Why a privacy reference in your email?
Every time you send a business email, you process personal data: the recipient’s email address, and often also name, company, and other contact details. The GDPR requires you to inform data subjects about how you process their data.
The simplest way to do this: a short reference to your privacy policy in your email footer. It takes five minutes to set up and covers an important part of your information obligation.
The template
Here is a ready-to-use template you can customise for your business:
Option 1: Minimal
[Company name] respects your privacy.
Read our privacy policy: [link to privacy policy]Option 2: Standard
---
This message may contain confidential information and is intended solely
for the addressee. If you have received this message in error,
please notify us and delete the message.
[Company name] processes personal data in accordance with the GDPR.
More information: [link to privacy policy]Option 3: Comprehensive
---
[First name Last name] | [Position]
[Company name]
[Address] | [Phone] | [Website]
We value your privacy. [Company name] processes personal data in accordance
with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Read our privacy policy at [link to privacy policy].
If you no longer wish to receive communications from us, please contact
us at [email address].What to look out for
The link must work
Sounds obvious, but regularly check that the link to your privacy policy still works. A dead link is worse than no link.
Update when things change
If you move your privacy policy to a different URL, also update your email footer. This is often forgotten.
Set it up centrally
Configure the footer centrally in your email system (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) so every employee automatically gets the correct footer.
Don’t forget automated emails
Besides your regular emails, you probably also send:
- Confirmation emails from orders or sign-ups
- Invoice emails from your accounting software
- Newsletters from your email tool
- Notifications from your CRM or helpdesk
All these emails should include a reference to your privacy policy. For newsletters, an unsubscribe link is also mandatory.
A small effort with big impact
Setting up a GDPR-compliant email footer takes five minutes. It shows you take privacy seriously, informs your contacts about their rights, and protects you in case of a complaint.
GDPRWise generates a privacy policy tailored to your business. Publish it on your website and link to it from your emails.