Data Protection Compliance for Manufacturing & Distribution Firm Based in EMEA

Needs And Requirements:

The client sought consultancy support to achieve compliance with a specific Data Protection Act from their region. They required a structured compliance strategy, including gap analysis, risk assessment, governance frameworks, and employee training, in order to strengthen data privacy practices and establish long-term regulatory alignment.

The overarching requirement was to establish a holistic Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) approach to data protection that would not only meet regulatory standards but also strengthen trust with customers, regulators, and partners.

Main Challenges:

Regulatory Complexity:Navigating new legal requirements under a Data Protection Act, while aligning with international standards like ISO 27701, posed a significant challenge.

Organizational Readiness:The organization needed to understand its current data protection maturity level, identify compliance gaps, and prioritize remediation tasks.

Operational Awareness: Staff required awareness training and clear protocols for handling personal data, breaches, and communication with regulators.

Solution:

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC): Hitachi Cyber developed and executed a structured compliance program tailored to the client’s needs. This began with a Privacy Compliance Assessment, including data flow mapping and a gap analysis against the Data Protection Act and international standards such as ISO 27701. Based on the findings, a prioritized action plan was created to address compliance gaps and risks.

Key deliverables included:

• A Privacy and Data Protection Compliance Strategy.
• A governance model, policies, and procedures aligned with the DPA.
• Privacy Risk Assessment and Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• A comprehensive documentation suite covering policies, contracts, and protocols for incident and breach management.
• Training and awareness programs to embed a culture of data protection across the organization.
• Regular progress reporting and a final compliance report.

Virtual DPO & Privacy: In addition to GRC advisory services, Hitachi Cyber served as the client’s Designated Virtual DPO, providing hands-on operational guidance to ensure compliance was sustained over time.

This role included:

• Advising on data subject rights requests, consent management, and communication protocols with regulators.
• Supporting the organization with incident and breach management, including regulatory notifications.
• Acting as a trusted advisor on day-to-day data protection matters.
• Ensuring that the compliance framework remained aligned with evolving regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

Outcomes:

The organization gained a clear understanding of its privacy maturity, compliance gaps, and risks. A robust governance framework, enhanced employee awareness, and documented protocols for data protection were established. With a prioritized action plan in place, the client is well-positioned to comply with their DPA while strengthening trust with customers, regulators, and stakeholders.

Next Steps:

The client will continue working with Hitachi Cyber through ongoing support, benefiting from advisory services, periodic reviews, and updates to policies and procedures. Privacy-by-design principles will be integrated into operations, ensuring compliance remains a cornerstone of organizational strategy.