Conducting sensitive information audits before the GDPR deadline

You don’t have to look too far before you bump into someone talking about GDPR.

The new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into effect in May and we’ve already looked at how this will impact on the way that data controllers and data processors can stay compliant.

We’re also encouraging people to sign up for our series of articles that bust the 5 biggest myths surrounding GDPR.

Before during and after the GDPR deadline, businesses need to ensure that any private information is destroyed correctly, or stored securely. Failure to do so could lead to UK businesses receiving significant fines for a serious data breach.

Obviously, most companies are going to want to avoid such fines, from a reputational perspective as much as a financial one! As such, it’s important that businesses start taking their data security more seriously by conducting a sensitive information audit.

A distinct lack of data destruction

According to a study by Fellowes, 20% of UK office workers never shred documents. Furthermore, a worrying 40% of employees admitted that they often just throw client data straight into the bin.

Even with the GDPR deadline looming, this research highlights the fact that businesses still don’t appear to have robust policies in place when it comes to protecting and disposing of sensitive information.

Fortunately, there is still time to rectify this, and a sensitive information audit could be just what your business needs.

What are the benefits of an audit?

As there are still a few months left before the deadline, a sensitive information audit will shine a light on any issues and risks a business might currently be susceptible to, and give you the chance to rectify them before May.

An audit will help you to see the best ways to manage your records whilst ensuring the maximum protection of sensitive information.

During an audit, you should also check your current methods of confidential data destruction as well as assessing the efficiency of your existing data protection protocols. Furthermore, an audit could also identify ways for you to save costs on your current practices.

Simple ways to safeguard your data

In order to safeguard your business and avoid any hefty fines, it’s important that you act now. Here are a few simple steps you can take to start the process:

• Have a designated audit team – by setting up a dedicated GDPR team, you can allocate responsibility and ensure that policies are introduced and upheld within your business.
• Invest in additional training – data protection laws are always changing so it’s important that all of your staff are up-to-date with relevant training.
• Employ a trusted shredding partner – the best way to safeguard your business is to have a team of experts at your disposal. By having a dedicated shredding partner, you’ll know that your data is being disposed of in a safe and compliant way.
• Ensure employees have all the facts – as well as training, it’s worth reminding your staff about the GDPR deadline by having signs up in communal areas as well as sending regular emails so that everyone is aware of the changes.

If you’re worried about GDPR and want to know more about secure document disposal, get in touch with our team today to see how we can.