Corporate espionage may sound like something out of James Bond, but it’s a very real thing that goes on every day. It occurs when one business acquires the information and secrets of another and uses it to their benefit. There are many ways in which this can occur. Former employees may be disgruntled and talk to a competitor. Similarly, careless staff may let things slip. Electronic records can be hacked or unused devices can make their way into the public before confidential data contained on these devices can be destroyed. Worst of all, “Dumpster diving” methods can be applied to retrieve carelessly discarded records from the trash. There are many things you can do to protect your Southern New Jersey business from corporate espionage, including using a professional, onsite paper shredding service.

 

 

Protecting Your Information

The first line of defense against corporate espionage is to protect your information. Be aware and careful at all times about who has access to any confidential information about your Southern New Jersey Company. Everything from client lists to employee information, research records and suppliers could be used by your competitors. Be very thorough in restricting access to these secrets so only certain qualified employees can see them. Additionally, once materials are no longer needed and have passed the record retention requirements, have the materials destroyed by an onsite document destruction provider. Materials such as paper documents and computer hard drives pose a threat to your organization if haphazardly left in storage, so it is always considered a best practice to have these types of items securely destroyed. Proshred® Southern New Jersey is a leader in secure document destruction, so if there are any questions regarding the safe disposal of confidential documents, call us today.

 

 

On-Site Security

Use security cameras, alarms, firewalls and other measures on-site to make sure that your data is protected. Audit your staff’s computer use to be sure that there’s not a lot of data being downloaded or uploaded at any given time. After computers or other digital devices are no longer needed, have the hard drives removed and destroyed through a secure shredding process.

Knowledge is also power. Train your employees to implement and understand security procedures and about the dangers of improper handling of sensitive information. Non-compete clauses can provide some protection to your business, or at least give you recourse if a disgruntled employee does approach a competitor or set up their own business.

 

 

Record Disposal and Destruction

One of the most vital and important steps you can take is to be sure that your old documents are completely and thoroughly destroyed when you no longer need them. Make sure that you are in compliance with all legal regulations regarding document handling and disposal. There are various rules and regulations relating to the retention period of various documents so once those retention periods have passed, it is best practice to have those items securely destroyed. This will protect you from espionage, defend against fines and lawsuits and safeguard your company’s reputation in the eyes of your clients.

 

 

Document Destruction Services

The best way to properly dispose of old documents is to secure the services of a Southern New Jersey document destruction company. A document disposal service has the experience and expertise to make sure the task is handled sensitively and efficiently. In addition, when using an on-site document destruction company, there is increased security in the chain of custody and you can observe the destruction process the entire time. At the end of the service you will get a certificate of destruction so you have a paper trail showing that you are remaining in legal compliance and protecting your staff and clients. Also, remember to use a document destruction company for more than just your organization's paper documents. Any confidential data stored on hard drives should also be destroyed by a document destruction provider. Proshred® Southern New Jersey offers secure hard drive shredding services in addition to our secure paper shredding services. You can set these services up one at a time, or create an ongoing schedule. The process is efficient, saves you money and the destroyed paper is recycled, so you’re going green as well!

If you are ready to explore the services of a Southern New Jersey document destruction company, Proshred® Southern New Jersey is here to help. Our bonded security professionals are experienced experts in handling document disposal and destruction. Make sure your business or organization is not the next victim of corporate espionage by giving us a call for more information today.