A professional background check can include, depending on the role, the country and the applicable legal basis, information on identity, professional experience, academic background, conflicts of interest, sanctions, political exposure, financial standing, or public sources and media. Precisely for this reason, according to Validato, the principle should not be "the more information, the better", but rather "only the information that is necessary, legally permitted and proportionate to the risk of the role". Spain is a good example: its data protection framework sets clear limits on certain checks, and the handling of criminal record information in recruitment is subject to particularly strict legal conditions. Carrying out background checks in Europe therefore requires more than access to global databases: it requires an understanding of the local legal context.

For a Spanish company, working with a specialised European provider can simplify the data protection architecture. The GDPR sets specific requirements when personal data leaves the European Economic Area. Legal mechanisms exist for international transfers, but there is an important difference between being able to transfer data legally and avoiding an international transfer when it is not necessary. Especially when it comes to information about candidates and employees, reducing the number of transfers, jurisdictions and participants in the processing chain can contribute to a simpler, more controllable model. Data location was, for a long time, mainly a technical question; today it is also a strategic one, as Europe debates how to strengthen its digital autonomy and reduce certain technological dependencies. HR is not outside this debate: data about people is among the most sensitive information an organisation holds, and companies should know not only where their data is stored, but also who processes it, which legislation applies, which sub-processors are involved, and from which countries it can be accessed.

There is a fundamental distinction, according to Validato: carrying out background checks globally does not mean that the data has to be stored globally. A Spanish company may need to verify a person who studied or worked in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, Brazil, India or Singapore; the provider must be able to operate internationally and understand which checks are legally and practically possible in each jurisdiction, but the platform, case management and central data storage can remain in Europe. This makes it possible to combine two objectives: Global Screening Capability and European Data Governance. European companies are also reviewing their supply chains, technology providers, cloud dependencies and third-party risks, and the selection of a background check provider should be part of this reflection: a screening provider has temporary access to highly sensitive information about the people who are, or will become, part of an organisation, so its ownership, jurisdiction, technology infrastructure, sub-processors and data processing model can be just as relevant as its platform’s features. Choosing a specialised European provider does not, however, mean limiting background checks to Europe: Spanish companies need providers capable of operating globally, and the difference lies in from where that global activity is governed and where the sensitive data remains.

"This is precisely the model we follow at Validato: Global Screening Capability, European Data Governance. Companies can run background checks with us anywhere in the world, always within the legal and practical possibilities of each country, while our core processes and the associated data are processed and stored in Switzerland and the EU. We do not believe in checking everything simply because it is technically possible, but in checking what really matters, lawfully, proportionately and based on the specific risk of each role," explains André Naef, CEO of Validato. In an environment marked by renewed geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity risks and a growing debate on digital sovereignty, the choice of a background check provider can become part of a company’s broader European data and Human Risk Management strategy: European roots, global reach, Human Risk Management made in Europe.