Citing recent news coverage surrounding Coca-Cola’s increased focus on digital security, John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, has issued a public statement encouraging all businesses to follow suit.

Feeling the pressure to strengthen its digital security, Coca-Cola recently announced that it is making a number of moves to enhance the company’s digital security, including experimenting with a new approach that makes use of software virtualization and a cloud-based system for IDing employee devices prior to allowing access to confidential information.

“That a major corporate giant such as Coca-Cola has been working to reinvent the digital security wheel is a clear sign that things, in general, need fixing,” said Shegerian. “Be it smartphones, laptops, hard drives or tablets, technology today is far too vulnerable to the attacks of cyber thieves. While coming up with new ways to protect data, as Coca-Cola is doing, is commendable, it is also urgently important that businesses remember to properly recycle all old and unwanted items when they are no longer being used.”

“With the many wonderful advancements in technology, there is very fast turnover when it comes to electronic devices,” Shegerian added. “There’s no reason for our businesses not to make the most of these innovations, but the key is for everyone to remember to properly recycle all old and unwanted items at the end of their lifecycles. This final step in the life of a consumer electronic device is crucial for the sake of our personal digital security and our environment.”

Shegerian added that ERI currently provides the only nationwide solution offering 100% guaranteed data destruction for consumer electronics devices and e-waste.