MAKE SURE YOU’RE COMPLIANT
Failing to securely dispose of confidential materials could mean non-compliance with several data protection regulations, leaving you exposed to potential data breaches and hefty fines.
Our robust material audit trail is fully compliant with all data protection legislation. From the first pick up of your confidential waste until we shred your materials and issue the destruction certificate, Highlander Security Shredding manages and monitors everything ensuring the complete protection of your sensitive materials.
DATA PROTECTION ACT - DOES IT AFFECT YOU?
The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people (Click here for more information). It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK and in essence, controls how your personal information is used by organisations, businesses or the government.
Everyone responsible for using data must follow strict rules called “data protection principles.” They must make sure the information is:
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Accurate
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Kept safe and secure
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Used fairly and lawfully
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Used for limited, specifically stated purposes
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Kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
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Handled according to people’s data protection rights
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Used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
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Not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection
While there is no law per se that states that confidential wastepaper must be shredded, it is generally and widely accepted that security shredding is the safest, securest and most environmentally friendly method of disposing of your confidential documents per the requirements of the DPA, which covers the stipulation of keeping your data “Safe and secure”.
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION
This DPA law – which came into effect on May 2018 following a review of the Data Protection Act 1998 – offers more power to citizens in regards to what companies can do with their private data, and as a business, it is more important than ever that you have a suitably qualified and licenced company, contracted to collect and shred your confidential waste to make sure it “doesn’t come back to bite you!” and this is where Highlander can help! Where it may have previously been acceptable to shred your own paperwork, there is no proof that this has taken place, and therefore as a business, it is far more compliant and safer, to have a shredding company handle this for you. With Highlander, we issue a Certificate of Destruction for each and every consignment – no matter how small - which is your evidence and indemnity that your confidential paperwork, has been securely shredded and recycled in line with relevant legislation.
Do you know what is classed as “confidential waste?” The definition is “any piece of data that uniquely identifies someone”, so from a basic piece of information such as a name, Date of birth, email address, postal address, phone number, National Insurance number or registration number – not just bank details, medical records, or other similar extremely sensitive information.
Highlander is fully GDPR compliant, as our integrated management system ensures we comply with all legislation, relating to our business. We are currently accredited to ISO 27001, 9001, 14001 and 45001, all incorporating EN15713 standards, as well as being members of the United Kingdom Security Shredding Association (UKSSA) and registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). We are externally audited on an annual basis, to make sure we are still complying with all standards. Security consoles, are recognised as the best way to discharge your GDPR legal obligation, as these secure, robust storage units makes sure the paperwork is kept locked away with restricted access, until the collection takes place thus ensuring the security of the confidential paperwork at all times.
THE JOURNEY OF A BAG OF CONFIDENTIAL WASTE FOR SHREDDING
MATERIAL AUDIT TRAIL
On the collection of your confidential waste, we will issue you with an electronic waste transfer note in real-time, from which the unique “waste transfer note number” will form the foundation of the entire audit trail. During transit, our vehicles are fully GPS tracked, so we can monitor the movement of your confidential waste in real-time and give you progress reports at every stage in the movement of your material if required – the vehicles can be tracked either from our destruction centre or through smartphone apps, so no matter where our management team are, we can keep track of your material at all times! Our drivers also carry electronic PDA units, which allows digital capture, note taking, unit recording, name recording et al. so as well as a fully electronic process, our drivers keep these PDAs on them at al times, so we can even tell you where the drivers are, to the nearest square meter!
(Image as attached possibly or image of driver using PDA, plus an example of the electronic waste transfer note we use)
Upon arrival at our depot, the material is weighed in, units received cross-checked and material receipt within the destruction area is fully recorded, allowing every detail, movement and transaction of your consignment to be clearly and adequately recorded. From weighing, to tipping to shredding - the movement of the material is tracked, signed for and checked before shredding. to ensure a full and comprehensive audit trail as part of our EN15713 accreditation requirements AND for your peace of mind – click here ISO9001 certificate to see our ISO9001 accreditation, fully incorporating the standards of EN15713.
All staff, from our uniformed driver to our shredding operatives, are fully trained and annually retrained and tested in our procedures and are background checked to BS7858 standards, to ensure your material is handled professionally and diligently – click here UKSSA Certificate to see our UKSSA (United Kingdom Security Shredding Association) certificate, incorporating the background check standards of BS7858.
For more information on our audit trail procedures or our service in general, please contact a member of our shredding team today at 01355 241 088 or shredding@highlanderinternational.co.uk
SECURE SHREDDING SERVICES
We advise all customers, that by holding information and confidential data for too long, you are potentially exposing yourselves to unnecessary scrutiny, potential breaches of the GDPR Regs and potential fines of up to £17M or 4% of the companies worldwide annual turnover, PLUS individuals are now also able to claim for compensation if they fall victim to a company, or organisation not complying with the GDPR! Don’t take ANY chances with your records – our security shredding service is proven to be “More destructive than a Great White!” so your documents will “NEVER come back to BITE you!”
At Highlander, we STRONGLY encourage people to shred old documents as soon as they become redundant, rather than unnecessarily retaining them – or simply put for your old documents “Once they’re dead, it’s time to shred!”
Please do not hesitate to contact is for more information – speak to one of our shredding experts NOW! Call us on 01355 241088 – we look forward to hearing from you!
CONTACT US NOW FOR A QUOTE
We offer a professional collection and offsite shredding solution, in our secure CCTV monitored destruction centre based in East Kilbride. With no messy, noisy or polluting onsite shredding trucks calling outside your premises, all to EN15713 standards.