Inventory & Assessment
• Identify what records exist, where they are stored, and in what format.
• Evaluate retention requirements and confirm eligibility for disposition.
• This aligns with best practices recommending a full records inventory before action.
Review Policies & Retention Schedules
• Ensure the organization’s retention schedule is current and legally compliant.
• ISO/TS 7538:2024 emphasizes retention periods and disposition authorities as foundational elements.
Stakeholder Coordination
• Legal, compliance, IT, business units, and records managers must align.
• Communication and coordination are critical to minimize risk.
Execute Disposition Actions
• Destroy eligible records securely (shredding, digital deletion, certified destruction).
• Transfer archival records to long-term preservation environments.
• Follow destruction requirements outlined in ISO guidance.
Document & Report
• Maintain logs of what was destroyed, when, and under whose authority.
• Documentation is essential for auditability and risk mitigation.