Get ready for the General Data Protection Regulation with us

The GDPR will place more stringent conditions on all organisations and so it is important to consider what is required for your organisation to be compliant. At its core, the regulation is designed to strengthen existing data protection laws and standardise the way that personal data is collected, protected and used by organisations.  

With such a major change on the horizon, the Sport and Recreation Alliance has identified 10 questions to help you navigate your way through GDPR. This member briefing is designed to help you get to grips with the basics of GDPR, outline some of the key considerations and explain why, in the long term, it will benefit your organisation. 

The GDPR relates to the protection of “personal data” which is defined as any piece of information that can be used to identify an individual. This could relate to staff data, member data, athlete data, event participant data and much more. As a result, the regulation will touch every organisation across the sector and will change the way we all collect, retain and use personal information.  

The first step for any organisation will be to conduct an audit on the information they collect and ask questions such as - how they obtained it, where is it stored and why do they need it? Importantly, from May, consent must be obtained to use or process personal data. It also means that requests for consent must be obvious and cannot be hidden within lengthy terms and conditions, and pre-ticked boxes or inactivity will no longer constitute consent. 

GDPR, at its heart, will help to protect individuals against personal data breaches, but it is also going to help organisations develop a clear understanding of how to handle this sensitive information.  

The changes required are going to take time to adopt and this is why you must, if you haven’t already, start thinking about how your organisation is going to work towards being compliant with the GDPR. To help our members navigate the complexities of the GDPR the Sport and Recreation Alliance will be hosting a one-day workshop alongside a number of our corporate partners later this year. For more information on how to secure your free ticket for this event, please register your interest now.