DPO of Dassault Aviation Group: Philippe Ebert's feedback on Adequacy
Philippe Ebert, DPO for the Dassault Aviation Group, transitioned from a GDPR register managed in Excel to an industrial solution capable of coordinating around thirty correspondents, including its subsidiaries and international offices. He shares his experience with Adequacy: improved auditability, a higher quality register thanks to guided mode and consistency checks, traceability of modifications useful in case of a CNIL audit, and a strengthened transparency policy towards employees. He also provides his vision for the DPO of tomorrow, who will need to leverage their network of correspondents to address the AI Act and Data Act.
What led you to choose GDPR software like Adequacy?
With the entry into force of the GDPR, we set up a network of correspondents to structure and complete our register. Given the circumstances, we initially opted for a tool everyone was familiar with and which seemed to meet our needs: Excel.
However, practical implementation quickly made us realize that to coordinate a network of around thirty correspondents, Excel spreadsheets were no longer suitable.
Once we were ready for a more robust solution, we approached the AFCDP and met with various GDPR software providers, including Adequacy.
We chose Adequacy, primarily for its ease of use. The fact that it is published by a French company – a very important criterion for us – and that its CEO, Christian des Lauriers, welcomed us not as a client but as a partner, also played a significant role in our decision.
Our first contact was made at the end of 2022, and we began deploying the solution in mid-2023. The solution is user-friendly, even for users who are not IT professionals. The online help, which is very well done, greatly simplifies our task.
How has Adequacy changed your GDPR management?
The ability to integrate our foreign subsidiaries and offices allows us to control all our data processing activities and gain a comprehensive overview of them. Thanks to Adequacy, we have reached a new level in terms of auditability.
The tool also allows us to maintain a higher quality register : thanks to the software's guided mode and integrated consistency and completeness checks, users better understand the implications behind each field to be filled, which helps us complete them more effectively.
I also note the traceability of our changes enabled by the tool, which can prove very useful in case of a CNIL audit.
Finally, the tool has supported our commitment to transparency. It has allowed us to easily make available to our employees all HR data processing activities and purposes concerning them, with a level of detail exceeding legal requirements and the ability to communicate updates almost immediately.
From initially looking for a simple tool, we are now working with an extremely comprehensive solution that goes well beyond our initial expressed needs, without becoming overly complex!
What are the strengths of the Adequacy team?
For me, adaptability and efficiency are the two main strengths of the Adequacy team. They know their product inside out and are always attentive to their clients.
The teams are agile, the tool is flexible, and requested developments are possible because everything is developed in-house.
They have a very strong customer-centric approach, offering advice and support that makes them a true partner, which in turn makes the relationship very comfortable and positive.
I'd also add that the data migration phase (often critical) when we switched to them was handled perfectly. In my opinion, that was the first clear demonstration of their adaptability and efficiency!
What is your vision for the DPO of tomorrow, considering the AI Act and the Data Act?
Initially, GDPR was seen as an obscure regulation, with compliance viewed as a cost and a burden on 'business'. We had to convince people of its validity, demonstrating both educational guidance and firmness to gain buy-in, secure resources, and get the necessary time from key stakeholders. Things have since evolved: the DPO and the network of correspondents are now recognized and supported by General Management, a trend that will only strengthen in the years to come.
With the European legal framework soon to come into force (IA Act and the Data Act in particular), we will be able to leverage the system already in place to expand its missions: not only to comply with regulations but also to profit from them.
For example, for a group like ours, which incorporates IoT (and increasingly so) and delivers increasingly connected aircraft, the Data Act will grant us rights concerning our suppliers and impose obligations concerning our customers. Establishing a network of correspondents that we can leverage is a competitive advantage, enabling us to exercise our rights and fulfill our duties!
This is the DPO's revenge: this role will become increasingly essential in enabling organizations to understand, comply with, and leverage these European regulations that increasingly govern the use of digital technologies; to make the most of them!
FAQ - DPO testimony and Dassault Aviation GDPR software
Why did Dassault Aviation stop using Excel to manage its GDPR register?
Excel was suitable initially but proved inadequate for coordinating a network of about thirty correspondents. The group then sought a more industrial solution and chose Adequacy, which they discovered through the AFCDP.
Why did the Dassault Aviation Group choose Adequacy?
For its ease of use, the fact that it is published by a French company – an important criterion for them – and for the partnership relationship established from the very first interactions. The solution was deployed starting in mid-2023.
What tangible benefits has Adequacy brought to Dassault Aviation?
The integration of foreign subsidiaries and offices, improved auditability, a higher quality register thanks to the guided mode and consistency and completeness checks, the traceability of changes is useful in the event of a CNIL audit, and an enhanced transparency policy towards employees.
How does GDPR software help prepare for the AI Act and the Data Act?
The network of correspondents established for GDPR becomes a foundation to build upon, extending the DPO's missions, complying with new European regulations, and leveraging them to create a competitive advantage.
