Shred on Site

In 2016, security breaches cost UK businesses almost £30 billion. Firms both large and small are increasingly concerned about the potential for data loss, which could occur both physically and in the online world. With the incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in force from May 2018, the rules for data protection are becoming increasingly stringent and the penalties more severe for personal data loss. For businesses, in-house security process are the first line of defence against a potential data breach.

The paperless environment is the aim for many businesses in 2017 but the reality is that this still creates a wide range of data-soaked media. Non-paper media could be anything from X-rays, to CDs and DVDs, which have been loaded up with often-highly sensitive material that would be a disadvantage in the wrong hands. With data privacy and security increasingly high up on the priorities list for businesses, it’s important to consider the destruction of non-paper media as much as traditional documents.

Safe and secure data disposal is now crucial for every business. Whether you’re dealing with paper documents or non-paper media, such as CDs or USB sticks, the standards of safe disposal are higher than they have ever been. Legal compliance, preserving reputation and ensuring greater operational efficiency are just a few of the reasons why shredding makes a huge difference to the ability a business has to meet expectations.

Businesses are more often being held accountable by their customers to demonstrate strong ethical values and environmentally beneficial processes. This is why many businesses have a corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirement which is implemented in-house to ensure that they are following the company’s ethos and expectations at all times.

Every business has paper waste to a certain extent, although some may have a much higher volume than others. This is where outsourced shredding partners come in to provide services to a range of businesses by regularly collecting secure paperwork for shredding and then recycling. So what is it that companies find attractive about using outsourced shredding partners and why might it be worthwhile outsourcing your business’ shredding requirements?

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is new legislation that is due to come into action within the EU on May 25^th 2018. Although the UK has now begun the process of leaving the EU and negotiations have started, GDPR will still come into place and affect all UK businesses and the way that they operate must comply with this new legislation.

Companies are facing growing pressure from customers to consider the environmental impact of their day-to-day operations, whilst current news following the large scale NHS data hack demonstrates the need for the highest possible security and data protection policies to be in place. One way to help your business to operate in a greener way, as well as more securely, is to implement on-site shredding.

Most businesses are now aware that data protection and customer confidentiality are a must, and that there are consequences if they fail to maintain high levels of security. The fines, legal action and damage to brand reputation that could be faced are enough to make any company take security seriously, and despite the fact that many businesses are now going largely digital, there is still a large volume of physical data, particularly paper documentation, that needs to be stored and disposed of securely on a regular basis.

Economic considerations and the need to streamline apply pressure on businesses across all sectors. However, this is not the only priority for mindful modern management. Corporate social responsibility is a theme for 2017 – and beyond – and that means making changes to a business to make it more sustainable and creating social, economic and environmental benefits for stakeholders. Key to this is taking responsibility for your business waste and choosing to dispose of it ethically.

Despite the move towards paperless working, there are still a majority of businesses that have not gone completely paperless. This is down to a number of factors including security concerns, compliance with regulations and the need to verify things with a physical signature. So paper is still something that many businesses are dealing with, but what about those elements which have gone digital and are not using paper? It’s just as important to ensure that data from these is disposed of securely.