Posted on May 26, 2023.

If your business generates a large volume of confidential or sensitive information that regularly needs to be destroyed in order to protect customer, employee, or company security and reputation, you likely employ a shredding service. Shredding services are common for many organizations dealing with proprietary data, including financial institutions, legal practices, governments, medical facilities, and nonprofits, among others.

So how do you know you’re getting the best services you can pay for when using a shredding provider? In this article, we examine what to look for in a professional shredding service.

Why use a professional service?

You may consider shredding – or may already be shredding – your proprietary documents in house. And while that might be a viable, cost-effective solution based on the volume of shredding needed, there are advantages to using a professional service.

A good shredding service will help your organization maintain compliance with privacy laws and regulations and protect you and your customers from identity and data theft, corporate espionage, and other potential data breaches. If your team doesn’t have the manpower or know-how to do the same, it may be worth looking into a professional service.

What else can a good service offer?

If you’ve made the decision to use a professional service, or are looking to switch services, here are some key features to look out for:

• On-site shredding, where a shredding truck comes to your location to securely destroy your documents, preventing any sensitive data from leaving your premises.
• Certificates of destruction, where you receive a certificate verifying the destruction of official materials. You should receive a certificate after every shred job, which can then be used to demonstrate your compliance with privacy regulations.
• Scheduling flexibility to fit your organization’s individual needs.
• Secure containers for materials to be stored in before being shredded.

What happens once your documents are professionally shredded?

For companies looking to reduce their environmental impact, many shredders will have a clear policy on recycling and sustainability that you can review before signing with them. However, this is the typical journey your documents follow after being shredded.

After being shredded, the shredded scraps are most likely sent to be recycled, where they might be mixed with other paper waste products, such as newsprint or cardboard. Once sent to a recycling facility, it will be pulped and processed into new paper products.

In conclusion…

Businesses or organizations that regularly need to shred large volumes of sensitive materials may find that a professional shredding service is the safest and most time-effective solution to fit their needs. Before signing with any vendor, be sure their services fit all your needs, ensure your compliance with regulations, and keep your data secure at all times.

- Author Christine Wilson, Lead Content Writer, Schooley Mitchell