As 2025 draws to a close, organizations face similar data prospects as they did at the beginning of the year. Indeed, artificial intelligence and analytics make data among the most important assets a company possesses. However, data breaches, increasing litigation, and the ever-expanding patchwork of privacy and AI laws, also make this same data a key vulnerability. And, as the data in an organization’s possession, custody or control continues to grow exponentially, so do these data risks and opportunities. It follows that the companies that rein in their data will benefit from greater productivity while reducing financial and legal exposure and companies that fail to do so may finally experience consequences tied to the same data they have ignored.

Considering the great benefits and exposure tied to data, 2026 is an excellent year for companies to get serious about their data and undertake a defensible disposition project. A defensible disposition project is an initiative in which an organization destroys redundant, outdated and trivial data in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Such projects do not happen quickly and require stakeholder engagement to succeed. It is best to start small with such a project and continue to build momentum. Creating or updating data retention policies, mapping and tagging data, and researching the applicable laws are all great ways to get the ball rolling a defensible disposition project that may pay for itself through reduced storage costs.

If your organization would like to undertake a defensible disposition project, our team is ready to assist. At CODISCOVR, we deliver client-focused, defensible solutions that are tailored to each organization’s specific needs. Reach out to Nicholas Berenato, Information Governance Principal, CODISCOVR. Nick is an attorney that collaborates with clients to address legal and financial exposure from their information assets through information governance. He develops strategies and policies to enable clients to effectively manage their data in a manner that minimizes costs and allows clients to leverage their data to support their business processes.