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Shredding business documents is an absolute must. While it’s tempting to simply throw old paperwork into the recycling bin, being this complacent with sensitive documents leaves your company open to a security breach. That means important company secrets could land in a competitor’s hands, and your team members will be left open to identity theft. Further, your business may see serious legal implications if it ineffectively disposes of company papers.
While you can purchase a shredder and pay a member of staff to destroy papers for you, this is costly (the team member will need to stack and organize papers and remove staples). It’s also inefficient, as standard shredders often shred papers into either vertical or horizontal strips — and this is easy for a clever person to reassemble. Professional shredding services will shred papers into a criss-cross pattern, resulting in the incredibly secure and hard-to-reconstruct, confetti-like paper.
With the importance of professional document shredding in mind, here are just a few considerations to make when you’re hiring an external document shredding service.
Does the Company Recycle?
Taking Toronto as an example (Canada’s most populous city), every year,900,000 tonnes (almost two billion pounds) of waste is created by city residents and businesses. Businesses in the city should seek out paper shredding services in Toronto.
Why? One study found that “87% of consumers will have a more positive image of a company that supports social or environmental issues.” To stay in favour with clients and consumers — and to fulfill your environmental responsibilities — make sure that the shredding company you hire recycles.
Is the Company Accredited?
The company that you work with should be a member of a trade association — a governing body that the company must apply to and prove themselves to be worthy candidates of. Check the company website for mentions of accreditations and memberships. Certifications and awards are also good indicators of a prestigious company.
Do They Have Positive Online Reviews?
Word of mouth and online reviews are other great resource when it comes to finding a document shredding service. Ask neighboring offices for their feedback on local shredding companies and look up online reviews.
Lastly, connect with the Better Business Bureau. It’s crucial that document shredding is done efficiently and securely, so it’s worth going above and beyond to make sure you find an exceptional company.
How Transparent Is the Company?
If a shredding company has hidden fees, it certainly doesn’t set the tone of a trustworthy organization. Ask in advance if there are additional costs, like service fees, fuel surcharges, or travel costs, before signing any contracts.
Are You Provided with a Certificate of Destruction?
A certificate of destruction won’t prove that the documents were shredded. It will, however, ensure that your company has taken measures to make sure paperwork has been destroyed effectively and securely.
Final Thoughts
While paper shredding might seem like a relatively straightforward business-to-business setup, there are considerations to be made before hiring a service so that you can guarantee your staff, clients, and business is protected from malicious intent. With extra due diligence, all members of your community will be kept safe.
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