What is secure and compliant ITAD?
IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) is a vital part of the IT industry. In order to maintain a competitive edge, organizations need to constantly update their IT devices and equipment. This means they frequently have obsolete or outdated technology on their hands. These assets typically hold confidential and sensitive data about your company and your consumers.
Cybercriminals can easily retrieve information and data from the hardware and use it as ransomware. This could potentially cost your company a large amount of money and there could be legal implications and penalties as well.
ITAD helps businesses comply with regulations
Compliance with industry rules and regulations is one of the main reasons ITAD is so important to businesses today. ITAD firms provide secure data destruction, chain of custody documentation, and environmentally friendly e-waste recycling solutions that meet the standards of various financial, security, compliance, and health & safety stakeholders at organizations of all sizes.
The goal of ITAD is to ensure all materials handled in this process are done so in a responsible manner. This includes data security, compliance with environmental regulations, product disposal methods (which can vary depending on what material or device it may be), and much more!
Effective ITAD programs mitigate corporate risk, reduce costs, recover the greatest value from assets, and improve sustainability by ensuring that companies properly handle used or end-of-life equipment within the circular economy. At its most fundamental level, IT asset disposition is a corporate risk mitigation strategy that ensures your business remains in compliance with various laws and regulations to protect your customers and your brand’s reputation.
If you choose to handle your own equipment disposal, the risk of human error increases. This can lead to environmental problems and violate certain compliance standards, which could cost your organization more than hiring a professional ITAD service provider to begin with.
ITAD can help you manage compliance cost
An ITAD provider can help your business save on costs as they have extensive experience and are prepared to handle risk management. An ITAD provider knows that your equipment needs to be securely disposed of and how to do so in an environmentally responsible manner.
Generally, it’s not the IT departments’ core competency to manage risks; and since there are many critical steps in the ITAD process, industry best practices recommend that you outsource your program to an experienced ITAD provider. More businesses now hire trusted IT asset disposition companies to ensure their organization correctly, safely, and responsibly manages their IT equipment. Independent processes can provide a greater degree of liability protection and audit trails.
Data security is key!
Finally, and most importantly, an ITAD provider must be able ensure data security. If you do not properly dispose of your IT equipment or manage how it is used after being replaced with new technology, all of the above efforts could be for nothing. OceanTech is dedicated to protecting your data. Our process ensures that all retired assets are wiped clean of any all data, virtually eliminating the risk of a costly data breach.
