Manual Processes Create Unnecessary Data Protection Risks

Many risks in recruiting do not arise from complex cyberattacks, but from everyday working habits: sensitive documents as email attachments, local Excel lists, files on personal drives, or printouts kept unnecessarily long. This is particularly critical for background checks, because depending on the modules chosen, sensitive personal data may be processed. A specialised SaaS platform can reduce such risks by bundling the process within a controlled environment. This does not mean, however, that every cloud solution is automatically data-protection compliant. Companies should understand exactly where data is stored, which parties have access, which subcontractors are involved, and how data is deleted once the screening is complete. Technology is therefore not just a matter of efficiency, but part of the data protection and security architecture of the recruiting process.

Data Location Matters – But Is Not the Only Criterion

For Swiss companies, the location of data processing is an important selection criterion. The source document emphasises that storing data within Switzerland can reduce cross-border issues, but on its own is still not a guarantee of full data protection compliance. Equally relevant are the contractual structure, the subcontractors used, possible support access from other countries, and the technical protective measures. Validato processes and stores data for its services in Switzerland or the EU and places great importance on controlled data pathways. Nevertheless, it remains important for customers to look at the entire processing chain. A Swiss server is a strong element of a data-protection-oriented architecture, but it replaces neither clean data processing arrangements nor the review of whether the specific background check is actually necessary and proportionate for the position in question.

Privacy by Design Must Be Visible in Everyday Practice

Data protection should not only emerge through a privacy notice at the end of a process. On a screening platform, it must be built in technically and organisationally. This includes role-based permissions, so that employees only see the information they need for their task. Equally important are encryption in transit and at rest, secure upload processes, traceable system activity and clearly defined deletion mechanisms. Especially for international companies, it should also be possible to map different entities and responsibilities. The source document names audit trails as an important building block: companies should be able to trace how a process was carried out, without unnecessarily spreading sensitive data widely. Privacy by design therefore means, above all, translating data protection principles into concrete functions and process rules.

The Contract With the Provider Is Also Part of Platform Review

With a SaaS solution for background checks, the commissioning company remains responsible for the lawful design of its screening process. The platform provider processes data within the agreed framework. The contractual arrangement of data processing is therefore an essential part of reviewing a provider. It should, among other things, set out how data is processed, what security measures apply, how subcontractors are involved, and what happens in the event of a security incident or after the contract ends. With international subprocessors, additional data protection reviews may become necessary. Companies should not clarify these topics only later in procurement, but should already consider them when selecting a platform. A good technical solution and a clean legal and organisational structure need to fit together.

Validato Combines Screening Technology With Information Security

Validato has developed its platform specifically for digital background checks and human risk management. The process includes, among other things, digital identity verification and consent, role-based access, structured screening packages and standardised reporting. Validato's information security management system is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Data is processed and stored in Switzerland or the EU and deleted according to defined retention rules. At the same time, the customer remains in control of the scope of checks: the platform does not replace the decision as to which checks are sensible and proportionate for a specific position. Rather, it creates the technical foundation for implementing that decision securely, consistently and traceably.

Aligning Your Screening Platform With Data Protection

Would you like to digitise background checks without spreading sensitive candidate data across emails and local files? Validato offers an ISO-27001-certified screening platform with data processing in Switzerland or the EU.