Secure document destruction is a very serious concern for every business with any kind of sensitive information. For businesses with confidential information – medical, legal, finance, etc. – secure document destruction is of vital importance. These types of businesses face steep legal trouble if their documents are insecure. For businesses with secret documentation – manufacturing, engineering, research, etc. – secure document destruction can prevent any type of corporate espionage or accidental release of important information. Documents that are not destroyed in a secure manner can be found by scavengers through dumpster diving, or by less scrupulous employees. Punitive measures are not enough to solve these problems, and they do not absolve liabilities. Secure document destruction is the only way that businesses can be sure that their liability is mitigated with regard to document control, and the best way to ensure this is through receipt of a certificate of destruction by a licensed contracting company. For companies in the San Diego area, Southern California Shredding can offer a certificate for all of their services.
What really is a certificate of destruction?
A guarantee that your documents were completely destroyed and that all destroyed material will be recycled. There are a few things that should exist on a certificate of destruction in some form to allow for a secure and accountable trail to follow. A certificate of destruction should include:
- The guarantee that all material was shredded/destroyed and whether the process used was on-site or off-site.
- The type of material that was destroyed: paper or another type of product.
- A receipt number or transaction number to identify this unique interaction to allow for auditing.
- A clear outline or reference of the procedures taken in document destruction. This is to ensure that the document destruction company has accountability for their process.
- Acceptance of responsibility for the documents and acknowledgment of the secure nature of the documentation. The document destruction company must recognize their responsibility to ensure that the documents are completely destroyed, and accept responsibility for any problems arising from improper destruction.
- Date, time, and location information on the destruction process. This should include not only the date the documents were collected but also the date that the documents were destroyed. In mobile document destruction, these dates will be the same.
- The name of a witness to the process and the name of the company representative. There must be a consistent point of contact and responsibility for the process on the part of the document destruction company, and the contracting company should have a witness. This is professional protection for both parties and ensures accountability on all sides.
For companies in the San Diego area, document destruction needs can be met with quality, security, and affordability through Southern California Shredding. A certificate of document destruction will be provided that meets rigorous NAID security standards.
For more information on document destruction services, contact our office in the San Diego area today!
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