Document Shredding: 5 Reasons to Go Green in 2023

Adopting a green approach to document shredding in 2023 can bring multiple benefits to your company, including reduced privacy risks, time and cost savings, and a positive impact on your bottom line. As prominent companies like McDonald's and Google transition to greener practices, more organizations are following suit to promote a cleaner, healthier workplace.

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At Vital Records Control, we're committed to supporting your company's green initiatives while ensuring the protection of your confidential information. This Earth Day, we highlight the advantages of sustainable document shredding services for your organization:

5 Reasons to Use Document Shredding Services

1. Reduce Privacy Breach Risks

One of the key advantages of using a shredding service is enhancing privacy protection. Shredding services ensure that your documents are collected, destroyed, and recycled under a strict chain of custody by bonded, background-checked, and insured professionals, guaranteeing the security of your information.

2. Ensure NAID AAA Certification

Not all shredding service companies are NAID AAA Certified. The National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) certification ensures that shredding providers undergo third-party validation for employee screening, insurance requirements, security policies, and proof of shredding processes. Choose a NAID AAA Certified provider to ensure the highest level of document destruction security.

Moreover, hard drive shredding services make it impossible for tech-savvy criminals to access deleted digital files on discarded devices, thus preventing identity theft through digital means.

3. Save Time

Office shredding machines might seem like convenient options, but they are often inefficient and time-consuming. A professional shredding service removes the hassle of manual shredding, placing shred collection containers in high-traffic areas for easy disposal of confidential documents. The service ensures that once these containers are full, a shredding technician handles their secure destruction.

4. Ensure Compliance

Understanding what constitutes confidential information can be challenging. By using a secure destruction provider, you can enforce a "Shred-All Policy" within your organization, ensuring that all paper materials placed within secure bins are destroyed properly, eliminating the risk of non-compliance.

In-house shredding lacks the level of monitoring and control provided by professional services, making it a less secure option for handling sensitive documents.

5. Recycle Securely

Incorporating sustainable shredding services into your corporate recycling program can be highly beneficial. Destroyed paper documents, once shredded, are baled and sent to partner paper mills for recycling into new products. Ensure your provider is responsibly shredding and recycling your data.

About the Author

Andrew Ysasi, MS, CRM, FIP, CIPM, CIPP, CISM, PMP, IGP, serves as the Vice President, Advocacy of Vital Records Control and President of IG Guru®, an IG news organization committed to sharing relevant IG news with the community.

In the digital age, safeguarding sensitive data has become essential for businesses of all sizes. Shredders remain a crucial tool for protecting a company's confidential information, adapting to the challenges posed by identity thieves and corporate espionage.

Businesses generate significant amounts of paper containing potentially sensitive data. The proper disposal of this information is vital to avoid financial losses, legal ramifications, and reputational damage. Effective shredders ensure that discarded documents are unrecoverable, promoting compliance with data protection regulations.

Shredders come in various models with differing security levels, from strip-cut to cross-cut and micro-cut, catering to specific requirements. High-security shredders serve industries with stringent data protection needs, such as military and government agencies, by pulverizing paper into dust. Modern shredders are increasingly eco-friendly and energy-efficient, aligning with corporate sustainability goals.

This introduction explores different types of shredders, their security levels, best practices for document destruction, and their integration with broader data protection strategies, equipping businesses to effectively deploy shredders and protect their sensitive data.

Types of Shredders and Their Security Levels

Understanding the types of shredders and their security levels is crucial for effective data protection. Shredders are categorized based on the cut they produce: strip-cut, cross-cut, micro-cut, and particle-cut. Each type offers varying degrees of security, with strip-cut providing the least and particle-cut offering the highest protection.

Businesses should assess the sensitivity of their data to determine the appropriate shredder and security level, ranging from P-1 to P-7 as per DIN 66399 standards. By using the right shredders, businesses can prevent data breaches and adhere to data protection regulations.

Implementing a Document Destruction Policy

A well-crafted document destruction policy ensures the confidentiality and security of sensitive information. It specifies the types of documents to be destroyed, methods of destruction, responsible personnel, and training for employees. Regular audits and compliance checks further strengthen the policy.

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Shredding Best Practices for Sensitive Information

Implementing best practices for shredding sensitive information helps maintain security and prevent data breaches. These practices include setting a regular shredding schedule, using high-security shredders, ensuring documents are shredded before recycling, training employees, obtaining a certificate of destruction, and considering professional shredding services for large volumes of data.

Legal Compliance and Data Protection Laws

Compliance with data protection laws, such as GDPR and CCPA, is crucial for businesses handling sensitive information. Shredders play a key role in compliant data destruction. Businesses must stay informed about evolving laws and ensure their shredding policies meet regulatory requirements, considering specific regulations for their industry.

Shredder Maintenance and Information Disposal Records

Proper maintenance of shredders ensures their efficiency and longevity. Regular oiling of blades, avoiding overloading, cleaning the shredder, and maintaining disposal records are essential. Keeping thorough records helps demonstrate compliance with data protection laws during audits or data breaches.

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