KSA PDPL
About KSA PDPL (Personal Data Protection Law)
The PDPL was implemented in Saudi Arabia by Royal Decree, and the SDAIA will oversee it for the first two years, followed by the NDMO. The PDPL aims to protect personal data privacy, regulate data sharing, and prevent misuse, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for digital infrastructure and economy.
Main Features of PDPL
- Data subject rights
- Controller registration
- Controller obligations
- Consent
- Non-consent-based processing
- Privacy policy
- Purpose limitation and data minimization
- Impact assessments
- Marketing
- Breach notification
Although it shares similarities with other data protection laws worldwide, it has several unique features.
The PDPL has strict data sovereignty regulations, with controllers prohibiting transferring personal data outside Saudi Arabia without meeting specific requirements. Personal data disclosure is limited to avoid security risks or damage to Saudi Arabia’s reputation or relationships. The PDPL also applies to the data of deceased persons and has strict breach notification requirements. Controllers must destroy personal data in certain circumstances but may retain de-identified data or data required by law or legal proceedings.
Is it Required for Your Company?
The PDPL applies to all businesses and public entities processing personal data in Saudi Arabia, including those outside the country processing data of Saudi residents. It does not apply to personal and family use. The Data Office will impose administrative sanctions for violating the PDPL, but the specific violations and corresponding sanctions have not been released yet.
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What Is Required to be PDPL Compliant?
To comply with PDPL, organizations must implement and rigorously practice policies, procedures, processes, and controls. IT applications, contracts with stakeholders, and websites may also require changes. With more than 30 data privacy implementations in the last four years, Univate has the expertise to guide organizations through PDPL compliance audits.
Why Univate? How we stand out?
Univate profoundly understands PDPL requirements across various industry segments and business lines. Our distinctive approach ensures that all aspects of an organization’s business components, including products, services, client-facing activities, internal operations, and cloud instances, comply with PDPL regulations. Our services include consultation, implementation support, and guaranteeing the implementation of all appropriate technical and organizational controls and safeguards as required by GDPR.
We follow a comprehensive 3-phase approach for our engagements, starting with the Diagnose phase and concluding with the Assure phase. Each phase is arranged sequentially, with detailed activities and deliverables outlined in subsequent sections of this document.
Salient features of our engagement approach are:
- Unique and Proven engagement approach
- End-to-end documentation
- Training on the model with comprehensive training materials and handholding
- Complex client implementation experience in different countries
- Cost arbitrage
- Reduce management time required
- Reduce the cost of sustenance
- Our unique automation tool automates managing the system
We provide Data Protection assessments, PDPL reviews and gap assessments to help companies adopt and implement the new PDPL regulations.
Our assessment and implementation support methodology addresses critical areas like:
- GAP analysis report with Remediation action with recommendations.
- Practical Road Map for Design, rollout and Institutionalisation of recommended controls
- Training, course materials and certificates for participants
- Identified Roles and responsibilities wrt. PDPL compliance requirements.
- conducting Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA),
- Data Protection Policy, Procedure, Manual, Work instruction documentation
- Recommendation of best practices for Data protection by design
- Framework for Internal Audits and Audit Reports for PDPL, DPL & GDPR Compliance
- DPO office roles and responsibility establishment
- Support remediation of Governance controls and Recommendation and Oversight for all technical control implementation
- Final assessment and ensuring formal closure of all GAPs, Action items and FINAL COMPLIANCE SCORE CARD Ratings
- Management status report for PDPL, DPL & GDPR initiative.
Benefits of being PDPL compliant
- Higher credibility and trust with business partners
- Better understanding and management of personal data
- Easier business process automation
- Strong brand reputation
- Minimize legal risks
- Transparency with customers
