Looking after your customers, staff, and suppliers and protecting them from potential data breaches is an important part of the modern day business. It is essential in terms of employee happiness, brand perception, but also legally it is important to follow GDPR and other regulations relating to document processing, storage, and destruction. A shredding provider is important, providing you with the services to regularly dispose of sensitive and personal information in a way that is fully secure, timely, and can also help to reduce your carbon footprint as a company through the recycling of waste materials.
What is document shredding?
A confidential shredding service is where documents that are no longer needed by your company are destroyed securely. Businesses are required to shred documents that might contain personal and sensitive information, financial records, medical records and any other type of information that could potentially be used for identity fraud. This is a necessity for a business to protect its reputation but also to adhere to data protection laws. A professional shredding service can either visit your site and shred documents on-site or regularly pick up confidential waste to securely dispose of it at another location, providing a certificate of destruction to prove that your documents have been disposed of securely and effectively within the legal parameters.
Who is at risk of data being criminally used?
Data is everywhere in the modern world. Your banking details are out there, as is your home address, your social media logins, and everything else in between. There are risks everywhere to your personal information, but for a business it is important to minimise this risk at every turn. If you do not have a confidential shredding service assisting you with your physical and digital waste, you are putting information at risk of potential theft and fraud. This could impact not only your employees but also your customers, suppliers, and any other individuals that you might hold information on.
Which companies and industries need secure document shredding?
Although every company creates information and documents that need to be destroyed, there are some industries and companies that are at greater risk if they do not have a regular shredding service to destroy documents. This includes medical facilities like hospitals and GPs, banks and other financial institutions, and law firms and other legal companies. Within these industries in particular, a data breach can be catastrophic for the business and its clients.
What are the benefits of secure document shredding?
By securely disposing of confidential documents, companies can ensure that they are complying with strict data protection regulations and prevent any potential legal issues. It promotes a level of trust between a company and its employees, its customers, and suppliers to boost brand reputation, and can be seen as an investment to help a company grow over time. Removing documents from the site helps to clear up space that can be better utilised for profitability. The biggest benefit of all is that it reduces the chances of fraud and identity theft.
A regular shredding service is the best way to stay on top of your physical and digital waste, ensuring that any sensitive and personal information that you hold about your employees, customers, and suppliers, as well as other information that is created on site every day, is destroyed in the most secure and effective way possible. Whether this is a regular on-site shredding service or an ad hoc shredding requirement to deal with a build-up of confidential waste, finding a trustworthy shredding company to assist you brings with it great peace of mind.
