While all indications are that larger businesses have finally woken up to the need to get in shape, the FSB found that a third (33%) of small businesses have not even started preparing, while 35% are in the early stages and only 8% have completed their preparations.
FSB national chairman Mike Cherry said: “The GDPR is the biggest shake-up in data protection to date and many small businesses will be concerned that the changes will be too much to handle. It’s clear that a large part of the small business community is still unaware of the steps that they need to take to comply and may be left playing catch-up.”
In an effort to improve awareness, the FSB has launched its Be Data Ready campaign. It has published a document called, "Data ready, mitigating the impact of data protection regulation on small businesses," on its website.
Cherry added: “With less than 100 days until the changes come into force, the attention now shifts to the Information Commissioner’s Office and whether it can effectively manage the demands of small businesses seeking advice and guidance. It is vital that smaller firms looking for this support, either by phone or the web, are able to get it easily.”
The move has been backed by the ICO. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham, said: “The report tells us that many small- and medium-sized organisations are preparing for the new data protection laws, but some still have to make a start. The ICO’s website offers a number of ways in which organisations of all sizes, and all sectors, can self-serve to get the help they need. We will study the survey findings carefully to see if we can improve the help we offer."
“We also know that many representative bodies and sector associations are also providing excellent GDPR advice and support for their members.”
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