Shredding services have become more and more prevalent in recent years as the awareness increases about personal privacy and security. Government agencies, private businesses, and public organizations are the most obvious users, but individuals are shredding and destroying for the very same reasons – there’s just too much out there that’s sensitive and confidential. And it’s neither practical nor realistic to keep it all in storage for the long term.
Privacy experts around the world are recommending shredding procedures for companies and individuals alike. For bigger organizations, it’s the customer data and employee records that must be protected, while for individuals it’s important to properly handle tax papers, bank documents, credit card statements, and the like. All of these tidbits of information are a veritable gold mine for those who want to commit fraud, counterfeit, or identity theft.
For companies, large and small, the option of outsourcing their shredding is often the best course of action. And today, there are numerous shredding services that offer onsite, offsite or mobile options. In Canada, there is no provincial or federal legislation that oversees the shredding industry, although the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) does represent various service providers who offer secure document destruction.
In today’s hi-tech world, keeping private and confidential information secure is important for every company, and it should become a routine business practice. But securing personal customer data and employee records is only the beginning – disposing of that information is also vital. And the truth is, every business has an excess of documents and paperwork that must eventually be discarded. The key is to discard and dispose of it all appropriately.
The whole idea of secure document shredding is to keep personal information and identity confidentiality from being accessed by anyone who is not authorized. This applies to both individuals and businesses. When available to the wrong people, confidential information can quickly lead to fraud, counterfeiting and identity theft. Document shredding is a practical and convenient process that protects employees, customers and vendors.
For proper disposal and shredding of documents, it’s best to contract a company that can provide appropriate security and economic benefit, while being environmentally friendly. Clearly, the disposal of confidential documents must be expedited in a secure environment, and sensitive information must be guarded. As well, the process should include some aspect of recycling to ensure that the waste is handled in a responsible manner.
Most business owners are actually amazed at how affordable a secure shredding service can be. Indeed, only after attempting to handle all of the shredding in-house, does management realize how time-consuming the process can be. And once the process begins, it’s easy to see how much volume there is to handle. Dumping is not a viable option, and for many firms and organizations companies there are compliance and privacy issues to consider.
Outsourcing document disposal to a dedicated shredding service is good business. It makes sense to let the professionals manage the entire process, and to do it in a secure, protected and responsible manner.
