Challenges and Solutions for Secure Disposal of Sensitive Data in PR Agencies
One of the problems for many PR and marketing agencies is the potential for accumulating client sensitive documents ranging from post crisis management work to client confidential business planning information. Agencies like Allott Associates often hold other information ranging from items as innocent as direct dial telephone numbers or home details for senior client executives, to future client planning applications. Disposing of any of these items through a standard waste management company runs the risk that sensitive and or embarrassing information could inadvertently get into the public domain. In some cases, such as pharmaceutical or MOD work it could even create a security risk. Whilst most information is now held digitally, data is regularly printed out for client meetings and documents are often passed over to Allott Associates for subsequent scanning at the same meetings.
It is standard practice at the agency to purge surplus client information on a regular basis. Originally documents were shredded in-house, however as the turnover and therefore documentation increased so has the investment in more expensive shredding equipment. However, the real issue is not the shredding machines but the expensive labour cost to operate them. This is because senior executives of the company were often needed to vet the documents and sometimes even do the shredding, due to non-disclosure confidentially agreements that had been signed.