With so many tasks before you, achieving a consistent level of data security is a constant challenge. Before you know it, data and other information that should have been destroyed long ago begins to pile up. With identity theft and fraud being two of the UK’s fastest-growing crimes, this is especially dangerous for your organisation. However, your confidential waste doesn’t have to linger when you ensure the following tasks are completed on a regular basis.

Don’t Leave it up to Employees

Is it up to employees to define what confidential waste is? If so, much could be being left open to interpretation. Implementing a ‘shred all’ policy may be the solution to this. Basically, the policy involves shredding all of your company’s media and paper. This policy should also extend to any employees who may be working from home, and must be crystal clear regarding what confidential waste they should be destroying, and how that destruction should be accomplished. It may also make sense to have remote employees bring their waste to your organisation at particular intervals.

Clear Communication

If you have yet to develop a policy for the secure destruction of your confidential waste, some training for employees is likely to be needed. It is true that a clearly-stated policy can help, but it won’t be enough. It’s vital that each person working for the company needs to know not only what they need to do, but why they need to do it. You will need to conduct regular checks to confirm that the policy is being followed, as well as remind employees on a regular basis why they need to adhere to the policy. These are the best ways to ensure that your entire organisation is participating fully in the maintenance of your policy. Read this article for more information on data secruity:  How To Ensure Data Security When Using IT Recycling Services 

Proper Storage

If your company is not storing its confidential waste, this will be another piece of the policy to implement. Any confidential waste which has been identified as waste but not yet shredded needs to be stored securely. This means placing it in some sort of lockable container. Otherwise, it will gather in an open area, threatening your company’s compliance with data protection policy, which can quickly become a significant issue for you. Whether a bin, cabinet or sack, your solution needs to have some sort of protective device which prevents anyone from accessing the documents or other confidential data you’ve stored inside.

A helping hand

To be completely confident that your company and customer data is safe, it isn’t enough to tick the compliance boxes. Having a professional asset disposal company such as Absolute IT on your side gives you peace of mind that sensitive data is being destroyed thoroughly and in line with all European and statutory obligations. Get in touch for more information on how to manage and dispose of your IT assets in a secure and environmentally sustainable way.