Did you know that the disposal of documents, both physical and digital, is good for the environment?
Many of us know that both storing and organizing information take up not only a lot of space but utilize a lot of resource. Most are aware of the physical documents that may contribute to storage clutter and take up physical space in offices.
But not many know that digital records also take up space within servers, and require large amount of computing power, physical hard drive and cloud storage space. Trained staff at all levels of an organisation also have to put in a lot of effort to handle the systems, leading to large amounts of carbon footprint.
If left on its own, this can become a problem, resulting in an organisation’s much needed resources being tied down purely towards the operations and maintenance of this precious physical and digital space, which can become prohibitively expensive.
With both physical and digital infrastructure commanding high costs, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has acted to perform regular document disposal in the interest of has acted to perform regular document disposal in the interest of not just saving space, but also reduce costs and support environmental sustainability.
Disposal: Keeping In Line with Regulations and Administrative Guidelines
Document or record disposal is the process of identifying, evaluating, and securely destroying records that are no longer needed in an organisation.
In public or government offices, these documents may once be needed for administrative, legal, or historical purposes. However, the disposal of documents is not an easy or frivolous task. It is not so simple to merely destroy a document by dropping it into the shredder or a computer’s Recycle Bin.
Such a task involves a process that is governed by both legislation and administrative guidelines, such as the Record Disposal Schedule (JPR) that has been set by the National Archives of Malaysia.
Due to the sensitivity of its operations, TNB has integrated operational risk management at division and department level, ensuring that all critical documents (both physical and digital) are securely stored and readily accessible when needed. The company aims to prevent operational disruptions and support smooth, efficient operations through p roper record handling (as well as disposal).
This measure is also in line with TNB’s commitment towards transparent governance and integrity in data management, as well as the digitization initiative through the company’s e TRAS (electronic TNB Records and Archive System) system.
The system, which ensures that digitized documents are disposed of legally and securely, is also specially designed to send a signal once the document is ready for disposal after it has reached its retention period, of course, only after approval from the relevant authorities.
This retention period refers to the duration for which records should be kept before they can be disposed of, and every document has its own specific period according to the category they're in.
Documents are then disposed of after receiving the official approval to do so. The act of disposing documents is recorded and follows audit and legal compliance requirements in ensuring transparent and systematic governance.
Not a small matter, but a serious ESG initiative Document
Document and record disposal may seem like a small matter, but it is a clear demonstration of the ongoing commitment towards more efficient systems and an important component in the smooth running of daily operations.
Under our secure measures, tens of thousands of TNB’s documents are successfully disposed of ever year. Hundreds of our staff are also given special training to strengthen their understanding of document and record disposal measures.
Proper document disposal helps save space and reduce storage costs by keeping only important records. With proper awareness, the management of this information becomes easier and can become part of a daily work routine. Following the right guidelines also ensures records are handled properly and in an organized way.
Good document management also supports environmental efforts by reducing waste and improving efficiency both within the physical and digital spaces. This program showed us how important it is to manage documents well and follow ESG goals.
Following environmental, social, and governance (ESG) elements, such measures are a clear indication of TNB’s commitment towards compliance, work quality and overall department performance.
