Data Protection & GDPR

The new data protection regulations will take effect from May 2018.  GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) offer more stringent regulations on the storage and use of data that is held about people.  These regulations will affect the voluntary sector.  Although the GDPR is an EU regulation, it will still apply to the UK.

The Community Foundation for Staffordshire is no different, and we have already completed a cleanse of our database to ensure that we are compliant with these regulations.  As we already had a strict data protection policy there are very few changes that we have had to make.

In addition to this ‘data cleanse’ we have revised our policies and procedures to ensure that everyone who works or volunteers with the organisation is aware of how they should record, treat and use the data that we hold about people.  This will ensure that our storage of data is not excessive, and used only for the purpose for which it was gathered.

The Community Foundation for Staffordshire has now gone one step further than this, and our new application and donation forms no longer just ask a question which must be completed, but also contain details on why we are asking each question, what we are going to use the data provided for, how it will be stored and how long we will keep that data.

Where data and details may be used for marketing purposes we make this clear and ask people whether they consent to this use.

More information on GDPR can be found by visiting http://www.eugdpr.org/