BS EN 15713: Secure Destruction of Confidential and Sensitive Material

What is BS EN 15713 Secure Destruction of Confidential and Sensitive Material?

BS EN 15713 is a European Standard that gives businesses a framework to manage and control the destruction of any confidential and sensitive material they hold, ensuring that it is disposed of securely and safely.  It is aimed at service providers, providing a framework for securely collecting, handling, storing, and disposing of confidential and sensitive material.

BS EN 15713 underwent a significant update in 2023 and ISO QSL will be supporting clients with the implementation of BS EN 15713:2023.  This is a major update which sees the standard being brought into line with modern practices and demands on keeping information secure.  

Benefits of BS EN 15713 certification

Ensures compliance to regulatory requirements

Reduces the likelihood of data breaches and leaks

Enhances your company image and differentiates you from the competition

Boosts employee morale and motivation through a culture of security and responsibility

Promotes sustainability with responsible recycling practices

Demonstrates a commitment to confidentiality, enhancing customer trust

Increased profit potential and market share

Increases eligibility for tenders

HOW CAN BS EN 15713 PROTECT MY BUSINESS?

Implementing the BS EN 15713 Secure Destruction of Confidential and Sensitive Material will help you stand out from your competitors, showing your customers that you take the security of their confidential and sensitive material seriously.

The standard provides a framework of conditions to be adhered to at every step of the destruction process: collection, handling, transportation, storage, and destruction, protecting your business from the risk of data breaches and leaks.  The standard also aligns with regulatory requirements such as GDPR, enhancing your compliance.  Example aspects of the standard include:

  • Security screening of personnel
  • Security of your premises
  • How sensitive information is collected, retained, and transferred
  • Security measures during the destruction of materials
  • Management and control of confidential material destruction
  • Traceability of the destruction process

WHAT DOES BS EN 15713 COVER?

BS EN 15713 Secure Destruction of Confidential and Sensitive Material outlines the process for securely destroying confidential and sensitive materials.  It specifies procedures for collection, handling, transportation, storage, and destruction, ensuring the destruction is done in a secure way that prevents unauthorised access and reproduction of information.  Six key areas include:

  1. Contracts and Audit Trails: establishes clear contracts and maintains audit trails for all transactions between you and your clients.
  2. Protection Throughout the Collection and Destruction Process: ensuring protection from unauthorised access at every step of the process.
  3. Categorisation: matching destruction methods with material types to render it unreadable, illegible and unreconstructable.
  4. Product Disposal: advocating for the recycling of materials, with the consideration for the environmental impact when recycling isn’t feasible.
  5. Reinforces Good Business Practices: training of staff, equipment maintenance, sub-contractor management, and traceability through comprehensive record keeping.
  6. Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability: ensuring vital company information and customer information is protected.

Integration with ISO 9001 Quality Management 

Before its upgrade in 2023, BS EN 15713 was designed to sit within the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, supporting you with providing a quality service.  Whilst BS EN 15713 can be implemented independently, we still recommend implementing it alongside ISO 9001 to enhance your processes.  This integration supports compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, improves efficiency, and enhances customer satisfaction by demonstrating a commitment to both quality and security.

How much does BS EN 15713 Cost?

The costs vary depending on the size of your organisation and the level to which you’re currently operating with regard to your processes and procedures.  Due to our proposals being bespoke, we recommend getting in touch with a member of our team to discuss your requirements in more detail so we can provide a free, no-obligation quote.

How do we get BS EN 15713?

We believe in a collaborative approach and will provide you with as much support as you need through this process.

As part of your audit, we will carry out an initial assessment (also known as a GAP Analysis), to identify where your organisation is now and what work needs to be completed to gain compliance with the certification. During this visit, your assessor will collate the information required for your Overview Document and provide you with recommendations.  Once the relevant works have been completed and documentation prepared, you’ll be presented with your BS EN 15713 certificate at your presentation visit.

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  • How can ISO QSL help you maintain your BS EN 15713 Certification?

    We are passionate about business improvement and efficiency and pride ourselves on the support we offer.  But don’t take our word for it, take a look at our Google Reviews.

    As well as your annual re-certification audit, we provide an annual support visit which is entirely flexible to you.  You can use it to ensure you’re on track for your audit or to focus on a key area that you’re struggling with.  Either way, it’s a great opportunity to meet with your assessor and benefit from their vast knowledge and expertise.

    In addition, you will have a dedicated account manager on hand to support you with the day-to-day running of your management system and access to our client portal with exclusive access to templates and guides.

  • What's different about working with ISO quality services?

    We have a long history of specialising in helping other SMEs to improve their businesses. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients and because of this, we understand how important it is that we are reliable, knowledgeable, friendly and approachable.

    We furthermore ensure that our values underpin everything we do and help to make our customer service award-winning.

  • The new BS EN 15713:2023 has been published.  Here’s everything you need to know about the changes and how to transition from BS EN 15713:2009.

    Join the Club

    Find out how BS EN 15713 has helped our clients securely dispose of confidential waste.

    Integrating with ISO 9001 

    We recommend integrating BS EN 15713 with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System to strengthen your business performance further.

    Learn more…

    How easy is it to run two management systems?

    Understand how standards like BS EN 15713 and ISO 9001 can be easily integrated together in our webinar.  You’ll also get some top tips for making integrated systems work for your business.

    Which standards can be integrated? 

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