With regards to document shredding, what data is considered classified?
- Disbursement records (Wages, etc.)
- Accounts records (financial statements such as the balance sheet, etc.)
- Sales receipts
- Bank records
- Social Security records
- Business letters
- Customer information
- Personnel records
- Computer printouts
- Computer discs or tapes
Why is there a need to protect such Company data?
Industries are in constant danger of having such sensitive information to 'fall
into the wrong hands' - people that are out to inflict damage, such as a
discontented employee or a competitor, which could result to either of the
following:
- Damage to business revenues
- Bad publicity
- Humiliation
- Loss of staff or key personnel (probably to a competitor)
- Loss of customers
- Loss of job or running out of business
- A possible law suit
This is why every information-sensitive industry needs a proper and secure
records storage and management. However, such course of action usually requires
much room (think of all those years' worth of papers and electronic tapes piling
up); it also incurs high costs. In addition, there will also come a time when
the company will need to purge itself of the age-old materials. But these
outdated materials will still be sensitive, and throwing away classified
documents in a wastebasket will not do the trick - they can still be collected
and sorted out, the information still made available to whoever would want them.
More than ever before in this age of information there is a truly a great need
for a secure disposal of sensitive data, and an effective solution to this
crucial aspect of an industry is document shredding.
On site Document shredding is a safe and secure option for discarding restricted
documents and materials. In document shredding, sensitive files and records are
destroyed, turning them into bits that can no longer be recognized; thereby
ensuring that confidentiality is maintained.
The document shredding process is entirely flexible that it can adapt to any
industry's distinct requirements in destroying sensitive records. Depending on
what would suit it's needs, a company can either purchase it's own document
shredder or employ outsourced document shredding services, who can then perform
the document shredding process on-site or off-site.
On-site document shredding provides industries with the opportunity to observe
the actual shredding of their materials 'on site', right at their doorsteps. The
use of mobile shredding vehicles and equipment will especially fit those who do
not want their records to leave their site intact.
In an off-site document shredding, the
document-shredding company collects the
materials in security containers and hauls them in a safe location that may be
monitored by security cameras where they are destroyed into little pieces. Aside
from the surveillance cameras, industries can also send representatives to
personally observe the actual document shredding process.
Once the classified records are destroyed in a proper and secure manner, the
document shredding company will then provide its client with a "Certificate of
Destruction," which notes the date and time as well as the accounting of the
materials shredded. This not only serves as a proof that the documents were
destroyed properly; it also gives the client the necessary data for an audit
trail.
There are many advantages in making use of the services of an outside document
shredding company:
A document shredding service enables the company to save thousands of dollars by
not having to buy a document shredding equipment and not having to worry of the
depreciation as well as the maintenance costs.
An on site document shredding service also enables the company to save in terms
of labour. Employees would not need to spend hours to do the document shredding.
Employees can spend the time more effectively by doing their own jobs.
An on site document shredding company also helps the environment by recycling.
Recycling is the final step in almost all the document shredding process. The
shredded materials are collected and, through baling and/or pulping, can be used
again to form other items such as boxes and copier papers, among others.
We cannot deny that protecting the interests of a company remains a crucial
phase of every business, especially in this age of information. And with
document shredding, we are not only securing an industry's information, we are
also helping the environment - a win-win solution.