Secure, Accessible, Compliant: The 3 Pillars of Document Storage in 2025

When it comes to storing your critical documents, many organisations have more questions than answers. Where should we keep sensitive documentation? Who needs access - and how do we control it? Are we storing things in a way that’s compliant?

At MDSS, we work with hundreds of organisations (including those from the legal, healthcare, financial and public sectors). No matter how different their operations, the document storage challenges tend to fall into three categories: security, accessibility and compliance.

Reviewing your current storage approach? Whether you're managing boxes of physical files, digital records, or a hybrid storage solution - focus on these three pillars should be paramount.

1. Security

Security isn’t just about locks and alarms — though those are important too. It’s about ensuring the right people can access the right documents, at the right time, and no one else can.

For physical records, this means:

• Secure, access-controlled storage facilities

• 24/7 monitoring and alarmed premises

• Document-level tracking (so you know who accessed what, and when)

For digital records, this includes:

• Encrypted storage systems

• Permission-based access

• Robust disaster recovery and backup protocols

Why it matters: Whether you’re holding patient data, legal files or financial contracts, a breach could cost more than money — it could damage your organisation’s reputation and trust.

2. Accessibility

Having information is only helpful if you can find it quickly and confidently.

Many organisations still lose time (and patience) digging through overfilled filing cabinets, inconsistent shared drives, or paper archives that may have been neglected over a period of time. We know, from our years of experience that some organisations experience slow down and internally this could create unnecessary operational friction.

Accessible document storage means:

• A clear, logical filing system

• A bespoke customer portal, with instant visibility of captured data

• On-demand delivery (for physical files)

• Scanned copies available digitally

• Fast turnaround times — especially when decisions depend on it

Done properly, storage isn’t just about keeping things safe — it’s about improving how your organisation works every day.

3. Compliance

2025 brings a growing set of regulatory obligations for every organisation. Whether you’re governed by GDPR, FOI, codes of practice or internal policies; document retention and secure destruction are essential.

Key areas to focus on:

• Retention schedules: Know what your organisation needs to keep, and for how long.

• Secure destruction: For documentation that has passed its retention period.

• Audit trails: Be able to identify who accessed files, when, and for what purpose

• Staff training: No sensitive documents are mishandled or lost

It’s not just about avoiding fines — it’s about showing regulators, partners and customers that you’ve got your information management under control.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Document Storage?

At MDSS, we help organisations take control of their records — from document storage and scanning to destruction and compliance. Whether you need to offload archive boxes, digitise your records, or simply get clarity on what to keep and what to shred, we’re here to help.

✅ GDPR-compliant✅ 24/7 monitored facilities✅ Rapid document retrieval✅ Experienced support across multiple sectors

Want to talk about improving your records management setup?

Contact our team