If your Houston business is considering a document destruction program, chances are you have heard of the term Certificate of Destruction or COD. Are you familiar however with what it entails, and why it is a critical piece of documentation? A Certificate of Destruction provides written proof that your sensitive documents have in fact been thoroughly shred, and in a safe manner that protects your Houston business.

With the alarming amount of data breaches occurring daily in the United States, and ongoing identity theft cases, it’s no wonder more and more businesses are choosing to be proactive. Outsourcing your paper shredding needs is a smart step towards protecting your employees and customers, keeping sensitive information safe. So how do you go about choosing a document destruction company to look after your paper shredding? Providing an outside company the permission to handle your documents is a big decision, and one that should involve careful research and consideration first.

Here are a couple of important questions work asking: Is the document destruction staff staff knowledge and properly trained? What security measures do they have in place? How do they ensure all documents are securely destroyed? These are all very good questions to ask, prior to hiring a document destruction company for your shredding needs.

While some shredding companies will claim their document destruction process is entirely secure and safe, if they do not provide you in adequate evidence that displays this, you should consider shredding elsewhere. What is meant by provided evidence? When you work with a reputable shredding company, they will immediately present you with a Certificate of Destruction upon shredding, as added reassurance your material has been securely shred. Always ask for this piece of information; if this is denied to you, consider that a red flag and move on to a shredding company that implements this as part of their shredding process.

A Certificate of Destruction offers the following information to your Houston Business:

• Date and site where shredding took place
• Distinct serial number
• Clear statement of governing terms and conditions
• Witness to the shredding process (this could be a professional from the shredding provider, or one of your employees)

Always request a Certificate of Destruction if this isn’t voluntarily presented to you; for your own protection as a company, you should never accept anything less. Secure document destruction is the only process that guarantees your sensitive material has been completely destroyed. Should any privacy issues arise, this certificate acts as peace of mind in knowing there is accountability to fall back on, should any privacy issues arise.

Data Shredding Services in Houston is your trustworthy source for safe and secure shredding, each and every time. Following each shred appointment, we will present you with a Certificate of Destruction, outlining that our shredding process is in fact compliant with current legislation, and that we take the protection of our customers seriously.