What is a Certificate of Destruction?

After your documents are shredded securely with us at Merlin Shredding, you can expect to receive what we call a “Certificate of Destruction” (COD).

What is a COD?

This document is meant to be a record indicating that a business’ sensitive information was handled by a third-party shredding service. It may also describe the shredding experience.

Some other things to look for in a COD can include, and are not limited to:

• A serialized confirmation number of the shredding process, which may be used for auditing purposes

• Terms and conditions of agreement with shredding services

• Date of when the information was collected

• Date of when information was destructed

• Location of destruction

• Name of witness to shredding process

• Equipment used in shredding process

Be sure to confirm what each shredding service’s COD includes ahead of time so that you can ensure that they are able to provide the security you need.

When Do I Need a COD?

Obtaining the COD means that the information is no longer at risk and is compliant with security laws. This certificate may also be used in business audits, to acknowledge the proper handling of confidential information.

A COD is especially important when important documents are involved, such as

• Documents containing personally identifiable information

• Digital information

• Financial details

• Corporate operation details

• Information protected by privacy laws

Contact Merlin Shredding to ask about how else we can make sure your shredding is done right. Email us at info@merlinshredding.com for more information, or to get your quote today.