Shredding News Feed - Shred-All

Protecting the Environment

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:34:22 GMT

Shred-All's Environmental Contribution and Commitment

When businesses dispose of confidential documents through regular waste collection, these papers often end up in landfills where they contribute to methane emissions and take up valuable landfill space.

Shred All’s secure document and data destruction services are a safe, efficient and cost-effective way to protect against the risks of identity theft and fraud, and at the same time do your part to protect the environment. We ensure 100% of your paper waste is diverted from landfills and sent directly to recycling facilities.

Guaranteed Recycling: Unlike regular disposal where paper may or may not be recycled, professional shredding services ensure all shredded material goes to certified recycling facilities
Reduced Contamination: Shredded paper is cleaner and more suitable for recycling than mixed waste paper, resulting in higher quality recycled products
Landfill Diversion: Every tonne of paper we shred and recycle prevents 2.3 cubic metres of landfill space from being used
Carbon Footprint Reduction: Recycling shredded paper produces 74% less air pollution than manufacturing paper from virgin materials
Forest Conservation: Each tonne of recycled shredded paper saves 17 mature trees from being harvested

Environmental Benefits of Professional Shredding:

Our state-of-the-art shredding equipment renders all your paper documentation un-reconstructable (unlike straight-cutting paper shredders whose documents can be re-assembled) and we send all our paper waste to a recycling facility where it is turned back into new paper products. We also provide you with a certificate of destruction which you can share with your clients to show them that you take seriously both the protection of their sensitive information and environmental responsibility.

Did you know?

There are over 10,000 landfills in Canada which are fast reaching their capacity (Environment and Climate Change Canada)
Paper and organic waste make up 65% of all diverted waste in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022)
In 2022, Canadian households and businesses diverted 3.6 million tonnes of paper fibres (Statistics Canada, 2022)
56% of paper diverted comes from non-residential sources (businesses and institutions) (Statistics Canada, 2022)
If every household in Canada replaced one new toilet paper roll with a recycled roll, Canadians could save 47,962 trees and 3,204 cubic metres of landfill space (Greenpeace Canada)
One metric tonne of recycled paper saves:
17 trees
4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity
26,500 litres of water
2.6 barrels of oil
2.3 cubic metres of landfill space
Manufacturing recycled paper necessitates:
74% less air pollution
35% less water pollution
58% less water
64% less energy
… than making paper from raw materials.

Why It Is Important to Shred Business Papers?

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:42:00 GMT

When important documents are no longer needed, shredding is the ultimate solution. Shredding prevents numerus of problems otherwise faced if they were taken into someone else’s possession. Here is why.

Protect your customers and employees

It is ideal to shelter costumer identities. Any information written down or with sensitive material should be shredded, while in your possession and the same location. Keep your employees safe because they have a legal right to privacy and to have their personal information kept unharmed. Do not throw out any workers voided checks, old pay stubs, time cards, health records, copies of photo ID’s and social security cards, this is not an alternative option for confidentiality.

Prevent identity theft

When documents are no longer needed, shredding is required and helps to stop the access of burglary. This can avoid dangers done to credit history, finances and reputation. Identity theft is a difficult process to resolve and takes lots of time, money and patience. Don’t let this happen at the workplace.

To follow required laws

Businesses that refuse to discard specific file copies are not following regulation rules. Such secure information should not be found by anyone one but authorities, and if not a risk of receiving fines, mishandling documents and customer lose is highly possible.

Another benefit of shredding is to save space. Keep your copies, the files of employees and customers untouched by the wrong hands.

Personal Documents You Should Shred and What Should be Kept

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 20:26:00 GMT

Holding on to boxed papers because you believe you “may” potentially need it can take up unneeded space. Knowing what is important and should be kept, and what can be disposed can be a baffling decision. Once its sorted out, there is a simple solution, shred it.

What to Keep

Physical copies that are related to state or federal matters should be saved and stored away. Overall such files are difficult to replace, and time affected when requesting them from a government agency. Easy access to them is required for a lifespan.

Such papers include:

Certifications
Licenses
Deeds

Documents to Keep Recent

Organize these documents for stress-free access, because they could be needed throughout the year. It is also beneficial to scan them for a digital version.

Such papers Include:

Social security statements
Annual insurance policy statements
Retirement plan statements
Tax receipts
Home improvement documents
Medical bills
Pay stubs and bank statements
Warranty receipts

Documents to Keep Recent

Anything that has personal information such as your name, address, phone number, social security number, or bank account information. Such papers include:

ATM receipts
Credit card receipts
Bills / airline tickets

It is also essential to shred expired credit cards or forms of IDs. This job can be made easy with a few hours help from Shred-All at your door step. Live with less clutter and feel safe knowing you have your files collected in a safe place.

Top Reasons Businesses Hire A Shredding Company

Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:46:00 GMT

Privacy & Security Expertise

Give yourself and your clients the peace of mind that comes with hiring a secure document destruction company that operates with the highest of security standards and procedures.

One of the most popular secure choices is the bin lift and hopper feed system to quickly destroy your confidential documents on-site. This fast and efficient automated system lifts the container into the truck and then tips the bin, releasing the contents into the shredder.

There is never any hand feeding or personal contact of the sensitive materials, and no one sees or touches your documents from the time of removal until they are safely destroyed moments later.

Shred All provides you with a certificate of destruction which you can share with your clients to show them that you take seriously the protection of their sensitive information, complete with the date and time that the documents were destroyed.

Going Green

For every 200 lbs of paper that is shredded and recycled, one tree is saved.

Regular recycling companies are not designed to provide secure document destruction and are unable to provide proof that your sensitive material has been destroyed. Most collection bins are unlocked and your confidential papers are exposed to anyone.

Shred All’s secure document and data destruction services is a safe, efficient and cost-effective way to protect against the risks of identity theft and fraud and at the same time do your part to protect the environment.

State-of-the art shredding equipment renders all your paper documentation un-reconstructable (unlike straight-cutting paper shredders whose documents can be re-assembled). After destruction, your shredded paper waste is sent to a recycling facility, where it is turned back into new paper products.

Do you have questions about the process of secure document shredding? Let us help.

Human Error In The Workplace

Wed, 11 May 2016 15:30:00 GMT

Human error in the workplace is far more common than you think. In fact, an alarming 32% of security breaches are caused by a negligent employee!

Classic examples of employee negligence include; Accidentally sending emails to the wrong person, inadequate disposal of sensitive paperwork, and misplacing mobile devices or laptops.

The good new? There are some very effective ways to reduce human error when it comes to the employees in your organization.

Create a Culture of Security

Appoint a Chief Security Officer, and provide them with a clear, concise document outlining all policies and procedures for employees would both in and outside of the office.

Get Employees More Involved

Form a 'Data Security Committee'. Include representatives from all areas of your company; IT, Human Resources, Compliance, Legal, Marketing & Communications. Come up with ideas for implementing these policies and procedures in a way that everyone within your company will understand, and will be able to follow.

Information Security Training

Provide Information Security Training on a regular basis so your employees can learn the best practices for protecting confidential information.

Emphasize Responsibilities

Take every opportunity to remind your employees that it is their legal responsibility to protect all confidential information, and company records. This includes all Entrance & Exit Interviews. Every employee should acknowledge that they are aware of the security policies and procedures.

IT Support

Provide your employees with the latest and best IT support, such as any data loss prevention or equipment softwares, malware protection, passwords, etc.

Security Audits

Schedule regular information security audits to help you identify any problem areas, and to help you find solutions. Throw in the odd surprise audit to keep employees on their toes! Catch them once, and they'll most likely try harder next time. This is also a good way to catch any employee who is knowingly committing fraud against your company!

Management Protocols

Implement information management protocols that include how long to keep certain types of documents and outlines the proper procedures for securely disposing of them. When information is no longer needed, have all documents (paper and electronic) destroyed by your shredding company!

Shred-All

Implementing a Shred-All Policy will simplify information management, and take the responsibility of deciding if a document is confidential, or important enough to be shredded, all of the employees. All documents are deposited into locked consoles and then securely shredded on site.

Partner With Like-Minded Companies

When looking for a business partner of any kind, whether it be independent contractors or huge corporation, always look into their data security protocols and ensure that they are as committed to data protection as you are.

Time For Spring Cleaning

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 15:30:00 GMT

'Spring Cleaning' is the process of thoroughly cleaning your house to be rid of all the winter dirt and clutter. Now, you can apply those same principles to your organization's Information Security Policies!

Your Tasks:

Organize
Clean House
Implement New & Better Systems

The most efficient way to clean is by starting on the top floor, and working downwards. Similarly, the most efficient way to clean up your policies is by starting at the Executive Level, and working downwards.

De-Clutter

Every workplace should have an extensive information management program that outlines both retention and destruction schedules based on the privacy laws of the industry or province they work on. Be sure to label all files with their retention and destruction dates.

No Short-Cuts

Implement a Shred-All Policy so that all document which are no longer needed are securely and completely destroyed. This policy will ensure that employees will no longer have to decide if information is sensitive enough to be destroyed - which will reduce the risk of a security breach.

Clean Out Storage Areas.

Some companies still hoard old equipment like computers, while other wipe all information from hard drives and then trash everything. The only way to guarantee that sensitive information stored on e-media is secure is to physically destroy it.

Hire Cleaning Experts to Help.

Partner with a reliable document destruction company to ensure that your documents are destroyed properly.

Information Security Tips For Start-Ups

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 15:30:00 GMT

Smaller businesses tend to have fewer security mechanisms in place, making them popular targets for cyber criminals. Of course, this is no the only reason to create a secure culture in your workplace from the beginning. Another important one being the cost of a data breach, which is not ideal for any company, but especially not for you, as you are still establishing your customer base and your reputation.

So, what information security practices are best for a start-up?

Understand Your Obligations

Research the Privacy Laws and Legislation that are relevant to your business. Data Security is your legal responsibility. Check out our most recent blog for more information!

Create a Written Information Security Policy

Compose a detailed document about identifying and protecting sensitive data both in and outside of the workplace. Ensure that there are specific guidelines for your mobile workforce.

Introduce Document Management Procedures

Only collect and retain the personal information that is essential to your organization, and physically control access to these records. Arrange for data backup. Keep an inventory of sensitive information with clearly marked destruction dates on both electronic and paper files.

IT Protection

Use the latest technological safeguards for prevention, detection, and encryption.

Educate your workforce.

Provide regular information security training for all employees.

Emphasize Physical Safeguards.

Implement a policy requiring all office guests to sign in. Ensure there are locked containers to hold any documents that need to be destroyed. Implement a Clean Desk Policy to remind employees to protect information at all times.

Risk Assessments

Create a Security Risk Assessment Schedule to identify security gaps!

Supply Chain

Before entering into any business relationship, always evaluate potential partners to ensure that they are as committed to information security as you are.

Secure Document Destruction

Partner with a document shredding company like Shred-All to dispose of documents that are no longer needed.

Small Business Security

Wed, 02 Mar 2016 16:30:00 GMT

As incidents involving malicious internet users become more prevalent in the news, it's easy to forget that sometimes, data breaches are caused by human mistakes in the workplace; using unsecured recycling bins, forgetting to back up data, and not enforcing rules regarding document management when working remotely are just a few of these slip ups.

For a small business with a limited (or non-existent) budget for security, this can be both a relief, and a concern. While the risk of a data breach remains high, there are simple but powerful safeguards that can be put in place. Improving information security needs to be a major priority for a business of any size.

Small businesses can reduce the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands by following these four tips for beefing up security.

On-Going Training

Every employee within your organization needs to understand why security policies are in place, and exactly how to follow these procedures. Security Awareness Training can be as easy as regular staff meetings where employees are updated about information security, and taught the safest ways to share critical information online, as well as how to handle confidential information while working outside of the office.

Secure Mobile Data

A recent study has shown that nearly all small businesses have cyber security systems installed on their company's desktop and laptop computers, but that only around 60% have the same protection on their mobile devices. One easy step to ensure your mobile data is secure is to encrypt devices with password protection. The next step would be to install other tools capable of blocking malware and detecting cyber attacks.

Have A Response Plan

Everyone needs to know what to do if a data breach does occur. Check out this free toolkit for creating a Security Breach Response Plan from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Sweat The Small Stuff

Businesses should provide lockable drawers or filing cabinets to store sensitive information, employees should regularly change their passwords, and there should be document management procedures in place for both storage and disposal.

Try this simple, but effective, system and improve your information security today!

Where Is My Business Most Vulnerable?

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 16:30:00 GMT

Many business owners don't realize that one of the key places where fraud originates from is within the business itself. Therefore, they often overlook the key areas of vulnerability.

We have compiled a list of the Top 5 Most Vulnerable Areas in Your Office:

Printers

Many offices have a communal printer, which means that sensitive information is often printed and left at the printing station, or accidentally picked up by an employee who printed before or after. In order to reduce this risk, businesses should ensure that employees secure their print jobs with a personal security code, or allow employees who are constantly printing sensitive informations to utilize a printer within their office.

Non-Secure Recycling Bins & Wastepaper Baskets

Disposing of sensitive information in an open recycling bin is just as risky as leaving it on the printer, or on a desk. Implementing a Shred-All policy will eliminate the risk of any random person being able to pick up these documents. Shredded materials are still recycled, simply in a more secure way.

Messy Desks

Messy desks with paperwork everywhere are extremely vulnerable to snooping and possible data theft. External staff, such as cleaners, who have access to offices can clearly see any sensitive documents that are left out on a desk. Implementing a Clean Desk Policy and providing lockable storage units to employees will greatly reduce the risk of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands.

IT Device Storage

Electronic storage devices are very convenient, especially when you can't access the company network. However, they also raise the risk of fraud. One way to counter this risk is by requiring that storage devices be signed out of the office, and by then ensuring that they are securely destroyed when they reach the end of their use.

Car/Homes/Hotels

In the past, employees mainly worked at the office, and rested at home. With the mobile workforce becoming a more popular option, people are starting to access their filed remotely from anywhere. While this is convenient, it also increases the risk of confidential information being left in non-secure areas. Organizations should caution employees to only take sensitive data outside of the workplace when absolutely necessary, and teach them about secure disposal when outside of the workplace.

Do-It-Yourself Risk Assessment

Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:30:00 GMT

is your company at risk of becoming a victim of corporate espionage, fraud, or information theft? This quick self-assessment of your office security will help to identify the most vulnerable areas within your organization!

Answer 'Yes' or 'No' to the following questions.

Office Document Security

Does your organization...

Have a secure means of disposal for confidential information?
Have locked consoles for the disposal of confidential documents?
Have a Shred-All Policy, ensuring that every document is securely destroyed?
Monitor any Privacy Legislation that may affect your business?
Regularly conduct security audits of your business?
Perform full reference checks when sourcing out new vendors?

Employee Training

Does your organization...

Perform full reference checks when hiring new employees?
Have easy to understand, written document destruction procedures for employees to follow?
Review document destruction policies as part of orientation for new employees?
Require all employees to practice a "Clean Desk" Policy?

Off Site Document Security

Does your organization...

Instruct all employees on proper document security and disposal when travelling or working outside of the office?

Document Retention

Does your organization...

Have an up-to-date document retention policy?
Store sensitive documents requiring long-term retention in a secure area, where employees have limited access?
Use document storage containers that have a clearly marked date of destruction?

How Safe Are You? Add up the number of 'No' answers.

1 - 3

You are doing a good job monitoring risk. Partnering with an expert like ShredAll will continue to protect your business and your reputation!

4 - 6

You are at slightly at risk for a security breach. Try reading some of our other blogs on how to mitigate the risk of a potential breach.

7+

You are at a significant risk of a security breach. You need to act now; a breach could be detrimental to your business.

Why Should You Complete A Security Risk Assessment?

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 16:30:00 GMT

Whether yo u have all the answers or not, completing a security risk assessment will help you to identify the vulnerable areas and risky procedures that can increase the risk of a security breach in your office.

Here are 9 reasons why your company needs to complete a security risk assessment on a regular basis.

Privacy Laws
Protecting confidential information is the aw, and companies that don't comply could face fines, and other penalties.
Risk
Research shows that businesses of any size, in all industries are at risk for a security breach, whether caused but an external attack or an internal error.
Cost
Data breaches are expensive. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Housekeeping
Many workplaces still have open recycling bins. To reduce the risk of a data breach, replace them with locked containers and secure document destruction. A document retention schedule, including secure shredding services and a Shred-All Policy is recommended to ensure that all confidential information is securely destroyed.
Risk Management
The 3 main causes of data breaches are; Criminal Attacks, System Glitches, and Human Error. However, the mobile workforce is growing is and with it, new risk factors to worry about. Many working professionals have said that the company they work for has no policy on working in public places. This creates a huge risk of confidential information falling into the wrong hands.
Employees
Staff needs to be trained in the importance of security, how to spot an attack, and what to do when they see something suspicious.
Reputation Management
Data breaches can cause major damage to the reputation of an organization. In fact, research shoes that the loss of customer loyalty do to a failing reputation does the most damage to a company's bottom line. Following a data breach, companies need to invest heavily to gain new customers, and attempt to save their brand image.
Be Proactive
Rather than hoping that a data breach won't happen, it's important to know how to reduce the risk of one occurring, and to put in a few safeguards to ensure that they won't. Strong security will result in the greatest decrease in the cost of a data breach.
Awareness
The first step towards addressing & improving information security practices.

Reduce Workplace Fraud

Wed, 25 Nov 2015 16:00:00 GMT

Workplace Fraud is a big problem in today's society. It occurs when money, information, and/or other items are stolen from a company, by an employee. Here is a fraud prevention checklist for the workplace!

Employee Training.
Use on-going training to reinforce your anti-fraud policies, and to teach employees to speak up when they see something that isn't right. Train them to recognize common behaviours exhibited by inside fraudsters, including employees who appear to be living beyond their means, putting in unnecessarily long hours, medical concerns, signs of gambling or drug addictions, and unusually close relationships with vendors or customers.
Start A Tips Line.
Being tipped off to strange behaviours is consistently the best way to detect fraud. Organizations that use a tip hotline are much more likely to catch fraudsters, as people feel safer reporting what they see. A hotline can potentially reduce the median loss from fraud by 40.5% and reduce the duration of fraud by half!
Surprise Audits.
Scheduled audits are critical in business but, according to recent studies, surprise audits are the most effective means of fraud prevention! Research has shown that surprise audits can reduce the median loss from fraud by 43.4% and the median duration of fraud by up to 50%. Those employees committing fraud will cover up their offences if they are aware of an impending audit.
Data Monitoring.
Monitoring data will keep track of content, and any changes to company files. This is an often overlooked, but effective means of anti-fraud control, and can reduce losses to fraud by almost 60%. At the same time, no one employee should ever be solely responsible for any one function.
Document Management.
An extensive Document Management Policy will help to keep confidential information secure and organized, and compliant from creation to destruction. Documents are identified, labelled, and securely stored until they are no longer needed.
Information Destruction.
To prevent any information from being compromised, partner with a reliable document destruction partner that has a secure chain-of-custody for both paper and e-media. The best document destruction practices should include locked containers, on or off site secure destruction using cross cut shredding technology, and a certificate of destruction following every shredding.

Over 40% of data breaches come from within a company, due simply to human error. Use these tips to ensure that this doesn't happen to your company.

How To Implement A Clean Desk Policy

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:00:00 GMT

By definition, a clean desk policy outlines how employees should leave their working space when they aren't there. Sensitive information must be protected at all times, from anyone who may be passing by, including other employees, cleaners, and visitors to the office.

All papers including those with sensitive information, as well as non-essential documents and even post-it notes should be cleared off desks. These policies also pertain to information on computer screens.

Here are the important aspects of implementing a clean desk policy:

Put your policy in writing, and ensure that every employee has a copy.
Implement a buy-in at the executive level. Ensure that your senior team follows and encourages other to follow the policy.
Explain exactly what you expect from employees. For example, when an employee leaves their desk, all papers must be filed or locked up and the computer must be switched to the locked password screen.
Make it part of the workday. Suggest to employees that they start their day by organizing any and all papers they will need to complete their immediate work. If an employee must go to a meeting, or leave their desk for any reason, a quick glance to ensure everything is secured and there is no information on their desk or computer screen will suffice. Always leave a clear, clean desk when leaving at the end of the day.
Provide your employees with clean desk tools. Ensure that desks have lockable drawers, or small lockable filing cabinets so employees can secure any printed documents with sensitive information.
Encourage electronic over paper documents, whenever possible. Routinely back up your servers to ensure that no information is lost.
Make it easy for employees to keep their desks clean by partnering with a document shredding company for secure document disposal. Locked consoles should be placed in central locations throughout the office and documents should be shredded regularly. Remind employees to never place sensitive documents in the garbage or recycling bin.
Provide constant friendly reminder. For example, add a simple tagline to email signatures such as "Please Consider The Environment Before Printing This E-mail'.
Appoint one or more employees as 'office monitors' to check offices at the end of the day. There should be consequences for non-compliance.

Effectively, a clean desk policy is one of the simplest ways to protect sensitive information and to reduce the risk of a data breach or identity theft.

Why Should I Shred?

Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:00:00 GMT

The main reasons people choose to shred paper instead of simply disposing of it focus mainly on the security and environmental concerns businesses may have.

Financial Documents

Corporations are the most common clients for paper shredding companies to serve. Large corporations create huge amounts of documents that need to be destroyed so that competitors will not have access to them. Financial information has to be protected, and when companies decide to dispose of them, they must be certain that no other companies will be able to access them at any time.

Medical Documents

If a patient has been diagnosed with a disease, the last thing they would want is for the doctor to announce it. Doctors must protect the privacy of their patients, not only for ethical reasons but because the laws around medical confidentiality prevents people from accessing the medical records of other people, and the best way to prevent that is to destroy the documents.

A More Environmental Method Of Document Disposal

Before the paper shredder, the most common way of disposing of documents was to burn them. Burning paper is not safe for the environment, as it contributes to destroying the ozone layer. With climate change becoming more prominent, certain measures must be taken to decrease the amount of damage we do.

Shredding paper is environmentally sound, as the shredded pieces can still be used. For example, the shredded bits of paper can be used for compost. Paper is not wasted by being thrown into landfills, but rather is used to help grow trees, which are very good for the environment. Another ideal use for shredded paper is stuffing materials, usually animal bedding is stuffed with shredded paper. There are so many ways to reuse paper, making paper shredding the best method of document disposal for those who are concerned with the environment.

6 Simple Ways To Improve Information Security

Tue, 21 Jul 2015 17:00:00 GMT

With the news full of stories of whistle blowers and data breaches in mega corporations, it's easy to forget the simpler aspects of information security in the workplace, and focusing on how your employees do their job, and what processes they follow.

Here are 6 simple, and inexpensive, strategies to improve your information security!

Ensure that employees are regularly trained on data security practices and privacy laws. E-newsletters, signs, and special events also help to provide regular security awareness reminders. Ask your employees to sign confidentiality agreements, acknowledging that they are aware of the information security measures.
Limit and control access to sensitive information. Employees only need access to the information required to complete their jobs.
Employees should protect electronic documents and the company network. Never open a link from someone they don't know, change their passwords regularly, and protect their devices from prying eyes when working outside the office.
Implement a Clean Desk Policy. Employees must keep their desks tidy, and confidential documents must never be left out in the open for other staff to see. If necessary, lock sensitive data away. Every employee should have at least one lockable drawer in their desk. Printers and filing cabinets containing confidential information should be located in private areas, and locked.
Partner with a reliable shredding service. Replace open recycle bins with locked storage consoles conveniently placed around the office. Employees simple place documents they no longer need in the locked console. The company will provide secure on-site shredding, quickly and efficiently.
Implement a Shred-All Policy. Employees will never have to decide whether a document is sensitive or not as everything will be placed in the bin and shredded.

Are You Handling The Management Of Data Security Right?

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 18:18:00 GMT

One of the most important things you can do when running a business is making sure that your customers have confidence in what you do. This is one of the few ways of retaining customers even if you provide services that are not very competitively priced.

The best way to do this is by ensuring that all the information you have of your customers is always protected. In cases where you have to withhold important customer information, this is something whose quality will always determine the success of the business. If you end up losing such data to third parties, your company will get very bad reviews, and this means that you may not be able to attract more customers in future.

Some Of The Important Ways Of Protecting Your Data Include:

Keeping An Eye On Who Handles It

As much as possible, you should not let just anybody handle sensitive customer data. You should make it a policy to ensure that only people who are trusted are allowed to do this. For instance, if a staff member has been with the company for a very long time and has performed well, you can trust them with this information more compared to someone who has just joined you. Limiting the number of people who have access to such sensitive information also ensures that in case of any leaks, you will be able to do investigations into the matter more easily. In such cases, you will have much fewer people to deal with.

Take Advantage Of Proper Encryption

If you are storing the data in electronic format, it’s also important to try and have it encrypted as well. When doing this, you should remember that quite a number of people are interested in cracking such codes. You should therefore always rely on the latest technology to encrypt the data. As is the case with handling physical information, you should also try to limit the number of people who have access to the electronic versions as well. For instance, you could give the encryption password to only one or two people in the company for the sake of security.

Your Document Handling Policy

In addition to that, it’s also important that you come up with a document handling policy that does not put the security of customer and company data in jeopardy. For instance, if you need to get rid of large volumes of data, you could get the services of an onsite data shredding company to do it for you. This is the safest and most convenient way of handling this, especially when you are talking of large volumes of information.

In summary, information is a very powerful tool, and you need to be very careful with how you use it lest it ends up damaging your company’s reputation. The above are just a few of the issues you need to address in doing so. As long as you keep in mind the threat and consequences of data loss, you are likely to make better decisions on how to handle it.

Examining The Reasons For Paper Shredding

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 17:46:00 GMT

A Secure Way Of Paper Disposal

The top reason why paper shredding services are essential is that they can help get rid of papers that contain very confidential or even top secret content.

Financial documents

The most common clients that paper shredder companies deal with are those in the corporate world. Insurance companies, banks, and various types of large corporations need to have huge amounts of documents destroyed so that others will not have access to them. Information about financial matters has to be protected well and if companies have decided to get rid of them, there must be a certainty that no other else would be able to access them again.

Medical Documents

Medical confidentiality is something that doctors have to adhere to. Not only do ethics dictate that but there are also certain laws about that. If a patient has been diagnosed with HIV, the last thing he would want to happen is the doctor going around and announcing that the patient has HIV. Laws about medical confidentiality prevent people from accessing the medical records of other people.

An Environmental Way Of Paper Disposal

Before the paper shredder, people have been getting rid of papers by turning them into pieces. Worse, they burn them. You might have seen so many movies where the main characters threw important papers into the fireplace. But burning paper is not safe for the environment. And at this time when climate change is starting to become more and more obvious, certain measures have to be made in order to make the world a more sustainable place. Burning paper contributes a lot in destroying our ozone layer. But with paper shredding, paper is destroyed without the environment being threatened.

Paper shredding is also environmental especially since the shredded pieces can still be of use. For example, the paper bits and pieces can be used for compost. Paper is not wasted on landfills but is even used to help more trees grow. Trees are very important for the environment. Another ideal application for shredded paper bits is bedding or pillow material. Most animal beddings or pillows are stuffed with paper shredding. There are so many things that one can do with paper. Thus, paper shredding is the best paper disposal method for those who are concerned with the environment.

Considering Shred All

Shred All is a company based in South-Western Ontario, Canada and we provide paper shredding services. Whether you want to get rid of important financial documents, medical records, or other confidential documents, we can ensure that they are properly shredded and that no one will be able to access them again. Fast service, competitive pricing, and customer satisfaction are some of the best features that you can expect from us!

5 Ways Your Company Can Benefit From On-Site File Shredding

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 17:26:00 GMT

On-site file shredding is quickly becoming a popular practice among modern businesses and for all the right reasons.

For starters, companies don’t have to worry about the protection of sensitive financial documents, such as inventory lists, budget plans, legal documents or account information, to name a few. In addition, by working with a reputable on-site shredding service, your company will account for the legal considerations that oblige you to protect customer/consumer information. Moreover, you will no longer have to be concerned that sensitive data associated with your business or clients falls into the hands of the wrong people.

Let’s explore the benefits your company can enjoy thanks to on-site shredding services.

1. It’s quicker and more convenient

More often than not, on-site document shredding services will send a truck incorporating a professional mobile shredder directly to your headquarters. The shredding devices are usually capable of destroying thousands of pounds of documents per hour, making the process a lot faster than if you were to tear up each individual file via a personal shredder. In short, a qualified expert handles all your sensitive data’s protection needs.

2. You’ll have peace of mind

Working with an on-site shredding service means you don’t have to entrust your company’s sensitive data and hence, you will limit the chain of custody. Not only will most services install locked bins in your office, but you can witness the actual shredding without wasting too much time. The firsthand verification is a critical safety feature that can’t be left in the hands of drivers or unknown personnel at another site. To put it simply, because the entire process doesn’t take longer than a few minutes, you can watch how the company documents are destroyed and put your mind at ease.

3. You can include last-minute add-ons

Because the mobile shredder is located right outside the company’s facility, you can simply get there and run a pile of last-minute documents via the device. In fact, you can even schedule a specific day for destroying sensitive documents and considerably reduce the chances of information leaks.

4. The shredded files are unrecoverable

The biggest advantage of hiring an on-site shredding company is that they’re capable of destroying the documents beyond recovery. To be more precise, they tear up files into little pieces and then mix them with other shredded paper, thus making it impossible to reconstruct. The shredded pieces are typically recycled, so rest assured that the process will not affect your company’s social responsibility practices. On a side note, if necessary the shredding services will provide you with the required documentation to prove your legal compliance.

5. Your will save time and energy

In an attempt to save some cash, some business owners believe that the best solution is to get a few member of the staff perform this task. However, they don’t actually realize that in-house file shredding requires valuable employee time and diverts their focus from core business activities. In addition, leaving this major decision up to your employees could lead to breaches of confidentiality, while you will not have any guarantee that the sensitive documents are unrecoverable.

Income Tax Records - Should You Shred Or Store?

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 17:08:00 GMT

If you’re like most people, then chances are your home office is filled with T4s, 15000000.00, letters from charities and other backlogs used to prepare a tax return. Frankly, you can’t really blame people who want to hold on to the paperwork: in case of an audit, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will simply ask for the receipts and will not accept any excuses.

You Don’t Need to Hang On To Piles Of Paperwork

While your actions are justified, it is necessary to mention that you don’t need to hang on to every document associated with the income tax records. In fact, keeping so many documents will inevitably clutter your office and make it more difficult to find the files you really need for this purpose. According to the CRA, it is recommended to keep the receipts and documentation to support your claims for 6 years.

If you’re scheduled for a review, then the CRA will typically ask you to present copies of the following documents within 30 days after you received the agency’s request:

Charitable donations
Tuition and education expenses
Child care expenses
Child support payments
Medical expenses
Moving expenses

Exceptions To The CRA’s Statute Of Limitation

Even though 6 years is the time frame the CRA has at its disposal to audit you, there are certain exceptions you should be aware of. To be more precise, if you under-report your income by 25% or more, or if your company is suspected of fraudulent returns, then there isn’t any statute of limitations regarding the audit. Other situations that are not limited under the general statute of limitation include:

You didn’t file a tax return, although you are mandated by law to do so
You amended the tax return and received additional refunds
You claimed a loss from a worthless security

It is necessary to mention that some people prefer to keep records for other purposes than the CRA review or audit. For instance, if you want to apply for a medical aid assistance program, you will be asked to present proof of income. Having a past tax return ready could save you a lot of time and energy in this case. In addition, if you take out a loan or acquire an insurance policy, you should verify the specified timeframe during which you are supposed to keep certain documentation. Keep in mind that creditors and insurance companies can ask you to hold onto certain records longer than the CRA.

When And What To Shred?

After the 6-year period has passed and you are certain you don’t need the records for anything else, feel free to get rid of all T4 forms and tax return documentation. This includes the files and papers starting from the end of the tax year relating to the documents.

It is important to note that discarding financial statements and other reports with sensitive data is not as simple as throwing the papers in the dumpster where diving identity thieves can easily find them. The best way to keep your data out of the grasp of unscrupulous individuals implies working with an onsite shredding service.