Corporate executives wear many hats. But, above all, their most important responsibility is making tough decisions.
Like how to handle the complex problems associated with IT asset disposition (ITAD).
At this point, the basic aspects of proper ITAD are well understood. Certified recycling, NIST-compliance, and data destruction are part of most companies’ approach to asset retirement.
But then there’s the uglier side of ITAD, which includes things like:
- Employee theft
- Inventory mistakes
- Vendor fraud
Overlooking these areas can lead to a breakdown in accountability, which raises the question: If your ITAD program were put on trial, would it be defensible?
With so much at stake, executives need to make decisions that protect their company from exposure.
That’s what makes disposal tags the best (and easiest) decision you’ll ever make when it comes to your company’s data security. Here’s why:
3 Reasons Why Disposal Tags Are the Best Security Decision You’ll Ever Make
- They Maintain Accountability
- They Prevent Complacence
- They Offer Multiple Solutions in One Package
Let’s look at each reason more closely.
1. Maintain Accountability
The #1 thing ITAD experts agree on is a lack of accountability in the industry. It’s common practice for vendors to tell IT managers “not to trust anyone — except me.” That kind of thinking underlies the inherent conflicts in the way these vendors do business.
It also doesn’t address the broader problem of accountability beyond vendor trust. On average, retired assets are handled by 5-8 different individuals before they arrive at an ITAD vendor for processing.
Disposal tags help institute transparency through each level of the disposal process. They do this by establishing a clear chain of custody for each piece of equipment, ensuring that the responsible party — whether it’s an employee, driver, or vendor — can be held liable in the event of a breach.
2. They Prevent Complacence
You hire employees and vendors for one reason: to take care of problems for you.
However, if they see you kicking problems down the road, then they’ll assume they can get away with doing the same.
In other words, if you don’t make ITAD a priority, then neither will they.
Disposal tags act as a visual signifier of your commitment to proper ITAD. They put employees and vendors on notice by letting them know that each piece of equipment will need to be accounted for. Best of all, they do all this while still empowering you to remain hands-off when it comes to day-to-day processes.
3. They Offer Multiple Solutions in One Package
G.K. Chesterton famously said, “It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.”
The opposite is true with most ITAD issues. Everyone sees the problem; they just can’t see an effective solution.
Or rather, they see too many solutions.
Executives can’t dedicate sufficient time to every scenario. It often seems easier to simply put off confronting difficult issues. When solution aversion kicks in, it opens the door for problems to get worse.
Disposal tags combat this by acting as an all-in-one solution to many of the most common ITAD problems. Once they’ve been implemented, they help prevent a wide range of issues, including equipment theft, loss, wasted labor, data breaches, and more.
Disposal Tags Form the Backbone of Any Successful ITAD Policy
There’s more to successful ITAD than just disposal tags. You’ll always need to put things like data destruction, responsible recycling, and third-party verification in place as well.
However, it’s almost impossible to achieve a defensible position without disposal tags. That makes them the common denominator in any effective approach to sustainable ITAD.
At Retire-IT, we’re ready for the lack of transparency within ITAD to be a thing of the past. That’s why we offer the industry’s leading vendor-neutral services to help companies maintain accountability and limit their exposure.
Ready to make the best decision for your organization’s data security? Contact us today to learn more.