How does consent work for employees or internal emails?

Marketing to employees requires navigating the employer-employee relationship, which complicates traditional consent frameworks. In many jurisdictions, employees cannot freely consent to employer requests because of the inherent power imbalance. This means that simply asking employees to sign up for company marketing communications may not constitute valid consent if employees feel pressure to comply.

Under GDPR specifically, employee consent is viewed skeptically because employees may fear negative consequences for refusing employer requests. Companies marketing to their own employees often need to rely on legitimate interest rather than consent, documenting a careful balance between business needs and employee privacy rights. The marketing must be relevant to the employment relationship and employees must be able to opt out without repercussions.

B2B marketing to employees at other companies follows different rules. You're typically contacting people in their professional capacity, which many regulations treat differently than consumer marketing. However, the individual employee still has privacy rights, and best practice includes easy opt-out mechanisms and respect for stated preferences. Whether marketing to your own employees or others, remember that professional email addresses belong to real people with real privacy interests.