A client wants us to be «RGPD compliant» for a contract — what do we need to show them?

As a first step, grab the basic registry template (modèle de registre) published by CNIL. Fill in the data fields your software collects from the client, such as name, email, phone number, along with their retention periods. Large clients' compliance teams typically look for standard templates, so using this official format builds trust right away.

The folder you send over to the client should contain these 4 documents: 1) A DPA contract addendum defining the rights and obligations of both parties. 2) A list of technical measures detailing your software architecture and encryption protocols. 3) A server commitment letter proving the data resides in European data centers. 4) An incident response procedure guaranteeing you'll notify the client within 48 hours of any potential data breach.

A logistics firm in Paris asked us for the exact same thing. Without hiring outside consultants, we put together a 5-page technical measures sheet explaining our security architecture and attached a standard DPA. Their legal department approved it within 4 days and signed off on the 65,000 Euro master contract. They don't care about official badges; they care about paperwork rigor.

Big clients usually have their own standard DPA templates and security questionnaires anyway. Don't waste time drafting a legal agreement from scratch; just tell them: 'If you have a standard vendor security assessment and DPA draft, send it over and our technical team will review, complete, and sign it right away.' Most of the time, they'll just hand you their own forms.

a retailer asked us for this once and we panicked tbh, but really they just want to pass the buck to the subcontractor if cnil ever comes knocking with fines then tell them servers are in europe, data is encrypted, sign a dpa and you're good.

Does the loyalty data your software processes include minors under 18 or special categories of sensitive data? If it's just basic contact info and purchase history, things move way faster, but if credit card details or sensitive data are involved, their compliance audit will be significantly harsher.

Don't waste money on so-called consultants charging thousands of Euros promising 'official RGPD compliance certification' for small businesses. There is no universally accredited corporate RGPD certificate in the European Union right now. All they really want is properly documented internal processes and contractual guarantees.

Yes, that's exactly how it is with rgpd compliance. People defend habits, not processes. Resistance comes from there.

We need to take it step by step. The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

Proven by experience.

Thanks, that was the answer I was looking for.

Thanks, that was the answer I was looking for. Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Saved.

Let me write how it's done in practice. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

We experienced almost the exact same thing last year. Payment information changes are never verified through the channel they came from.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Following.

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I think it's hard to be that definitive about rgpd compliance. Most incidents start with a leaked password, not a vulnerability.

If I were you, I'd go this route.

timly topic.