What is GDPR and does it apply to our club?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) intends to unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union.
The GDPR applies to any data controllers or data processors, so if you collect any personal data in running your club (which you definitely will do if you have any members) then YES the GDPR will apply to you.
When does it come in to force?
GDPR which will apply from 25 May 2018
What information does GDPR apply to?
The GDPR applies to ‘personal data’ meaning any information that could directly or indirectly identify an individual person.
This definition provides for a wide range of personal identifiers to constitute personal data, including name, identification number, location data or online identifier, reflecting changes in technology and the way organisations collect information about people.
The GDPR applies to both automated personal data and to manual filing systems where personal data are accessible according to specific criteria.
Why does it exist?
The aim of the GDPR is to protect all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches in an increasingly data-driven world that is vastly different from the time in which the 1995 directive was established.
What could happen if we do not comply?
Your club could be fined up to 4% of your turnover, be liable for legal damages or probably worst of all, receive irreparable reputational damage.
In short, do not ignore these new Data Protection regulations but do not fear either as it’s not as hard as you think to get ready.
What does my club need to do to become compliant?
- Understand what personal data you hold, what you do with it, where it came from and who processes it.
- Obtain consent from members if you intend to send any marketing communications (this can include newsletters). Consent needs to be as easy to withdraw as it is to give.
- Create or update a Privacy Policy that outlines your procedures for capturing, storing & processing personal data. There are some specific GDPR requirementsyou’ll need to consider.
- Only capture & store relevant information for your club
- Be able to provide the member with access to all personal data you hold on them without delay
- Be able to delete all personal information held at a members request
- Provide the member with the ability to update any incorrect personal data you hold
- Have specific processes in place when processing personal data for Children (under 13). This may include a clear, easy to read privacy notice. Consent for marketing cannot be taken from Children.
How can Clubmate help? 😃
Implementing Clubmate cannot guarantee GDPR compliance, no software platform can, but we do have some features that make it much simpler to achieve. Clubmate can help by providing:
- A simple, secure database to capture and store all personal data in one place, accessible to approved club personnel from anywhere.
- An option for members to give or withdraw their consent online.
- Automatic restriction of marketing consent for Children under the age of 13
- An online membership form that only captures personal data relevant to your club.
- The ability for approved club personnel to delete all personal member data
- Exportable member data in a digital format
- A secure audit trail of user access
- Peace of mind that all data is securely stored at the highest level of security
A 24/7 self-service membership portal that empowers the member to:
- Access & view the personal data you hold on them.
- Update any incorrect personal data
- Give or withdraw their marketing consent
What Clubmate can’t help with? 👎
- Your clubs Privacy policy is unique to your club and you will need to create one that represents your clubs needs. We recommend that you seek independent legal guidance to protect your club.
- Any data captured outside of Clubmate. We highly recommend that data is only stored in Clubmate. The more locations you store data, the harder it will be for you to maintain compliance. It’s harder to track & you’ll ultimately be placing you club at a higher risk of a data breach.
- Legal advice. We are not legal professionals and do not pretend to be. The information we provide is designed to be useful for clubs preparing for GDPR compliance and is not a direct replacement for independent legal advice. Clubmate Limited accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information presented. Please seek your own legal advice.
In a nutshell:
- Stop using paper, spreadsheets & out of date, insecure systems ❌
- Create or update your clubs Privacy policy ✅
- Start using Clubmate 👍
