Digitalisation is unstoppable and continues to change the way businesses operate. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and efficiency, the paperless office is not only an attractive option, but increasingly a necessity. However, many organisations face challenges when it comes to digitising traditional paper processes. Whether it’s to save space, reduce costs, minimise environmental impact or simply ensure better availability of documents, the reasons for moving to digital solutions are many and varied.
Complete digitalisation and GDPR compliance
Digitising documents is a great way to increase efficiency and comply with data protection regulations. However, it requires the professional disposal of the original documents to be complete. The use of a high performance shredder is essential. Not only for documents that no longer need to be in physical form, but also to protect the company’s interests and the privacy of customers and business partners. This is particularly important as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to both electronic and paper-based personal data.To guarantee compliance, it’s a good idea to place a shredder next to each scanner. This ensures that any paper documents that are no longer required are immediately and securely destroyed. Additionally, it is important to familiarize yourself with relevant standards and regulations, such as DIN 66399. This standard defines three protection classes and seven security levels. These specifications detail how documents of different sensitivity levels should be destroyed to ensure secure and compliant data destruction.
The protection classes are categorised as follows:
- Protection class 1: Normal protection requirement for internal data that does not require special protection and is not intended for the public.
- Protection class 2: High protection requirements for confidential data, the disclosure of which could lead to external or internal security risks.
- Protection Class 3: Very high protection requirements for particularly confidential and secret data, the disclosure of which would cause serious damage.
The seven security levels according to DIN 66399:
- P-1: General data such as brochures, catalogues, vouchers …
(not applicable for personal data) - P-2: Internal data such as instructions, forms …
(not applicable for personal data) - P-3: Sensitive data such as offers, orders, delivery notes …
(cut sizes: 4 x 60 mm, 6 x 50 mm) - P-4: Highly sensitive data such as customer data, tax documents …
(cut sizes: 4 x 10 mm, 3 x 25 mm, 4 x 40 mm) - P-5: Secret data such as balance sheets, personal data …
(cut sizes: 2 x 15 mm) - P-6: High security data for research, development …
(cut size: 0.8 x 12 mm) - P-7: Top secret data for military, embassies, secret services…
(cut size: 0.8 x 5 mm)
GDPR-compliant personal data destruction requires at least a security level 4 shredder. One example is the IDEAL Shredcat 8200 with Particle Cut, which makes it virtually impossible to reconstruct the shredded paper. To minimise all risks, it is recommended that all equipment is set to the highest security level required by the company. This ensures effective and secure destruction of all data, regardless of its protection requirements.
IDEAL document shredders: secure, efficient and sustainable
IDEAL document shredders offer comprehensive solutions for secure and sustainable document destruction. From desktop shredders for individual workstations to high volume shredders for large volumes of paper, IDEAL is the versatile choice for a wide range of needs.
- Security is a top priority, as all IDEAL shredders meet the requirements of GDPR and other relevant data protection laws, protecting both data and users.
- High quality is another feature of IDEAL document shredders, with their durability and small footprint. The robust construction guarantees an almost unlimited service life.
- Clarity is promoted through the use of shredders that help create space by efficiently reducing mountains of files and piles of folders.
- Performance of the shredders enables them to process large volumes of documents quickly, making them ideal for digital archiving processes.
- Flexibility is demonstrated by the shredder’s ability to adapt to different quantities and types of paper, enabling on-demand destruction.
- Sustainability is a key element of IDEAL’s product philosophy. From development to recycling, the machines are designed to be environmentally friendly and help companies achieve their environmental goals.
In addition, IDEAL offers a LIFETIME guarantee on the hardened solid steel cutter shafts and features an energy-saving ZERO-ENERGY standby mode. Top service guarantees fast and professional help with technical problems throughout Germany. This makes IDEAL shredders a reliable choice for businesses that value data protection, durability and environmental responsibility.
Images: IDEAL
