SELECTSHRED | THE REALITY OF TRADE SECRET THEFTS
PORT ST LUCIE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION FORT PIERCE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION
STUART DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION PALM CITY DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION
HOBE SOUND DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION PALM BEACH DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION
It was admirable to hear an individual who reported that the employees in her small office take considerable care to make sure that they protect their trade information from their competitors. However, it was not that commendable that these employees use office shredders and took the shredded materials home to be placed in their respective trash receptacles to avoid having the competition discover their trade secrets.
The theft of trade secrets is a reality for many companies and sometimes it might be erroneously believed that it only affects large companies or involves international crime rings. However, it could be as simple as throwing drafts of upcoming projects, which you do not want competitors to know about, into the trash. The theft of trade secrets could be a more elaborate plot.
Employees handle and discard information that should be destroyed on a daily basis. The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) in A NAID “Informed Buyer” Publication—The Facts of Life (about proper information destruction) states that “There comes a time when every employer has to provide their employees with guidance on proper information disposal.”
Every business has the responsibility to train its employees on the importance of secure document destruction and implementing written procedures that could identify vulnerabilities in its security system. The greatest ally for any business in protecting its trade secrets involves partnership with a NAID AAA Certified mobile document destruction service that provides assistance in reviewing and preparing written document destruction policies and procedures as well as assisting in staff training. A secure on-site shredding service will provide lockable collection containers to secure your confidential documents until they are ready to be shredded at your location. After each shredding service, you will receive a certificate of destruction for your record showing that you are compliant with various federal regulations.
Although it is admirable that the above-mentioned employees are shredding their proprietary information and are aware of trade secret thefts, their information would be more protected with recurring service from a NAID AAA Certified company. Instead of depending on office shredders and then transporting sensitive information away from the office to dispose of in the trash, the regular use of a shredding service would offer greater security to the employees, their company, their customers, and their clients.
The following link sheds more light on the complexities involved in the theft of trade secrets.
http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=2d7b11a2-ad18-4fc8-97c8-83b1e9646764
Richard Kinkead & Gloria Kinkead
SelectShred, Inc.
T: (772) 463-3166
