Despite GDPR being less than a year away, 69% of UK C-Suite execs are neglecting GDPR compliance.
According to research by Calligo, only 31% of those surveyed said they had governance sponsorship for GDPR. Even more worryingly, a paltry 9% said that they were being given full support by their compliance departments.
The findings should paint a concerning picture in the run up to GDPR, the much anticipated legislation which will enforce legal requirements over how businesses can store and process that data. The figures suggest a lack of interest at the top of the business, despite six out of 10 saying that the profitability of their business would be affected by GDPR. A further 19% said that they expect the legislation to have a negative impact on their business, raising more concern about how the top flight are currently neglecting compliance.
The survey also revealed significant lag in specific areas of GDPR compliance; only 43% of companies had appointed a Data Protection Officer, with this number falling to 37% in the IT and Telecoms market.
“It is worrying to see signs that GDPR governance does not have the full attention of so many C-level executives,” said Julian Box, CEO, at Calligo. “Too many of those at the top think it is all about security, when that is only a part of it.
“The deadline for compliance is May 25 next year and any company that subsequently fails to handle data in the correct manner risks the severe penalties stipulated in the regulation. The top people in every organisation need to get to grips with this challenge, ensuring that their data is being stored and handled in full compliance.”
According to Calligo, 10 people on average are needed for an organisation to achieve GDPR compliance, with healthcare named the most committed to compliance and hiring an average of 26 employees dedicated to the task. In contrast, nine employees on average are employed for GDPR in IT and telecoms, with this number falling to four for arts and culture.
