Under GDPR where will your printed but unused documents go?
Despite the move towards using computers and technology at work on a daily basis, on average, any individual that has a desk-based job uses around 10,000 sheets of paper per annum. This can cover anything from printed reports or employee performance reviews, but the majority of it ends up being discarded ready for recycling, or simply thrown in the bin after use, however this poses serious security concerns under the new GDPR which comes into action in May 2018.
GDPR recognises that fraud is an issue for security
If your documents are simply thrown away or recycled there is a risk that they could end up in the wrong hands. Documents containing sensitive information and personal data are especially in danger and can leave your company at risk or fraud, identity theft, and penalisation due to failing to protect this information. The cost for this can be extensive, both financially and the long-term brand damage and customer trust issues that it can cause.
The GDPR recognises the effects that data breaches can have on those whose data is compromised, as well as the effect it can have on businesses – and it seeks to get companies to put measures in place to protect against this. With this in mind, it’s imperative that you take sufficient measures to make sure a data breach doesn’t happen after your documents are no longer needed.
Compliance is more important than ever with GDPR
With the GDPR looming in May, the importance of compliance is even clearer than ever, with businesses set to receive more severe penalities if they fail to have sufficient data protection measures in place. This includes not only computer or cloud-based data, but also printed documentation.
Disposing of your documents in a GDPR-compliant way
On-site shredding is the most secure way to ensure that your business is fully GDPR-compliant in the disposal of paper documents. This means storing documentation securely (for example in one of Shred-on-Site’s lockable containers) and then all documents being shredded without even leaving your premises. This reduces the risk of them being intercepted before they are able to be shredded to a point where they are unrecoverable.
Flexible and certified services
Shred-on-Site offer flexible services for all our customers – whether it’s one-off or regular collections that you need. Their on-site shredding service is fully EN 15713:2009 accredited and GDPR compliant and customers are presented with certification following each shredding taking place to guarantee that documents have been sufficiently destroyed.
Avoid a security breach and get your GDPR compliant Document Management Policy in place before May by getting in touch with Shred-on-Site today to find out more.
Author: Mark Coombes, Follow me on Google+
