When you started planning for 2021, we doubt you considered reserving any of your budget for document shredding.
After all, that kind of thing went out with the fax machine, didn’t it?
Actually, no, it really didn’t. A professional document shredding service could be one of the most important investments you make this year in the security of your company, and today, we’re going to explain why.
We’re still waiting for 2020’s figures to be released, but in 2019, there were nearly 190,000 cases of identity fraud reported. But while this relates principally to individuals, your business is under threat from these scammers, too.
Here’s why a document shredding service will help protect your business.
How paper documents are treated by law
If you’re working with paper documents which contain personal information about individuals, you’re under legal obligation to protect that information.
At some point, you’ll probably want to destroy those details, which means you need to do so irreversibly and securely.
If you skip this vital step, that data could get into the wrong hands, and the fault is likely to land squarely on your shoulders. This is the main reason professional shredding services are so invaluable.
What constitutes personal information?
For a full list of the forms of data that constitute personal information under the GDPR, it’s best to check out the ICO website.
It’s relatively straightforward, thankfully. Personal data is pretty much anything that can help identify an individual, from their name, to their home address, bank details, date of birth, and any other sensitive data.
These details can typically be found in paper form on printed customer contracts, CVs, payroll information, and application forms.
The fines for failing to protect this information (be it in physical or digital form) don’t bear thinking about, but the damage to your brand’s reputation can be just as significant.
The internal dangers
One of the most unpalatable aspects of information theft is that it can take place internally.
Beyond the obvious dangers of opening a dodgy email, unscrupulous employees are sometimes to blame for internal data breaches – particularly when it comes to the ease with which paper documents can be obtained, copied and taken off site.
This is another reason professional shredding services are so important. While you can most likely trust your employees and internal breaches are, thankfully, pretty rare, knowing that you have a professional, external team disposing of confidential documents offers significant peace of mind.
It starts with ensuring that all paperwork is recycled
The first step you need to make towards sufficient document shredding is to make it a habit.
Paperwork should be recycled for the good of the planet, anyway, but making this a regular task for your business will ensure no stone is left unturned.
Make it part of your Corporate Social Responsibility policy, if you like – just do whatever’s needed to ensure document shredding takes place at regular intervals every single year and is fully audited.
It’ll save time and money, too!
One of the best things about a professional shredding service is that it’ll save your business time and money, too.
If you do it internally, you’ll first need to buy a shredder. These aren’t cheap – particularly if you buy cheap and end up continually replacing them. They also take up needless space and make a racket whenever used. It also takes a long time because they’re not designed for shredding more than a few pieces of paper at a time.
Most office shredders are also pretty ineffective. They simply cut strips or crosscut the paper, and that has been proven not to be particularly destructive.
With a professional shredding service, you’ll gain access to a team which has the best machines for the job. That will save your business money in the long run and avoid the need for employees to waste valuable time destroying documents themselves.
Find out how affordable professional document shredding can be by getting in touch with the Squab team, today.
