Companies process and stockpile incalculable amounts of sensitive data every day. This comes in the form of electronic data, a liability for any business, as well as documents and paperwork rife with private information.
Fortunately, with proper data security, companies can survive an array of potential threats that can imperil corporate information: including risks like ransomware, internal theft, phishing schemes, hacks and more. Proper security may include data encryption, data erasure, robust and effective firewalls, mandating team members to create strong passwords, properly storing sensitive documents, and securing the services of a local document and data destruction company when papers and old technologies become surplus to requirement.
You’re going to want to shred expired papers and defunct or obsolete data — which, while out of date, may still house sensitive company files and information that you don’t want to be shared publicly — with a reputable and professional shredding company. Moreover, you’ll want to find one that uses industrial-grade shredding equipment. This not only means that documents and old hardware, like phones, tablets and USBs, are effectively destroyed, but that you also receive a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) once the work is complete.
What Is a Certificate of Destruction?
A CoD is a document issued to companies (and homeowners, should they require the services of a professional shredding company) upon completion of the job.
It confirms both the receipt and destruction of the supplied items, and it will include some logistical information, such as the date, time, location, and a description of the scope of the work — though the specifics will vary based on which shredding company you use.
A CoD can benefit your business. Here’s how.
A Certificate of Destruction Provides Peace of Mind
A certified guarantee that data and documents that hold sensitive, personal, or volatile information have been securely destroyed, to the point they cannot be reconstructed or reassembled, and through a professional company will offer peace of mind to team members, shareholders, customers and clients.
It Can Keep You on the Right Side of Compliance
Depending on the nature of the documents, certain papers must be destroyed once a set timeframe has elapsed — the specifics of this will vary based on location.
Generally speaking, documents that hold ex-employee information and papers that house financial data — like tax or payroll information — should all be securely destroyed following pertinent retention guidelines.
A CoD that reinforces your company’s bid to securely dispose of data and paperwork through a third-party (which holds third-party certifications) can go a long way toward satisfying audit and regulatory obligations.
It Can Help with Your Green Mandate
This only applies if you partner with a shredding company that operates with the environment in mind. This can help you improve your green policy as you can confidently say that old papers and data have been effectively recycled.
The Bottom Line
Shredding expired and sensitive documents and obsolete or superfluous hardware with a reputable shredding company will contribute towards a larger data and document safety portfolio, which, combined, can satisfy legal requirements.
If you’ve been simply throwing your e-waste and old papers in the recycling, reconsider this habit. Shredding these items can help keep your company safe and your clients and staff at ease.
