It’s Their Right. Your Responsibility. Our Expertise.
Read our DSAR Managed Service Guide here
It starts with a simple email.
“Please treat this as a Data Subject Access Request.”
Within moments, HR, IT, Legal and Compliance are all involved. Emails need reviewing, documents need searching, Teams chats need checking, and personal data must be identified, reviewed and, where necessary, redacted.
For many organisations, a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) can be incredibly resource intensive. What appears to be a straightforward request can quickly become a complex exercise involving multiple departments, thousands of documents and significant compliance risk.
What is a DSAR?
A DSAR allows an individual to request access to the personal data an organisation holds about them.
Anyone can submit a DSAR, including:
- Employees
- Former employees
- Customers
- Clients
- Job applicants
- Contractors
- Suppliers
Requests can be made verbally or in writing, and individuals don’t need to reference legislation at all for the request to be valid.
Why Are DSARs Becoming More Challenging?
The way organisations store data has changed dramatically.
Personal information is no longer stored neatly in a single database. Instead, it exists across countless systems. A single employee request could require searching years of communications across multiple departments.
Mistakes can also be costly, leading to complaints, investigations, and fines from the ICO, as well as reputational damage.
The Hidden Cost of Managing DSARs Internally
Many organisations underestimate the amount of work involved.
A typical DSAR often requires:
- Verifying the identity of the requester
- Clarifying the scope of the request
- Searching multiple systems
- Collecting structured and unstructured data
- Reviewing thousands of documents
- Removing duplicates
- Applying exemptions
- Redacting third-party information
- Preparing the final disclosure
- Recording every step for accountability
Meanwhile, HR, IT and compliance teams are pulled away from their day jobs.
The result?
Lost productivity, increased pressure and greater risk of missing something important.
That’s why more organisations are choosing to outsource their DSAR requests.
At iSTORM, we provide an Outsourced DSAR Managed Service that removes the burden from your internal teams while ensuring every request is managed securely, efficiently and in accordance with UK GDPR requirements. Our flexible service supports organisations whether they receive one request a year or dozens every month, giving you complete confidence that your DSAR process is in expert hands.
Let iSTORM Take the Stress Out of DSARs
A DSAR doesn’t have to disrupt your business.
Our DSAR Managed Service provides flexible, scalable support that enables your organisation to respond confidently, protect individuals’ rights and maintain compliance without placing unnecessary strain on your internal teams.
Whether you need help with a single complex request or want a trusted partner to manage every DSAR on your behalf, our experienced Data Protection consultants are here to help.
