You have probably heard of scandals involving companies as a result of confidential information that was leaked and made public. People often wonder who the traitor was. The answer is usually in the trash can.

Diving in containers is not new. It’s a technique that people have used for decades to get the information they need. You can find out a lot about a business by examining its junk. It is one of the most effective methods used for corporate espionage and it is completely legal. There is no privacy when it comes to garbage. The law does not protect organizations that do not protect their own data.

Best practices for document destruction

One of the best ways to protect your business records is by hiring a document destruction company. You may want to apply some of the guidelines below to determine how to do this.

1. Keep records only for as long as you need

This is especially important if you are in a regulated industry. However, every organization should have a policy that provides for the retention of documents. This should be in accordance with the regulations in your area.

2. Look for reliable document shredding services

There are several companies that offer this service. It is important to make sure that the company you hire is trustworthy. They must keep your information confidential. They must also have the proper equipment to ensure that all data is completely destroyed. Talk to different service providers and choose the company that can offer you the best value for money.

3. Know what information needs to be protected

It is good practice to shred all the documents that are produced in your company. However, it is not always possible to do so. Understanding what information needs to be protected makes managing your documents easier.

4. Adopt a schedule

This will help ensure that information is destroyed in a timely manner, keeping your organization’s private information safe from prying eyes. Your schedule should be determined by the volume of data you produce and your storage capacities. It should also be based on the type of document destruction company you have hired, that is, on-site or off-site.

5. Train staff

This is vital to the success of the program. This ensures that any private information is not simply thrown away. This will help them understand how to handle sensitive data and how it should be disposed of.

What to shred

Your document destruction company should help you have the following categories of documents:

1. Information that has exceeded the retention period

2. Physical information that has been converted into digital data.

3. Notes and information for rejection

4. Any document that includes addresses, names and private information of the staff or the firm.

Make sure all your business data is completely destroyed for the safety of your business, as well as your staff, customers, and stakeholders.