Why Your Company Should Audit Its Data Destruction Process

You may not think a lot of forethought and planning go into data destruction, especially if you’ve partnered with a certified ITAD provider to pick up and destroy devices for you. They’ll take care of everything, right?

While your data destruction partner can do a lot to help your business stay on the right side of the law, you still need to spell out internal policies and procedures to ensure proper data security while devices are still in your possession. This means auditing your data destruction process regularly to reduce risks and ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws.

Here are just a few reasons why it’s so imperative to partner with a reliable data destruction partner and audit your internal processes regularly.

Check for Compliance
Data destruction is strictly regulated by federal, state, and local laws, and in some cases, industry-specific standards like those set forth in HIPAA, FACTA, and so on. You need to make sure your policies and procedures are keeping with all applicable laws in order to protect your customers and your company and avoid any penalties.

Rework Outdated Policies and Procedures
Because laws change frequently with technological advances, regular audits are essential to remain in compliance with current legislation. It’s best to conduct an audit at least annually, and your certified ITAD service provider should be able to help you in some areas.

A good data destruction partner will provide you with locking bins for hard drive and small device collection in-office. Once a device goes in, they cannot be retrieved by employees, eliminating the threat of internal data theft. Your data destruction partner will pick up bins as scheduled, package hard drives and devices, and either shred onsite or transport them to a secure facility for wiping or shredding.

It’s also wise to audit internal policies and procedures. Make sure employees keep their devices secure and dispose of them properly (in provided bins) to ensure that coworkers never have access to sensitive data that could lead to identity theft or a data breach.

Increase Security
Regular audits can help you ferret out any issues with security in your policies, procedures, or internal chain of custody. Suppose you put your IT specialist or IT department in charge of tracking all devices and collecting equipment and devices for disposal, you need to make sure that no one else is appropriating devices on the sly, for example, or that your IT department isn’t stockpiling devices that should be deposited in locked bins for pickup by your certified ITAD service provider.

Reduce Waste
Like any business process, there is always the chance that time and money could be wasted with needlessly complex practices. Regular audits allow you to pinpoint areas of waste so that you can streamline processes to eliminate confusion, inefficiency, and wasted time and money. The bottom line is always important, and audits are an excellent way to spot and reduce wasteful practices.

If you’re seeking a reliable data destruction partner for your Sioux Falls, South Dakota business or North Dakota company, contact the qualified and certified professionals at SEAM today at 605-274-7326 (SEAM) or online to request a quote and learn more.