, collected, processed or used on a business basis and this constitutes a core activity of the business.
The data protection officer has the following tasks:
- Advising and training data controllers, processors and employees on compliance with data protection regulations.
- Monitoring compliance with data protection regulations and strategies for the protection of personal data, as well as conducting data protection impact assessments.
- Data protection audit of your company.
- Cooperation and contact with the data protection authority.
- Advising management and specialist departments.
- Preparation of mandatory documents.
A part-time internal data protection officer invests 20% of his or her working time in data protection tasks. This can cost the company between 5,000 and 15,000 euros per year, depending on the effort involved.
If one hires a full-time internal data protection officer, the costs are the same as for the part-time data protection officer, but without a pro-rata salary calculation. The costs for full-time data protection officers can range from 45,000 to 65,000 euros per year, depending on the company and the tasks. The average investment is 55,000 euros.
The costs for external data protection officers vary greatly and depend on many factors. Lawyers and law firms can charge hourly rates of 250 EUR and more, while external data protection officers with a certificate of professional competence often earn somewhat less.
It is important to mention that an external data protection officer pays for many cost items, e.g. further training, working materials, and is basically liable for mistakes in the advice.
Our data protection solution offers your company, among other things:
- Support as an external data protection officer
- Support in the creation & review of data protection declarations, order processing agreements (AVV), the director of processing activities (VVT), technical organisational measures (TOM) and the most important data protection documents
- A comprehensive digital audit to identify data protection risks
- Online staff training
- An expert team of lawyers and legal experts to help you comply with data protection regulations
Based on your needs, we will create a customised offer and communicate it to you in a transparent way (no hidden extra fees). For more information see our pricing page.
If you are looking for an external data protection officer (DPO), there are a few things you should look out for. Here are the most important points to tick off your checklist:
- Legal knowledge: Does the external DPO have solid experience in data protection? Is he/she an expert on the GDPR and/or other local regulations?
- Industry knowledge: Does the external DPO have experience in your specific industry? This can be particularly helpful if your industry has specific data protection requirements.
- A person or team of experts: Is the DPO part of a team of experts? If so, this means not only additional expertise but also increased availability.
- Soft skills: In the best case, the DPO should also have interdisciplinary skills such as good communication and teamwork. This makes cooperation much easier.
- Training and certification for your employees: Can the external DPO train your employees sufficiently? And can he issue them with a certification on completion of the courses?
- Price and transparency: Are the costs clear and transparent? Are there different package options that fit your budget?
- Digitalisation and simplification: Does the external DPO use modern, digital tools such as software and integrations? This can speed up processes and increase efficiency.
- Updates and flexibility: Can the external DPO adapt to changing requirements? In the area of data protection, it is often crucial to stay up to date, as laws and regulations can change.