NAID Briefing

A couple of years ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a front page article with
a title asking why we now need a trade association for data destruction. While the intent of the article was to capitalize on the quirkiness of a relatively obscure industry, the headline posed a question that we always need to keep in the forefront: For what reason do we need this association known as the National Information for Information Destruction (NAID)?

Now, I have written at length of the challenges to the industry that led to the founding of NAID. Basically, they fall into two categories: 1) the need to increase the awareness for the need for secure information destruction and 2) the need to create an environment that favors ethical and professional document destruction service providers.

In the first five years of NAID’s existence, it was very common to find me explaining to anyone who would listen how, eventually, NAID could really make a difference if we all came together.

While NAID experienced some relative success during those first years, there have been two defining moments in recent years that demonstrate why we need NAID and also provide a glimpse of greater accomplishments to come.

At the height of the Enron/Arthur Andersen scandal, the media naturally looked for somebody to speak for the document destruction industry. Luckily, NAID was there and was able to seize the opportunity to catapult the industry’s message to millions of businesses across the country.

Now there is the FACTA (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003) Disposal Rule. When the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought experts to consult with on matters involving mandatory destruction, NAID was there as well. To my knowledge, NAID was the only organization from which such input was sought, and, as a result, the Disposal Rule is very close to being as good as we could expect.

And NAID’s work on FACTA is only just beginning. The reality is that there is room for improvement. But thankfully, in light of the ongoing support of its members, NAID is in a position to spearhead that initiative as well.

Competition is fierce and margins are thin. Investments must show a return. It took a lot of faith and foresight on the part of all those companies that supported NAID in the early years. The Wall Street Journal may ask why we need a trade association for the document destruction industry. Thankfully, those in the secure shredding industry now know why we do.