Outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO) Services

DPO as a service (also known as hiring an external DPO) is a solution where organizations outsource the responsibilities of a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to a third-party provider. For example, DPO Consulting provides full comprehensive external support for GDPR compliance, risk assessments, data protection impact assessments, and acting as a point of contact for data protection authorities. By adopting this arrangement, businesses, particularly those with smaller workforces, are able to gain access to the expertise and guidance needed to comply with GDPR without needing to hire full time.

Yes, a Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be outsourced. Smaller organizations without expertise in-house may choose to hire external firms like DPO Consulting to fulfill the DPO role for two reasons. One, it removes the need to onboard a full-time team member. Two, hiring an external firm can prevent any conflict of interest that might arise from appointing an internal DPO, especially if that person would have had additional responsibilities.

Outsourcing the DPO function can make your GDPR compliance journey smooth and hassle-free. By partnering with a firm like DPO Consulting, you can leverage the extensive knowledge and experience of GDPR compliance experts without hiring full-time staff, reducing overhead costs and administrative burdens while adapting to changing needs.

A Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for ensuring an organization's compliance with data protection laws like GDPR. DPOs keep track of all data protection obligations, provide training to employees, liaise with supervisory authorities, conduct impact assessments, and serve as a point of contact for data subjects and regulators.

Yes, a DPO can be either an individual or a representative organization. Regardless, it is important that whomever you designate as your DPO has the required expertise and independence to execute duties effectively.

Whenever your organisation/company processes sensitive data of persons in the EU on a large scale, or monitors individuals on a regular basis, it needs to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). A DPO may be an internal employee of your organization or an external contractor contracted under a service contract.

A DPO should report to the highest management level within the organization like CEOs, board of directors, or equivalent senior management. Direct reporting to top management ensures DPO autonomy, facilitates compliance oversight, and highlights the importance of data protection within the organization.

Failure to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) as required by GDPR exposes the company to non-compliance penalties, increased vulnerability to data breaches, and reputational damage. The absence of a DPO undermines organizational integrity and impacts customer trust.

Outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO) services can cost between a few hundred dollars per month to thousands of dollars per month (typically for enterprise-grade clients). The complexity of your data processing activities will primarily determine the exact cost of your DPO as a service.

Public bodies must always appoint a Data Protection Officer. For private organizations, you are legally required to appoint a Data Protection Officer if you process large amounts of sensitive data that can impact the rights of data subjects.

As per the GDPR, if the core activities of your company involve processing of sensitive data on a large scale, or large-scale systematic monitoring of individuals, it is mandatory to appoint a Data Protection Officer. Fill the form at the bottom of this page to learn more about DPO outsourcing.

It typically takes a couple of weeks from signing your outsourced DPO services contract to onboarding the outsourced data protection manager. However, when there is a high volume of data involved in complex data processing activities, it can take longer.

If there’s a data breach while using external DPO services, your agency partner can be held liable for the breach depending on the terms agreed upon in the Data Protection Officer services contract. However, your company might still face the consequences of the data breach like reputational damage, penalties, and lawsuits.

Yes, this is one of the core responsibilities of your outsourced data protection officer (DPO). Your outsourced DPO acts as a point of contact between your organization, regulatory authorities, and data subjects.