Due to the high rates of identity theft and data breaches, most companies take extra precautions when storing sensitive data. However, the data destruction process is often overlooked, which is equally as important.
While the information destruction industry is broad, not all data destruction companies are competent. As a result, the National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) offers several certifications to show a company’s capability regarding data destruction and compliance with data protection regulations.
PCs for People has a NAID AAA certification, the most well-known data destruction certification program. Keep reading to learn the importance of this certification and how it can improve your company’s data security.
What Is the NAID AAA Certification?
The NAID AAA certification is a voluntary program for companies that offer data destruction services. It helps organizations verify the data shredding and destruction vendor meets the strict standards for information disposal set by NAID.
NAID is a nonprofit consumer protection organization that audits the qualifications of different companies in the information destruction industry.
How We Became a NAID AAA Certified Member
A NAID certification protects customer data.
For a company to become NAID certified, it must pass annual, unannounced audits by independent Certified Protection Professionals (CPP).
NAID requires a specific passing grade to retain the AAA certification. During the audit, the certification review board addresses the following:
- The information destruction procedures
- Operational and facility security
- Insurance liability coverage
- Employee training and hiring procedures
These rigorous audits ensure we destroy data according to the highest standards in the data destruction industry.
Is a NAID AAA Certification Compulsory for Data Destruction Vendors?
The NAID certification program is optional for information destruction companies. However, it’s a great way to identify a reliable service provider because anyone can claim to offer data destruction services.
Why It’s Important to Work With a NAID AAA Certified Company
Even though there are many companies in the information destruction industry, few have NAID AAA certification. That said, working with a NAID-certified company is in your organization’s best interests.
Below are some reasons to check a data destruction company’s NAID certification.
Privacy and Security
Choosing a NAID-certified company means you take the privacy and security of your business documents, data, and client information seriously.
NAID AAA data destruction and shredding processes eliminate data breach and identity theft risks by rendering your information unreadable and unrecoverable.
During a NAID AAA certification audit, the shredding particle size is reviewed to ensure documents cannot be reconstructed.
As a NAID AAA certified member, we use CCTV image capture technology to archive the shredding process. We also send screened, uniformed, and badged employees to transport and destroy your data, adhering to a strict chain of custody as required by our NAID certification.
On the other hand, uncertified data destruction companies don’t have to follow a set protocol, which is dangerous for your sensitive information.
Compliance
Working with a NAID-certified company helps your business fulfill regulatory compliance with several state and federal laws.
FACTA, HIPAA, GLB, SOX, and various state laws require verifiable information destruction procedures.
At all PCs for People locations, we issue a certificate of destruction each time we wipe your documents and data. This offers written and verifiable proof of your company’s compliance with the data protection laws mentioned above.
Whether you’re a financial service provider, lawyer, healthcare provider, or in some other industry, a NAID AAA certification means that your company’s information will be disposed of in adherence to federal and state laws.
Expertise in the Data Destruction Industry
A NAID certification means that the company is experienced in the data destruction industry. This is especially important because many uncertified service providers perform the data destruction service as a side job.
All PCs for People locations follow rigorous procedures to dispose of your data in compliance with the NAID certification program. In addition, we use NIST-approved equipment and have a thorough employee training and recruitment program.
Our employee screening process involves employment history verification, drug tests, and criminal history verification. Therefore, you can trust that your sensitive information is in good hands as we destroy it.
Cost-Effective Services
Our data destruction experts go through rigorous employee screening.
When you have documents and mass storage media that need to be destroyed, there’s no need to use valuable employee time. Working with a NAID-certified company ensures the data is professionally disposed of, preventing future losses that might arise from data breaches.
In our case, it’s even more cost-effective because our services are provided at no cost. You can rest assured that your confidential information is safely destroyed without spending business resources.
Try Our No Cost NAID Certified Services Today
At PCs for People, we offer free data destruction services to all types of businesses. As NAID-certified facilities (Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, Greater St. Louis, Kansas City, and St. Paul) and NAID-compliant facilities (Atlanta, Cook County, IL), you can trust our information destruction procedures to be efficient and fully compliant.
Contact us today or find a facility near you to get started.