- We use a recycler for our documents, so why would we need a shredding service?
- We have an in-house office shredder, so why would we outsource?
- Security Risk Assessment - why is this important and what does it do for me?
- We store our records, so why do we need a shredding service?
- What happens to the paper after it has been shredded?
- How am I able to determine our environmental contribution?
1. We use a recycler for our documents, so why would I need a shredding service?
Recycling services are not designed to provide security. Recycling is simply not a secure way to destroy sensitive materials when you do not need to keep them anymore. Plus, recycling does not comply with privacy legislation. Your documents are picked up and transported as is, if an accident happens or they are left unattended, all that confidential information may get into the wrong hands.
Shred-it provides secure document destruction on-site. After we have shredded your documents, we recycle the confetti-like pieces and they are turned into a variety of useful paper products.
And every year, our customers receive a Certificate of Environmental Accomplishment that shows just how many trees we have saved together.
2. We have an in-house office shredder, so why would we outsource?
Outsourcing your paper shredding is actually a cost-effective strategy. An in-house paper shredder is time consuming - the time your employees spend separating paper, removing paper clips and staples, and doing the actual shredding is time they could be spending on more profitable tasks.
There are also costs around installing a shredder and then labor, maintenance and disposal. These costs are usually higher than you think, not to mention the noise, mess and dust produced by an office shredder.
When shredding your documents internally, you also have to consider information security. Sensitive and confidential documents become an easy target for a potential data breach when they sit around waiting to be shredded. You can reduce the risk of a data breach by outsourcing document destruction - and dramatically minimizing access to sensitive documents.
3. Security Risk Assessment - why is this important and what does it do for me?
A security risk assessment helps you determine the level of document security in your business - and that helps identify security risks and how to put a secure and safe paper shredding program in place.
How does a security risk assessment work? A background checked member of our team will accompany you on a walktrhough of your workplace and compelte a Security Risk Assessment document. When they are done, they will sit down with you and go over potential areas of risk - and solutions. One of the things they'll explain is is where to put the Shred-it consoles (for example, in the HR or Finance departments, where sensitive documents are often generated). They'll also introduce the idea of having a Shred-All policy. That means all documents are shredded when they're not needed any more.
Contact us about having one of our representatives do a security risk assessment on your business or take our online Risk Assessment Survey. It will help you determine how you are managing confiendial information and the paper shredding process.
4. We store our records, so why do we need a shredding service?
Every business eventually needs to destroy sensitive documents that are no longer needed. It's the law. In fact, under privacy legislation keeping documents for too long can put you at risk for non-compliance. It is a best practice to have a retention schedule for all documents - that covers the documents' usefulness and the legal requirements.
Then, when the tiem is up, you must destroy the documents and shredding really is the most secure and trusted option. After each shred, Shred-it provides a Certificate of Destruction which shows the exact date and method used.
5. What happens to the paper after it has been shredded?
After the paper has been securely shredded, the paper is bundled and recycled into paper products.
6. How am I able to determine our environmental contribution?
Shred-it is an environmentally-conscious company that takes recycling very seriously. Every year we provide our clients with a Certificate of Environmental Accomplishment, which shows the number of trees they have saved by using Shred-it's services. It's just part of what we do.
Find out more about our environmental commitment.
