Digital Invoicing

Digital Rendering for Compliance: Carbon Footprint, Private Data Protection & Compliance

May 4, 2021
Autor
Inkit Team

Digital rendering is one of the most notable paperless trends. Companies that care about global footprint in business adopt electronic documentation to become more eco-friendly and tap into resulting benefits.

Apart from reducing carbon footprint, which reaches 16 tons per person in the US, digital rendering is a shortcut to regulatory compliance. By going paperless, you can meet the strict provisions of carbon footprint, data protection, and IT digital security laws. Most of their requirements are fulfilled once you implement quality digital rendering software.

Not sure how digital rendering can help you reach information technology compliance and other requirements? Find a detailed explanation in our article.

What is Digital Rendering?

Digital rendering is the use of software for generating digital images or documents based on data input. Rendering services automatically process source files to recreate them in another format accurately. Although digital rendering platforms can handle different formats, HTML to PDF conversion is the most popular option. HTML to PDF rendering is essential for archiving email communications, document record-keeping, automated document delivery, and other critical business processes, including regulatory compliance.

Learn How to Convert HTML to PDF for Paperless Statements

In our article, we will focus on the compliance benefits of digital rendering. Paperless document management enables businesses to reduce their eco-footprint, improve security control, and follow other information technology compliance requirements. This allows companies to meet several categories of legal standards at once.

Digital Rendering for Compliance: Ecological, Personal Data, and Information Technology Compliance

Speaking of paperless document management, most people mean eco-global footprint management in the business environment. Yet not only sustainable companies need digital rendering. Here are the main categories of compliance standards electronic document management helps to achieve.

paperless feature

Digital rendering for private data protection compliance

Any entity that processes the personal information of customers falls under data protection regulations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the US are the primary documents in this respect. According to these regulations, an organization must provide data subjects and regulatory bodies with data processing details and follow a range of other requirements. This means that you must record and store every document that you handle. Most importantly, data processing practices must ensure ultimate data protection and prevent data breaches or leakage.

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Offline record-keeping is too time-consuming and unreliable to meet the requirements. It’s difficult to limit access to sensitive data but easy to lose or damage a paper document. Therefore, digital rendering is a much better solution for compliance.

A rendering service that automatically generates and stores documents in real-time provides companies with an activity log and copies. Thanks to it, you can share detailed information on customer data processing upon request. Besides, rendering tools like Inkit’s Render leverage data encryption and ensure the highest level of data protection. With access management and full automation, the chance of data leakage is minimal. Only entitled employees or data owners can access information for meaningful use.

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To implement digital rendering for data protection compliance, follow these steps:

  1. Segment your data into data categories according to data protection compliance standards. According to the GDPR, personal data means any information related to an identified or identifiable natural person. If you handle any of such data categories, which is very likely, you will need to protect them.
  2. Protect sensitive data in your database and check the data processing practices of the third-party software vendors you cooperate with. Today, most cases of data leakage happen because of insecure data exchange between tools.
  3. Look for a digital rendering tool that offers complete automation and data encryption. This will save you from unexpected data leakage and enhance protection. We always recommend choosing more secure document converters with better interoperability.
  4. Follow the guidelines provided by the software vendor to connect the rendering tool to your database. Now your documents containing personal information will be processed automatically and adequately protected.

To get more detailed instructions on rendering software integration, check Inkit’s guidelines. Inkit Render supports hundreds of built-in integrations and easily connects with other services through API.

Digital rendering for security and information technology compliance

Information technology compliance demands vary across industries. E-commerce, health insurance and services, financial, retail, utilities, and credit card issuers are usually the first to be audited. Here’re the leading information technology compliance standards they should note:

  • The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002
  • Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
  • The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
  • HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
  • The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard of 2001 (PCI DSS)
  • Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE 16)
  • Basel III

Apart from the need to comply with a multitude of regulations, US organizations may need to comply with the requirements of several authorities, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Hence, it’s better to keep all customers' communications and documents in order.

Digital rendering services help with this, especially when connected with automated document delivery, like Inkit’s Render and Send

information technology compliance

Inkit Render automatically generates documents from HTML to PDF and stores their copies, while Inkit Send prints and ships them to people based on triggers. Secure document management with proper record-keeping and access management ensures that information technology compliance and risk management become simpler.

Digital rendering for carbon compliance: Eco global footprint management in business

Usually, only manufacturers have to report how much greenhouse gas they produce. The Final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Rule applies to industrial gas and fossil fuel suppliers, heavy-duty, off-road vehicles, engine manufacturers, and direct greenhouse gas emitters.

Eco global footprint management in businesses, like healthcare organizations or banks, still is less common. This is even though the US pulp and paper industry produces 35.7 million metric tons of GHG emissions yearly, and healthcare organizations are known as leading paper consumers. This way, businesses also heavily contribute to pollution.

To join ecological initiatives and cut greenhouse gas production, organizations go paperless and adopt digital rendering. Switching from offline document storage and filing cabinets to digital rendering helps businesses reduce their paper use. Such reduction directly affects the volume of carbon emissions and helps companies achieve compliance. Those companies that aren’t required to report greenhouse gas emissions also benefit greatly. Paperless practices and environmental impact disclosure is essential for any socially responsible business.

eco conscious

How Inkit Helps Meet Different Compliance Standards

Inkit is a reach enablement platform with real-time rendering capabilities. Inkit’s Render converts HTML files from your database to neat PDFs and stores them. You can use them for record-keeping or configure Send to deliver communications to customers automatically.

Since all the processes are automated, the tool logs everything that happens. This allows you to get proof of documentation for compliance. Besides, Inkit is designed with the latest data security practices and core regulatory requirements in mind. This makes it GDPR compliant and helps you meet other regulatory standards and acts.

Since Inkit’s digital rendering tool smoothly integrates with third-party software, it is an excellent tool for various industries, including healthcare or utilities.

Do you want to test Inkit’s digital rendering in your company? Contact us for a demo.

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