“We get the platform and trusted advisory to manage compliance across our Nordic operations.”

How Matas Group Is Aligning GDPR Across Four Nordic Markets with Cerivo

Managing personal data responsibly is essential for a retail group built on customer relationships and trust. But ensuring a consistent approach to GDPR across four countries requires the right processes, resources and expertise.

Following its acquisition of KICKS Group in 2023, Matas Group has been working to create greater alignment in its data protection practices across Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Having collaborated with Cerivo since 2020, Matas Group already had an established compliance partner to support this next phase.

Today, Cerivo's GRC solution and Managed Services, delivered by Cerivo's legal experts, help coordinate GDPR activities, prepare documentation and support the ongoing work of creating a more consistent approach to data protection across Matas and KICKS.

For Sille Sophie Lauridsen, Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group, the collaboration provides more than software. It gives her access to specialists who coordinate compliance activities, prepare documentation and provide guidance. This frees up time for the legal and business priorities that require her expertise.

“Cerivo has helped us streamline GDPR processes across Matas and KICKS. They create structure, maintain an overview and help us identify the next steps in aligning our ways of working.”

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Sille Sophie Lauridsen

Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group

One legal specialist, four Nordic markets

As Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group, Sille is responsible for data protection and AI compliance across the group.

Her role involves overseeing GDPR compliance, advising the business and balancing regulatory requirements with the needs of an innovative retail organisation.

With extensive customer loyalty programmes and personal data processed across different business functions, strong data protection practices are essential to maintaining customer trust.

Following the acquisition of KICKS Group, a key priority has been to build on Matas' established GDPR practices and create greater alignment across the group.

But coordinating compliance across four countries involves different systems, processes and national legal requirements.

With responsibility for data protection and AI compliance across Matas Group, Sille benefits from Cerivo's coordination and specialist expertise, which help maintain progress without requiring her to organise every activity herself.

Building on a partnership that began in 2020

Matas Group and Cerivo have worked together on GDPR compliance since 2020.

When Matas acquired KICKS Group, it was therefore natural to extend the existing collaboration to support the group's broader Nordic operations.

One of Sille's priorities has been to review policies and procedures across Matas and KICKS, identify which practices can be shared and determine where documentation needs to reflect national requirements.

Cerivo acts as both a project management resource and a sparring partner, reviewing existing documentation, preparing updates and coordinating input from relevant departments.

Sille then reviews and adapts the documentation with guidance from Cerivo before working with the relevant teams to implement it across the organisation.

“Having the platform is great, but access to specialists is just as valuable. As the person responsible for GDPR processes across Matas Group, it's valuable for me to have someone with the same professional expertise to discuss challenges with.”

Sille Sophie Lauridsen

Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group

Together, Sille and Cerivo identify opportunities to create greater alignment between existing GDPR processes at Matas and KICKS while taking the needs of each business into account.

Managed Services that free up time for the business

Matas Group also uses Cerivo's Managed Services for recurring GDPR activities, including Records of Processing Activities (RoPA), Data Processor Oversight and GDPR policies and procedures.

Cerivo's specialists coordinate RoPA workshops, gather information, prepare documentation and follow up with data processors regarding their data processing agreements.

Instead of organising meetings, collecting updates and coordinating every follow-up herself, Sille can rely on Cerivo to handle much of the practical work while she maintains oversight and provides input.

“Knowing that Cerivo takes care of the coordination, documentation and follow-ups gives me more time to focus on the legal and business priorities that need my attention.”

Sille Sophie Lauridsen

Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group

Creating alignment while respecting local requirements

Creating greater alignment in GDPR practices across Matas and KICKS requires balancing group-wide consistency with local requirements.

Although GDPR provides a common framework, national legislation and existing business processes can vary across Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Cerivo helps prepare policies, procedures and records of processing activities, while Sille reviews and adapts the documentation before working with the relevant departments to implement it.

Together, they identify where shared processes make sense and where local requirements call for a different approach.

The goal isn't to make every process identical, but to create greater alignment while respecting the needs of each market.

“We get the platform and trusted advisory to manage compliance across our Nordic operations.”

Sille Sophie Lauridsen

Senior Legal Counsel at Matas Group

Supporting Matas Group's Nordic ambitions

For Matas Group, the work of creating a more consistent approach to data protection across Matas and KICKS is still ongoing.

Building on a partnership that began in 2020, Cerivo supports both recurring GDPR activities and the broader KICKS initiative through documentation, project management and specialist guidance.

For Sille, having Cerivo as a sparring partner means she doesn't have to drive every activity alone. Instead, she can focus on the legal decisions and business priorities that require her attention while working with Cerivo to implement more consistent processes across the organisation.

Together, Matas Group and Cerivo are building on existing GDPR processes to make compliance work more structured and manageable across the Nordics.