Disposing of paper documents may sound like a simple, straightforward process - and it can be. Precisely because of this, though, it's also something to be taken very seriously.
In line with the Data Protection Act 2018/GDPR, safe document disposal is an especially important element of confidentiality agreements between different parties. It also can't be easily reversed if you dispose of something by accident, leading to (at best) awkward conversations with patients or clients. Take the chance of not giving adequate attention to this process and you may find yourself facing these four additional risk factors:
How hard can it be to pick up a reasonably priced shredder for the office that employees can use themselves when needed? True, this could work out well for a while, but there are more costs involved with this than one might realise at first. Not only are you paying for a GDPR-compliant document shredder up-front, but keep in mind cost of upkeep that may include regular maintenance, repairs or even outright replacement if and when it breaks down. Besides this, there are smaller hidden costs that may go unnoticed - such as employees taking up valuable productive work time with simply shredding documents, which adds up over the course of a year. Then, there's the chance of potential data breaches due to human error that could end up costing the company dearly in reputation; this may not be regained as easily as lost finances.
As previously mentioned, data loss or breaches are risked by leaving confidential document disposal in the hands of employees. This isn't to say your employees shouldn't be trusted, but rare instances of human error are almost inevitable, and misplaced documents can find their way into the wrong hands. Relying on a trusted third party like CAS Ltd to handle and dispose of data can circumvent this possibility, freeing your business of direct responsibility if the worst was to happen.
Some industries now require a form of documented proof to show they've fulfilled their disposal responsibilities and no longer hold that information. Using a third party for disposal ensures that you can receive this and not have to worry about specifically training employees for it. Again, this would also prevent them having to take responsibility in cases of human error, should the process not be completed correctly.
If you have environmental concerns, and many modern businesses are expected to by their customers, you'll want to know what happens to documents when they're shredded. Where does the physical paper go? What else could it be used for? Waste isn't a good look when another option exists. Recycling has therefore become a priority for many companies, but when handled in-house it can be harder to enforce than when using a professional service that specialises in it. You can't ensure that every employee uses the recycling bin, for example, and not everyone is going to share a particular attention to detail in this area.
Remember; all businesses are different. It's important to keep in mind the various data security and regulatory risks associated with document disposal to help you determine the best method for your particular business. Adopting a safe policy that protects you as much as possible is the best approach. You can do this by choosing a trusted company like CAS to handle your document disposal with minimal risk to you, alongside a firm commitment to recycling that can only boost your business' reputation further in the eyes of customers. Please get in touch today to request a quote.
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