Email signatures and GDPR – what you need to remember when creating a footer that complies with regulations
November 7, 2025
Why is an email signature subject to the GDPR?
The GDPR applies to all cases of personal data processing—and the data contained in an email signature undoubtedly falls under this category.
First name, last name, job title, phone number, and email address are all pieces of information that can be used to identify a specific individual. Therefore, their processing, storage, and sharing must comply with the rules set out in the GDPR.
In practice, this means that:
- every employee or representative of a company who sends emails discloses personal data,
- the data controller (i.e., the company) is responsible for how this data is presented and protected,
- recipients of messages have the right to know who is processing their data and for what purpose, and how they can exercise their rights under the GDPR.
That is why it is so important that a professional email signature is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also compliant with data protection regulations.
What personal data appears in an email signature?
A typical company signature contains a lot of personal data. Depending on the context of the communication, this may include:
- first and last name – employee ID,
- position and department – organizational structure data,
- email address – often includes the last name and company domain name,
- phone number (landline or mobile),
- company address,
- links to professional profiles (e.g., LinkedIn) or company websites,
- profile photo or avatar.
Each of these elements is a potential carrier of personal data.
Therefore, responsible signature management in a company requires determining which data is necessary and which can be omitted to reduce the risk of privacy violations.
How to protect signatures from GDPR violations?
In order for an email signature to be GDPR-compliant, several key data processing principles must be implemented:
1. Data minimization
The principle of minimization means that the signature should only contain information that is necessary to achieve the purpose of the contact.
There is no need to include private phone numbers, non-business-related data, or personal social media profiles.
2. Transparency
In some cases (especially in consulting firms, law firms, or public institutions), it is worth considering adding a GDPR information clause in the e-mail signature or a link to the privacy policy.
This clause informs the recipient who the data controller is, how they can be contacted, and what rights the data subject has.
Sample wording:
The controller of personal data is [company name]. For more information on data processing, please see our Privacy Policy.
3. Data security
Signatures should be implemented centrally – preferably using email signature creation software that ensures secure data storage and automatic synchronization with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 systems.
Solutions such as gSignature allow you to create and update signatures in read-only mode, so that user data is not modified outside the corporate environment.
4. Timeliness and compliance
Outdated data in a signature can mislead the recipient – and this also violates the principle of fairness in data processing.
Automatic updates in tools such as email signature generators help maintain the compliance and credibility of signatures across your organization.
Is consent required for an email signature?
Consent for data processing is not always required.
If an email signature contains work-related data (e.g., first name, last name, job title, company phone number), its processing is justified by the performance of work duties.
Consent may be necessary when:
- an employee decides to include a profile photo or data that goes beyond what is necessary (e.g., a link to a private social media profile),
- the company uses signatures for promotional purposes (e.g., marketing campaigns in e-mail signatures) that are not directly related to the employee's duties.
In such cases, it is advisable to obtain voluntary, informed consent for the use of data in the signature.
The most common mistakes made by companies in the context of the GDPR and email signatures
- ❌ Lack of an information clause – especially in messages containing personal data of customers or partners.
- ❌ Use of private email addresses for business purposes.
- ❌ Lack of central signature management – different versions of e-mail signatures within the company can lead to errors and data inconsistencies.
- ❌ Sharing unnecessary data (e.g., private numbers, links to private accounts).
- ❌ Failure to update signatures after a change in data or organizational structure.
All these errors can be eliminated by implementing a centralized signature management tool that ensures regulatory compliance and image consistency.
How gSignature supports GDPR compliance
gSignature is a professional email signature generator that enables companies to create, implement, and maintain GDPR-compliant signatures. Thanks to the centralized management system:
- user data is synchronized with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365,
- administrators have full control over the scope of data visible in signatures,
- signatures are created in read-only mode, which guarantees security,
- each update is performed automatically, without the risk of data disclosure outside the system.
In this way, gSignature combines convenience, automation, and full compliance with personal data protection requirements.
How to create a GDPR-compliant email signature?
To ensure that your email signature complies with the regulations, keep a few rules in mind:
- disclose only the necessary data,
- keep the information up to date and consistent,
- implement an information clause or link to your privacy policy,
- use secure signature management tools such as gSignature,
- regularly update your data, and verify who has access to edit signatures.
With the right approach, your email signature can not only be legally compliant, but also support the professional image of your brand.