Confidential Shredding: Your Business’s First Line of Defence Against Data Breaches

A data breach is every business’ worst nightmare, and the rising number of breaches shows no signs of slowing down. In the past year, 50% of UK businesses have reported cyber-attacks or security breaches. Data breaches cost those businesses an average of £2.93 million per year.  

Confidential waste management should be the first line of defence against data breaches, and Recorra is here to help. 

What is confidential shredding?

Confidential shredding is the secure destruction of sensitive documents beyond recovery to prevent unauthorised access and protect data privacy. Sensitive documents can range from something as obvious as medical records to bank statements. Though these are often binned without a second thought, these types of documents contain sensitive data that require proper disposal through confidential waste recycling. 

How it works

The process for confidential shredding is simple. 

1. Storage: ensure all sensitive materials are stored in lockable containers or tagged with security tags. 
2. Collection: drivers collect secure waste from the workplace.
3. Transport: documents are securely transported to Recorra’s shredding facility by tracked vehicles.
4. Shredding: documents are shredded with industrial-grade equipment so they can’t be reconstructed. 
5. Certification: Businesses receive a Certificate of Destruction for both regulatory compliance and your peace of mind. 

Why shredding matters

No matter the industry, businesses accumulate significant amounts of paperwork, much of which contain sensitive information. These can include: 

• Customer data from names to payment details. 

• Financial reports which show earnings, debt, and proprietary information. 

• Employee records such as employment contracts, bank details, etc. 

• Business arrangements confidential and critical to business operations. 

When not disposed of properly, these documents can open the door to identity theft of employees, ransom, corporate espionage, and data breaches. One of the easiest ways for criminals to obtain information is through discarded documents, but luckily this can be prevented by confidential waste recycling with Recorra. 

None of the above scenarios are ideal, but data breaches are particularly bad because they can impact multiple individuals or businesses.  Breaches can result in wide-scale identity theft as they give criminals a victim-pool beyond company employees. 

Confidential shredding is an easy and simple way to avoid getting into such damaging situations; contact our helpdesk to become safer and more secure today. 

Maintaining trust

Many businesses are trusted with sensitive information, and it’s the responsibility of a business to maintain that trust. As the number of data breaches continues to rise, showcasing that you take data security seriously is beneficial for both existing and future partnerships. 

Using our confidential shredding service allows your business to reassure clients and customers that their information will be handled responsibly from the moment it’s received to the point of destruction. In sectors like finance, healthcare, and legal, this level of security is crucial for businesses. 

To fine or not to fine

Confidential waste management is not just best practice. Now, it is often a legal requirement for businesses under various regulations. One such rule is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates the protection of personal information, and non-compliance can result in severe penalties. 

British Airways was fined £20 million for failing to protect customers’ personal and financial data adequately after a data breach in 2018 resulted in the theft of data on more than 400,000 customers. 

Recorra ensures businesses remain compliant with regulations through our  confidential shredding service. By choosing us, our customers don’t have to worry about being slapped with fines due to a lack of compliance.