NW Security Group releases free GDPR Readiness tool that indicates if a company is on the right track to preparing for the new regulation’s requirements

NW Security Group, a leading provider of IP video solutions and security consultancy, has today launched a free General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR] Readiness checklist tool to help businesses quickly and easily determine if they’re adequately preparing for the new legislation. Due to come into effect on 25^th May 2018, the EU GDPR aims to ensure the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), however, according to recent figures over 50% of companies across the UK will not be ready for the new regulation by the deadline[1].

While awareness of the new legislation has risen in recent months, the consensus is that UK firms are under-prepared for the EU GDPR, and therefore at risk of fines as high as €20m, or 4% of a company’s annual turnover, whichever is greater. As an expert in providing security consultancy and training, NW Security has been giving businesses across the UK guidance on how to ensure compliance by the May deadline in a series of awareness seminars. The GDPR Readiness checklist tool formed a vital part of each seminar, helping attendees determine how effective their data protection processes were on their respective journeys to GDPR compliance.

“As a provider of IP-based security systems, we have always taken cybersecurity very seriously to ensure the solutions we recommend to our customers protect the data that is generated,” states Nigel Peers, Senior Consultant at NW Security. “In recent months we have been raising awareness with companies and helping them to assess their levels of preparedness for GDPR using our quick checklist tool. As the time frames become more urgent and levels of readiness are left wanting, we felt it would be helpful to make this free tool available to more companies across the UK. It prompts companies to think about how best to prepare themselves and their supply chains for GDPR and provides an insight of just how comprehensive a full GDPR Organisational Readiness Assessment needs to be.”

One of the seminars was held at the Wirral Chamber of Commerce in Birkenhead, welcoming attendees from a range of businesses in the region to heighten understanding of the new regulations and identify how it could impact their organisation. One attendee Laura Cross, Director at Concentric HR, said of the seminar, “It was extremely informative and practical. We don’t feel fully prepared for GDPR but events such as this have definitely increased our knowledge on the topic and given us great learnings to take back and implement within our firm.”

Laura Cross continued, “The GDPR Readiness checklist was one of the most useful aspects of the seminar. It really helped me to understand where our business is currently on the journey to GDPR compliance. Knowing that there are external experts out there that can support us along the way is extremely reassuring for our business.”