4 Guidelines for Proper Document Destruction

Why is it important to properly dispose documents that are no longer of use?

Proper document destruction is essential in this day and age. Virtually every business handles confidential information. Businesses should be concerned about protecting their customer’s privacy, obeying laws that require shredding, protecting their employee’s privacy and protecting their company and shareholders by safeguarding proprietary information. Collectively, there are 4 considerations for shredding the right way, in order to minimize your risk of a data breach.

According to the National Association of Information Destruction, businesses should:

1. Shred on a regular schedule – Sporadic shredding can be misconstrued as suspicious.

2. Use your shredding contractor for ALL of your shredding  – If some documents go to your shredding service provider on a regular basis; and others are shredded outside of that process, questions may arise about that activity.

3. Treat ALL documents equally…shred EVERYTHING – Isolating special records for destruction could lead to the conclusion that those documents were treated differently for the wrong reason. NEVER let some records go in the trash while others are shredded!

4. Have a destruction policy  – If your policy explains the what, why, when, and how of your destruction practices, it will minimize any hint of impropriety.