The question is on the lips of every SME and IT manager: can you use the entry-level Google Workspace Business Starter offering while scrupulously complying with the RGPD? The answer is yes, but it's far from an automatic "yes". It requires understanding everyone's roles and implementing a proactive compliance strategy.
This comprehensive guide demystifies the subject. We'll look at why lack of data region choice isn't an insurmountable obstacle, and provide you with a concrete action plan to ensure your business stays on the right side of regulation.
The Main Challenge: Lack of Data Localization in Europe
Let's be clear from the outset: the main limitation of the Google Workspace Business Starter edition is the impossibility of specifically choosing Europe as your data storage region. This feature, known as "Data Residency", is reserved for higher editions.
In practical terms, this means that some of your data (e-mails, Drive files, etc.) may be stored and processed on servers located outside the European Economic Area (EEA). It's this point that raises legitimate questions about RGPD compliance.
Google, your subcontractor : Solid contractual guarantees
Even though your data travels, it doesn't do so without a robust legal framework. In the context of the RGPD, your company is the controller ("data controller"), and Google acts as the processor ("data processor").
Google doesn't just provide an infrastructure; it also makes a contractual commitment to protect your data:
- Certified security: Google's infrastructure is audited and certified to strict international standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, 27017 and 27018.
- Data Processing Agreement (DPA): This is a contract between you and Google that defines the obligations of both parties. It is the cornerstone of your compliance.
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC): Integrated into the DPA, STCs are a legal mechanism approved by the European Commission to govern and secure transfers of personal data outside the EEA.
In short, Google provides the legal and technical guarantees needed to secure transfers. But that doesn't absolve you of your own responsibilities.
Your Crucial Role: You're the Data Controller
RGPD compliance isn't a product you buy, it's a responsibility you assume. As the data controller, the final burden of proof lies with you. You must ensure that your use of Google Workspace is compliant and document it.
That's where active diligence comes in. Here's how.
Action Plan: 5 Steps to RGPD Compliance
To get the most out of Google Workspace Business Starter, follow these essential steps.
1. Audit your data flows
First and foremost, understand what data you are processing.
- Identify the types of personal data you store in Workspace (customer data, HR data, etc.).
- Map where and how this data is collected, used and shared within your organization.
2. Mastering the legal framework (DPA and CCT)
Don't think of Google's legal documents as a simple checkbox.
- Read and understand the Data Processing Addendum (DPA) provided by Google.
- Make sure that the guarantees offered, in particular via Standard Contractual Clauses, are sufficient for the data you are processing.
3. Configure your Technical and Organizational Controls
The Google Workspace administration console is your cockpit.
- Manage access: Apply the principle of least privilege. Each user should only have access to the data strictly necessary for his or her mission.
- Activate two-step validation (2FA): This is a non-negotiable security measure to protect your accounts.
- Train your teams: Make your staff aware of good security and data protection practices. A large proportion of security breaches are human.
To find out more, read our guide to [5 golden rules for securing Google Workspace in SMEs].
4. Conduct your Transfer Impact Analysis (TIIA)
Since data may be transferred outside the EU, the GDPR requires you to assess the risk.
- Perform a Data Transfer Impact Analysis (DTIA).
- This analysis documents that Google's guarantees (via the TCCs) and the measures you have taken are sufficient to protect the data, even if it is processed, for example, in the USA.
5. Rigorously document your compliance
In the event of an inspection, you must be able to prove your good faith.
- Keep a log: Keep a written record of all the measures you've taken (audits, training, parameter configuration, AITD).
- Document your internal data protection policies.
This documentation is proof of your active compliance approach. Consider [Google Vault, the advanced compliance tool], for archiving and eDiscovery needs in higher editions.
Conclusion: Compliance is a Strategy, not an Option
Using Google Workspace Business Starter to comply with the RGPD in 2025 is entirely possible. It does, however, require a shift in perspective: from a passive expectation of compliance to active, documented risk management.
By relying on Google's solid contractual framework and fully assuming your role as data controller via a clear action plan, you can benefit from the power of Workspace without compromising the protection of your customers' and employees' data. For more details on migration, please consult our guide to migrating from Microsoft 365.
Your RGPD compliance is too important to leave to chance. Request your free Google Workspace configuration audit and make sure every setting is optimized to protect your data.
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