TrustArc Webinar - Mastering Data Inventory: The Foundation of Strong Privacy Compliance

A complete, accurate, and up-to-date data inventory isn’t just a regulatory requirement — it’s the cornerstone of an effective privacy program. Yet for many organizations, building and maintaining that inventory remains a challenge, especially in complex, fast-changing data environments.

Join privacy experts as they unpack:
- Why a robust data inventory is essential for meeting privacy obligations under laws like GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and beyond.
- How to map data flows across systems, departments, and third parties.
- Practical strategies for overcoming common challenges like siloed systems, unstructured data, and vendor blind spots.
- How to use your inventory to strengthen risk management, accelerate DSAR responses, and enable privacy-by-design.

Whether you’re building your first inventory or refining a mature program, you’ll walk away with actionable insights, key practices, and tips to ensure your data inventory supports compliance and drives competitive advantage across your organization.

1. © 2025 TrustArc Inc. Proprietary and Confidential Information.
Mastering Data Inventory:
The Foundation of Strong Privacy Compliance

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Legal Disclaimer
The information provided during this webinar does
not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.
Instead, all information, content, and materials presented during
this webinar are for general informational purposes only.

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Speakers
Kemi Spector
Global Privacy Manager
TrustArc
Joanne Furtsch
VP, Privacy Knowledge
TrustArc
Amanda DeLuke
CIPP/E, CIPM
Senior Data Privacy Manager
Higher Logic

4. Agenda

1.Why a Data Inventory?
2.Core Components of a Modern Data Inventory
3.Common Challenges & Pitfalls
4.Key Practices for Building & Maintaining a Data
Inventory
5.Looking Ahead

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Why a Data Inventory?
Know Your Data
●Identify the data you collect, store, process, and share
●Defines privacy obligations (GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, localization)
●Demonstrate accountability (ROPA, PIAs, etc)
●Data subject rights requests
●Supports contractual relationships
Risk & Governance
●Reduces shadow IT
●Identify risks/vulnerabilities of over collection/retention
●Provide audit evidence to demonstrate accountability
●Supports incident response
AI and Beyond
●Drives responsible use of AI
●Supports transparency
●Align with broader business drivers and strategy

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Core Components of a Modern Data Inventory
Data Elements &
Categories
Data Sources &
Collection Points
Data Processing
Activities
Data Flows &
Storage
Stakeholder &
Ownership
Security & Risk
Attributes
Regulator &
Contractual Context
Data Subject Rights
Support
Data Inventory

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Common Challenges & Pitfalls
•Siloed systems and fragmented data ownership
•Keeping the inventory up to date in dynamic
environments
•Overlooking unstructured data (emails, shared
drives, collaboration tools)
•Unknown or unauthorized vendors
•Record Retention policy
•Aligning with your contractual commitments and
definitions
•What is “processing” ?

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Key Practices for Building & Maintaining a Data Inventory
●Data Classifications
●Shared responsibility across privacy, security, GRC
●Leveraging automation and privacy tech tools
●Setting governance processes for regular reviews and updates
○How itʼs done from an audit perspective
●Aligning inventory management with incident response plans
●Data retention (tech data + overall process)
Using Data Inventory for Strategic Advantage
●Driving privacy-by-design in product development
●Enabling faster, more accurate responses to DSARs and regulatory inquiries
●Using inventory insights to inform data minimization and deletion programs
●Supporting AI governance and ethical data use initiatives
●Transparency
Some Examples
●How is this done in practice?

9. Looking Ahead
•Stricter privacy regulations are raising
expectations for detailed, accurate, and
continuously updated data inventories.

•Integration with cybersecurity frameworks to
enhance risk management, access controls, and
monitoring.

•Future trends: leveraging AI, automation, and risk
scoring to make inventories smarter, faster, and
more actionable.

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Thank You!