Data Protection Act & Automated Deletion Process

In light of stricter requirements under the Data Protection Act (DSG), the bank had to review existing data retention and deletion processes as a whole. Historically grown system landscapes, different retention logic and lack of end-to-end transparency made it difficult to implement regulatory requirements consistently. At the same time, there was a clear management need for legal certainty and traceable governance.

For the business, regulatory security, reputation protection and efficiency were priorities. A clearly defined and automated deletion process reduces compliance risks and minimises potential sanctions. It also lowers operational effort, increases transparency in the data set and improves steering capability in data management. The business case thus lies in risk reduction, process automation and sustainable strengthening of data governance.

Implementation offered the chance to embed data protection not in isolation but as an integral part of data and IT architecture. Challenges lay in conducting a sound gap analysis, aligning legal, compliance, IT security, data governance and business units and in technically embedding automated deletion logic in heterogeneous bank systems.

A comprehensive DSG gap analysis was carried out and a bank-wide target picture for an automated deletion process developed. The design took account of regulatory requirements, technical feasibility and organisational responsibilities. The defined end-to-end deletion process was aligned architecturally, embedded in existing systems and presented at C-level (STC). The result is a clearly structured, audit-proof deletion and governance model with high automation.

We took on DSG project leadership, carried out the gap analysis and developed the business and technical target concept. We coordinated all relevant stakeholders – from IT architecture and data governance to legal, compliance and IT security – and ensured a management-ready basis for decision-making.

If you want to embed data protection strategically and implement regulatory requirements not only in form but in a structural and efficient way, we support you from analysis to sustainable implementation.