The importance of securing knowledge in the digital age

When I left school, I joined the Royal Netherlands Airforce, and even though my career took a completely different turn, it remains tightly linked to security. When you’re flying a jet around the skies, it’s clear what you need to do to stay safe, but when it comes to securing your data, it’s not so obvious. The knowledge and experience I’ve gained from my previous roles have informed my current approach to the position of Marketing and Product Manager at Kyocera Document Solutions Netherlands and I’ve learned the importance of resilience and adaptability across fields.

I was looking for a large international company that maintained a local, people-first feel when I found Kyocera. This company is driven by its founder, Dr. Kazuo Inamori’s wise philosophy. My favourite tenet of the philosophy is “always be humble.” This sentiment has profoundly shaped my professional outlook, particularly in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges: security.

At Kyocera, security is top of mind throughout the organisation, from product design right through to customer support. Our mission is to help businesses transform through secure and efficient digital solutions. By combining deep expertise with a customer-centric approach, we enable organisations to navigate the evolving security landscape confidently.

Some of the biggest security threats globally include hacking and phishing, but we have seen time and time again that the human factor remains the weakest link. Time pressure, distractions, and a lack of awareness make it easy for employees to click malicious links or inadvertently expose sensitive information. If I could give all companies one key piece of advice, it’s that they must prioritise educating their teams and implementing robust systems to mitigate these risks.

Putting our knowledge to work, we at Kyocera offer solutions to help companies transform to become more efficient, digital, and secure. Our solutions streamline data capture, storage, indexing, and processing, among other benefits, facilitating better decision-making and automating simple processes while enhancing security with access controls and audit trails.

We have seen that many companies in this digital age of work have already implemented simple security protocols, such as digital document storage and password controls. But what happens if the internet fails for a day, or a natural disaster occurs? They need a backup plan.

Comprehensive security features are essential for maintaining uninterrupted business activity, and this is our main goal when supporting our customers. Disasters such as cyberattacks or human errors can jeopardise operations, halt workflows, and set companies back not only in terms of their productivity, but also financially and reputationally.

Due to the effort and cost involved in data compliance, some businesses choose not to go beyond the minimal requirements, while more forward-thinking companies invest in robust security measures to ensure business continuity and foster trust with their clients. We make the process simple and effective for our customers.

When talking to a new customer about security, our process begins with a thorough assessment to identify vulnerabilities in their data security system. We then propose tailored solutions that combine state-of-the-art software and hardware to meet specific needs. Effective access controls and audit trails are essential. By ensuring companies know who accesses, edits, or deletes their data, we empower them to maintain control and transparency.

One of our clients, an international company in the food oil industry with 400 employees across seven European offices, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their outdated analogue contract processing system was time-consuming and impractical. Employees had to go to the office to print, sign, and scan contracts to then email them to customers, a cumbersome process exacerbated by remote work restrictions. 

Kyocera’s assessment revealed reliance on legacy software for sales orders, which played a critical role in their operations. We introduced a document management solution that integrated with their existing sales application, thus preserving familiar workflows while digitising cumbersome processes. Additionally, we implemented a digital signature application, so they no longer had to physically print, sign, and scan documents. This streamlined processes, making them faster, more secure, sustainable, and efficient. The inclusion of an audit trail further reduced dependency on paper while enhancing data accessibility and security.

It is clear that the future of security lies in proper data governance. Data is now one of the most valuable assets a company possesses, and businesses have an ethical obligation to protect the information they process and use. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is evolving, bringing remarkable opportunities as well as new security challenges to the table. At Kyocera, we are exploring AI’s potential while staying vigilant against the threats it may introduce. One thing is for certain – the key to security going forward will lie in resilient, adaptable, and thorough solutions. Just as the aircraft takes off against the wind, so too can we meet modern cyberthreats head-on with dynamic solutions and help our customers soar to new heights of efficiency.

Kyocera is here to help companies identify the right solution, implement secure technology, and lend continuous support as our customers transition to more secure digital workflows.