Organizations create and collect large quantities of confidential documents that require proper disposal to protect against an information breach or fines for not following privacy laws. When hiring a shredding service, it’s important to choose a reputable provider to ensure sensitive data is protected throughout its lifecycle, including destruction and recycling.
Simply searching online for a provider and booking an appointment on their website isn’t enough to safeguard your organization. When hiring a trusted shredding service, there are essential requirements that a company must have.
Hallmarks of Trusted Document Destruction Services
Here is what to look for when trusting a document shredding company with the destruction of your sensitive information:
Certifications
When searching for a reputable shredding company, seek out on-site services that hold National Association of Information for Destruction (NAID) AAA Certification, which is the gold standard in the information destruction industry. All certified providers must follow strict rules, policies and procedures to become and remain a member. This ensures that confidential information is securely handled when any documents leave your office for paper shredding and recycling.
Employee Background Checks
NAID AAA certified document shredding services must complete employee background checks to maintain information security. Only hire a company that conducts criminal, credit, pre-employment and reference checks on all employees. This will ensure that your confidential information does not come in contact with the wrong person or be subject to fraud, identity theft or unauthorized access.
Industry Expertise
A shredding company that you can trust has industry-related knowledge specific to your organization. Whether you run a finance, healthcare, insurance, legal, manufacturing, or other business, selecting a secure document shredding company that understands your industry’s unique information management regulations is essential. It’s also crucial to search for a service with the experience required to provide employee training to ensure adherence to Canadian laws.
Security Assessment
A reputable document shredding company will provide a free risk assessment to identify security gaps and assess how your organization follows privacy laws. The results from the evaluation can guide your business’ processes to keep your private documents protected.
Customized Program
Every organization has different needs regarding the volume and frequency of service. A professional document shredding company will take the time to assess your requirements, provide pricing and recommend an affordable program that meets workplace and industry regulations.
On-site Shredding Services
A trusted company will destroy your sensitive information on your premises using an industrial mobile shredding truck. On-site destruction is the most secure method since it is completed at your facility instead of an off-site shredding plant. With fewer people handling your documents and the ability to watch your materials being shredded on-site, you’ll feel confident that your private information will never fall into the wrong hands.
Chain of Custody
The most secure shredding services provide a complete chain of custody from collection to recycling. With a mobile provider, all documents and other media types are destroyed inside the industrial shredding truck, ensuring a secure chain of custody. Suppose the vehicle breaks down after leaving your facility, or another issue occurs. In that case, you’ll have complete peace of mind that thieves cannot restore your information since it was destroyed into small pieces and mixed with documents from other businesses. Off-site services have a long chain of custody with more points of contact, which puts your business’ information security in jeopardy.
Secure Shredding For All Data Types
A hallmark of a reputable company is one that can shred more than just paper. Hard drives, electronic devices and unneeded goods or products also require secure shredding services to protect sensitive information. When selecting a shredding service for your business, be sure that they are equipped to shred all types of media, whether paper, backup tapes, optical media, CDs or more.
Proof of Service
If you hire a document shredding company that does not provide proof of completion after each shred, think twice about entrusting this shredding service with your sensitive information. A Certificate of Destruction is a formal document that confirms that trained representatives completed the process according to privacy laws. You could face hefty fines for non-compliance or put your information at risk of identity theft or fraud without it.
Positive Shredding Company Reviews
Reading customer reviews and testimonials is an excellent way to spot any red flags. Most professional shredding services include this information on their website, or you can find reviews on social media with recent feedback from past and present customers. When choosing a service you can trust, it’s vital to contact colleagues, associates and friends. Find out what document shredding company they have used for their business and if they have had a positive experience.
Transparent Pricing
Pricing ranges for secure shredding services depending on the company you choose. When searching for a trusted company, partner with a provider that has transparent pricing. Some service operators will charge hidden environmental and parking charges or shred console delivery fees. Fuel surcharges are also common with off-site document shredding businesses. Ultimately, the price your organization is quoted is what your company should pay to have your documents and other media destroyed.
Local Shedding Company
National companies may seem like the most trusted solution for destroying documents; however, they may not offer the same level of customer service as a locally-owned company. When working with an independent supplier, they will get to know your organization’s unique needs and tailor a secure process to keep your company and records safe.
Choose a Trusted Shredding Company For Your Document Destruction
Blue-Pencil’s NAID certified mobile shredding company is one you can trust. We offer one-time and reoccurring services for all of your needs, whether you have old documents, computer hard drives, non-paper media or unwanted products. We also provide a Certificate of Destruction at the end of every visit to guarantee that your records were destroyed and recycled according to privacy laws.
To learn more about our programs and secure process, contact our team to request a free quote.
If you’re curious about your organization’s most significant security gaps that are putting you in danger of an information breach or fines for non-compliance, take our quick Document Security Assessment.