ITAD Best Practices: Your Guide to Compliance, Security, and Value Recovery

No matter how cutting-edge the tech, it will eventually reach the final stage of the IT asset lifecycle. To ensure compliance and security, reduce electronic waste, and maximize ROI, you need an effective ITAD process in place. 

This begins by having a firm grasp of ITAD best practices. 

What is ITAD?

Short for information technology asset disposition, ITAD focuses on properly managing the end-of-life stage of IT assets, such as computers, monitors, laptops, mobile devices, peripherals, and other accessories. 

Rather than simply throwing an electronic device away, IT asset disposition involves responsible asset management, where it’s repaired, recycled, resold, or retired. 

During the ITAD process, issues like regulatory compliance, environmental compliance, and data security are a top priority. 

In turn, responsible asset disposition helps contribute to compliance with industry standards, responsible recycling, less electronic waste, and protecting sensitive information. 

Further, the right ITAD solution can go a long way in value recovery, where you’re able to get the absolute most from your long-term IT asset investment. 

Say, for example, an electronic device like a tablet is approaching the end of its lifecycle and is outdated to the point that it can no longer be used by your company. 

An ITAD strategy could be used to ensure responsible asset disposal, so that you check all the right boxes with data security, environmental regulations, and so on. 

If it’s still usable, asset disposition would ensure it’s properly refurbished and redistributed into a secondary market so you earn a profit that can be reinvested back into your business. Or, if it’s no longer usable, that would be handled correctly to prevent improper disposal. 

Either way, ITAD is instrumental in effective asset management when a device reaches the end-of-life stage. 

ITAD Best Practices

Inventory Management

A critical precursor to responsible asset disposition is having a bird’s-eye view of your entire catalog of IT assets at all times — something that's done with inventory management. 

With allwhere’s IT asset management services, for instance, you can take control of your assets by accessing a single dashboard where you can see who has what, what’s being stored, when upgrades need to be made, repair options, and when it’s likely time to retire a device. 

You can also conveniently sync new devices to your existing inventory and manage the entire asset lifecycle with just a few clicks. That way, there’s no guesswork, and you can save a ton of time from handling inventory and asset disposition manually. 

Data Sanitization and Destruction

Any time a device is changing hands and is no longer in your company’s possession, data security is critical. And this goes far beyond simply deleting files. 

You need to use sophisticated data sanitization techniques like data wiping and purge methods, as well as data destruction, to ensure sensitive data can no longer be accessed. That way, you comply with data security regulations and can have peace of mind after disposal.

Because of the complexities and risks involved with data security, many organizations choose to use an ITAD provider who knows the ins and outs of the process. 

These partners have an in-depth understanding of the necessary protocol, what’s required by data regulation organizations, and how to evolve along with industry standards. 

Data Classification

Note that the level of risk of one type of data can be higher than that of another type of data. Sensitive financial information being exposed, for example, would be far more problematic than basic customer information being exposed. 

The purpose of data classification is to categorize your different types of data appropriately, so you know the exact level of risk and are better equipped to remain compliant with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Asset Remarketing and Value Recovery

In many cases, retired IT assets can still have at least some value. Whether you’re handling asset disposal yourself or going through an ITAD vendor, it’s important to determine what can be repaired, recycled, or resold in a secondary market. 

That way, you can recoup some of the money, extend the lifetime of assets, and do your part in reducing electronic waste by giving them a new life. 

Note that sometimes an entire device can be reused, while other times it will only be specific components. So you need a method of identifying what’s reusable, which is why it’s often helpful to be part of an ITAD program rather than doing it yourself. 

Secure Transportation and Storage

Another factor that shouldn’t be overlooked with data protection is moving IT assets from point A to point B, or storing them in a facility. Any time there’s transportation involved or an asset isn’t in your possession, there’s the potential for sensitive data being exposed. 

That’s why ITAD best practices should involve techniques like using chain-of-custody documentation, tracking devices during transport, and storing them in ultra-secure facilities with video surveillance and locked containers. 

Regulatory Compliance and Data Security

Again, compliance is a huge part of following best ITAD practices, and there are multiple organizations that oversee data security. 

Earlier, we mentioned the GDPR. But there are other frameworks like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SOX. 

Understanding which regulations you need to comply with and aligning with relevant requirements is 100% necessary from a data protection standpoint, and failing to do so can result in costly fines and penalties. 

You can learn more about data compliance from this IBM resource. 

Certification and Documentation

One other critical part of compliance is maintaining an objective record that data is properly sanitized/destroyed, IT assets are responsibly recycled, and disposal is done correctly for sustainable ITAD. 

That’s where certification and documentation come in. This provides tangible proof that procedures were followed correctly, so you can prove compliance if an issue arises down the road. 

Common elements may include serial numbers, sanitization/destruction methods, asset disposal dates, and signatures from those involved with the process.

Environmental Responsibility 

According to The World Health Organization, “In 2022, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste were produced globally, making it one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world.”

And with more and more tech being introduced into the workplace every day, this is likely to remain a pesky issue for years to come. 

Making sure old IT assets don’t needlessly end up in landfills should be a top priority for today’s business owners. And when assets truly do require disposal, it needs to be done responsibly, while fully following ITAD industry standards. 

That’s why the final aspect of ITAD best practices is assuming environmental responsibility and prioritizing green initiatives. 

Some practical ways to go about this include only partnering with ITAD providers with certification for using responsible recycling methods and following strict protocol when handling hazardous materials like lithium batteries. 

How to Choose an ITAD Partner

Credentials

First and foremost, you want to choose an ITAD company with a proven track record of meeting industry compliance standards, having strong data security practices, and being responsible with asset disposal and recycling. 

Further, they should have a highly refined protocol in place for safeguarding IT assets during transit and storage (chain-of-custody documentation, device tracking, and secure facilities, etc.).

We suggest looking for a certified ITAD partner with certification like NAID AAA for data security and R2 for responsible recycling, as this shows a strong commitment and proves that they meet industry standards. 

Costs, Revenue, and Value Recovery

Responsible IT asset disposal and information destruction are always a top priority with asset disposition. But at the end of the day, you should be looking to maximize the ROI of your asset management lifecycle. 

In other words, you want to recover as much value as you can, while keeping ITAD services costs reasonable and offsetting initial expenditures. 

That’s why you should look for an ITAD provider that can 1) help maximize your value recovery and 2) offer full transparency on how they do that. 

Pay close attention to the methods they use for asset disposition and their pricing structure, including how much they charge for proper disposal, data sanitization, transportation, and so on. 

Customization

Although there will be plenty of overlap with the ITAD process, the needs of individual companies can vary considerably. That’s why it’s important to choose an ITAD partner that’s flexible enough to accommodate the exact needs of your business. 

For example, you’ll want an ITAD service that offers asset disposition on the exact devices you use (computers, monitors, laptops, mobile devices, etc.). 

They should have experience partnering with businesses of your size. And they should be equipped to handle your specific data security needs. 

This brings us to our final selection criteria. 

Proven Security Capabilities

We can’t stress enough how important secure ITAD is. At the end of the day, you’re trusting that your company’s most sensitive data is properly handled and doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. 

Therefore, an ITAD provider needs to have tangible proof of their security capabilities.

This starts with having a certification like NAID AAA and strong customer testimonials. They should have no history of data breaches. 

And again, having well-defined processes like detailed employee background checks, chain-of-custody documentation, device tracking, and tightly monitored facilities is essential. 

Why Choose allwhere

If you’re looking for an ITAD provider that checks all of the boxes just mentioned, allwhere should be at the top of your list. 

We offer asset disposition on a wide range of devices, including ITAD services, laptop retrieval service, monitors, mobile devices, peripherals, and specialty equipment. 

By not being limited to one type of asset, this allows us to retrieve almost any kind of hardware quickly and securely, regardless of your company’s size. 

Whether it’s part of an asset refresh or replacement, a data center device recall, a compliance-driven retrieval, offboarding, or a bulk swap out, allwhere can efficiently handle the process end-to-end while ensuring high-level data security every step of the way. 

We can retrieve equipment from anywhere in the world to support a global workforce. And we offer real-time asset tracking via a simple online dashboard, so you know the retrieval status at all times. 

As for pricing, we use a pay-as-you-go model, with no platform fees and minimums to ensure you get the exact ITAD service you need without overspending. Read more about allwhere’s pricing here.