The external data protection officer: The optimal solution for your company

Introduction

The protection of personal data is becoming increasingly important in today's business world. To meet the complex requirements of data protection, appointing an external data protection officer can be an effective solution. In this blog post, we would like to introduce you to the benefits of an external data protection officer and explain why heyData is the ideal choice for your business.

The external data protection officer: why you need one

As a company, you want to ensure that data protection is guaranteed and that all legal requirements are met. The role of an external data protection officer can provide crucial support in this regard. An external data protection officer is the right choice if you cannot or do not want to cover the complex matter of data protection internally for time or financial reasons. He or she represents a hassle-free, secure and more cost-effective solution. As a designated person, the external data protection officer is responsible for operational data protection and offers your company optimal advice based on the current legal requirements. Through continuous training, he or she always stays up to date and can provide you with comprehensive support. In addition to providing advice, he or she will give you practical examples and discuss their implementation with you. In addition, he professionally takes over the duties of providing information, so that you can concentrate on your day-to-day business.

The external data protection officer analyzes your company and applies his expertise in areas such as marketing campaigns, customer support, contract reviews and the preparation of all necessary data protection documents such as data protection declarations, processing records, declarations of consent, etc. At the beginning of his work, he carries out an inventory and evaluates data protection in your company (data protection audit). In doing so, he monitors and advises on all data protection issues and is available as a contact person for data protection impact assessments if required. A clear advantage is that the external data privacy officer protects you from internal conflicts of interest and thus ensures unbiased work. Standardized procedures and documents round out the overall picture. Through internal employee training, he or she sensitizes your employees and provides them with comprehensive information. The external data protection officer conveys to your workforce that he is also responsible for their concerns and represents a fundamental European right that is enforced in the employees' working environment. If this basic idea is consistently supported in your company and the external data protection officer makes the complex subject matter understandable for your employees, this collaboration will also result in new added value. The external data privacy officer should be viewed as a new, external employee, and the collaboration should take place on a collegial level.

The tasks of an external data protection officer.

An external data protection officer performs important tasks to ensure that your company operates in a data protection-compliant manner. Here are some examples:

1. Regular training of your employees: An external data protection officer conducts training sessions to make your employees aware of data protection-related issues and familiarize them with the latest regulations.
2. Data protection audit of your company: At the beginning of his or her work, an external data protection officer conducts an inventory and evaluates the current status of data protection in your company. This allows potential weaknesses to be identified and appropriate measures to be taken.
3. Contact person for your employees: The external data privacy officer is available to your employees as a competent contact person for all data privacy-related questions. This ensures that data protection concerns are taken into account appropriately.
4. Creation of mandatory documents: An external data protection officer supports you in the creation of all required data protection documents, such as processing directories and technical-organizational measures (TOM). This ensures that your documentation meets the legal requirements.
5. Contact with the data protection authority: The external data protection officer handles communication with the data protection authority and ensures that your company complies with the applicable data protection regulations at all times.
6. Advising management and specialist departments: The external data protection officer is available to the management and specialist departments with his or her expertise and advises them on all data protection-related matters.

The advantages of an external data protection officer.

The appointment of an external data protection officer offers a number of advantages for your company:

1. Expertise and up-to-date know-how: An external data protection officer is an expert in his field and always up to date with the latest data protection regulations. Through continuous training, he or she ensures optimal advice that complies with legal requirements.
2. Relieving the burden on your company: By hiring an external data protection officer, you can concentrate fully on your company's core business while the data protection officer takes care of all data protection-related issues. This relieves your company and enables an efficient allocation of resources. 3 Independence and neutrality: An external data protection officer is independent and neutral. This ensures that he or she makes objective decisions on the protection of personal data and that there are no internal conflicts of interest.
3. Cost savings: Appointing an external data protection officer can be more cost-effective than hiring an internal employee. You save on salary, benefits and training costs, and instead pay a fixed fee to the external data protection officer.
4. Flexibility: An external data protection officer can be hired as needed. You can flexibly adjust the collaboration, e.g. when the scope of your business changes or when additional data protection expertise is required.
5. Avoiding conflicts of interest: If you appoint an internal employee as data protection officer, there is a risk of conflicts of interest, as he or she may be involved in other areas of the company. An external data protection officer is freed from such conflicts and can make objective decisions.

The cost issue: Why an external data protection officer is more cost-effective.

In terms of cost, an external data protection officer is usually the less expensive option. The training of an internal data protection officer usually requires special training and certification, which comes at a cost. In addition, the internal data protection officer must continuously stay up to date and complete regular training to keep up with the ever-changing data protection regulations.

Another cost factor with an internal data protection officer is the personnel and salary costs. You need to consider not only the salary of the data protection officer, but also benefits, vacation and sick leave replacement, and potential training costs. This can be a significant financial burden, especially for smaller companies.

In contrast, an external data protection officer usually works on the basis of a service contract or a consulting agreement. You pay a fixed agreed fee or hourly rates for the services provided. This eliminates the cost of training and ongoing education because the external data privacy officer already has the necessary expertise.

In addition, you can use the services of an external data privacy officer flexibly, depending on your needs. You can reduce the costs or even temporarily suspend the collaboration if the need for consulting is low or in times when no data protection projects are pending. This offers greater financial flexibility compared to employing an internal data protection officer, where costs are incurred on an ongoing basis.

Another advantage of an external data protection officer is efficiency and specialization. Because external data protection officers usually oversee several companies, they have extensive experience and knowledge from different industries. They can apply best practices and proven methods to make data protection processes efficient and save time. In addition, they usually have access to a network of data protection experts that they can call on as needed.

Overall, an external data protection officer offers a more cost-effective solution for companies, especially small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the resources to hire and maintain an in-house data protection officer. It's important to evaluate your company's specific needs and weigh the pros and cons of an internal or external solution to make the best decision for your company's data privacy.

Why heyData is the right external data protection officer for you.

If you are looking for a reliable and competent external data protection officer, heyData is the ideal choice. Here are some reasons why you should choose heyData:

1. Experience and Expertise: heyData has extensive experience in the field of data protection and is well aware of the requirements of the applicable data protection laws. Their experts are always up to date with the latest legal requirements and can provide your company with the best possible advice.
2. Individual solutions: heyData develops customized data protection solutions tailored to the specific requirements of your company. They analyze the current state of your company, identify weak points and develop concrete measures to improve data protection.
3. Continuous support: heyData not only assists you with the initial implementation of data protection, but also provides continuous support. They provide training for your employees, assist in the preparation of documents, and are available as a point of contact for questions and problems.
4. High service quality: heyData attaches great importance to high service quality and customer satisfaction. They guarantee professional and reliable cooperation and make sure that you receive the best possible data protection at all times.
5. Active monitoring and updating: heyData continuously monitors your company's compliance with data protection regulations and updates the measures as needed. This keeps you up to date and minimizes the risk of data breaches.
6. Cost efficiency: heyData offers transparent and fair pricing models. You only pay for the services actually provided and have full cost control. This allows you to save costs and enjoy first-class data protection at the same time.
7. Fast response time: At heyData, we know how important prompt communication is. That's why we guarantee a prompt response to our valued customers. As an Enterprise customer, you'll receive a response within 24 business day hours, while our Professional customers can expect a response within 48 hours. With heyData, you can trust that your questions won't go unanswered - we'll be there for you when you need us most.

Conclusion

In summary, an external data protection officer can be the optimal solution for your company. He or she offers comprehensive protection, brings expertise and experience, and is flexible to customize. By outsourcing data protection, you save costs and can focus on your core business. To find the right external data protection officer, you should compare different providers and make sure that they fit your individual requirements. In addition, working with an external data protection officer like heyData offers many advantages, including expertise, independence, cost savings and flexibility. If you're looking for a trusted data protection partner, heyData is the right choice.