RECORD MANAGEMENT POLICY
- INTRODUCTION
- LK Beef Ranchers recognises records as a valuable asset and a key resource for effective and efficient operation of the company. Records are needed for policy-making, accountability and preservation of corporate and cultural memory. To achieve this, the company requires that its records be managed in a systematic and logical manner that complies with its legal and regulatory obligations.
- This Policy provides the framework through which effective records management can be achieved and audited. The company must comply with national statutes that may from time to time be developed for the management of records.
- DEFINITION OF TERMS
Archives: means records that are not required for daily operations and have been selected for permanent preservation due to their continuing value.
Records disposal schedule: The process that implements and documents the operation of the retention schedule recommendations, ensuring that records in all formats that are no longer needed are disposed of confidentially, or reviewed after a formerly agreed periods of time, or permanently preserved as the archival record.
Records: recorded information in any form (documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers), hard copies or electronic, created or received and maintained by an organization in the transaction of business or conduct of affairs and kept as evidence of such activity.
Records management: is an administrative process which is used to direct and control the creation, use, maintenance, storage, retrieval, disposition, distribution, filling, retention, and disposal of records in a way that is legally sound whilst at the same time serving the operational needs of the University and preserving an adequate historical record.
Authentic record: is a record that can be proven to be what it purports to be, to have been created or sent by the person purported to have created or sent it, and to have been created or sent at the time purported.
Usable record: is one that can be located, retrieved, presented and interpreted.
- PURPOSE
The main purpose of the Policy is to provide authority for the development and implementation of a records management programme that will encourage the creation and management of authentic, reliable, complete and useable records capable of supporting business functions and activities for as long as they are required.
- SCOPE
This Policy applies to all records, including electronic records, created, received or maintained by the staff of LK Beef Ranchers in the course of carrying out official functions. The Policy applies to all aspects of the organisation’s records including electronic, personal, academic and client records, policy files, financial and procurement records, projects and confidential, records created and received during the conduct of the business. The scope also includes all information systems used to create records including e-mail, database applications, graphic designs and websites.
- POLICY STATEMENT
LK Beef Ranchers is committed to availing resources for creating and maintaining records on its key activities and shall meet legal record management requirements and comply with relevant international standards and other codes of best practice.
- RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROCESS
The organisation shall put in place a Records Management System that document all activities providing fast and easy retrieval of information, and to support this the system shall include:
- Records creation and capture
- The company shall create and maintain records that document its business transactions and all such records shall provide full and detailed information regarding activities carried out.
- All official records created by the company shall be authentic, reliable and unaltered and shall have sufficient value to support business process to which they narrate.
- Records shall be reliable and trusted as accurate representation of the activities which led to their creation.
- Mail Management
The Organisation shall adhere to mail management standards and processes to cater for incoming, outgoing delivered mail. An audit trail shall be kept for all the mail. All mail will be processed through the designated offices.
- Records Classification
The Organisation shall develop a functional file classification scheme to facilitate filing and arrangement of records. The functional classification is an initiative undertaken to ensure filing of records in accordance with business functions, activities and processes in the organisation.
- Storage and handling
- The organization shall ensure that its records are stored in a facility that ensures security and preservation.
- The organisation shall facilitate maintenance of backup of records through cross storing of records that may not be immediately deposed. Records will also be kept through scanning hard copies to be able to keep them as scanned records.
- The organisation shall put in place procedures and standards to facilitate proper handling, retrieval and use of the records to retain their authenticity.
- Access, retrieval and use
LK Beef Ranchers shall develop access regulations to ensure that its records are accessed, retrieved and used by authorized personnel.
- File tracking mechanism
The company shall document the circulation of its records to ensure that files are always located when required. This will be done by having appropriate file location tracking mechanisms that may record the item identifier, file title, the person/unit having possession of the item and the date of movement.
- Appraisal, retention and disposition
The company shall develop a retention and disposal schedule to guide the appraisal of its records with the aim of retaining them as long as necessary and disposing those whose retention period has matured appropriately.
- Retention Schedule
Records will be stored in paper form and digitally. Printed records will be stored safely in filing cabinets or closed offices. Confidential files will not be left in open office areas. Electronic records will be protected by passwords, firewalls and other security settings (both locally and in the cloud).
- Legal documents such as business formation records, deeds, patents and trademark registration, property appraisals, bill of sale documents, and other ownership records will be retained indefinitely.
- Permits, licenses and insurance policy documents will be kept until replacements for expired ones are received.
- Bank statements, loan records, tax records and returns, and other finance and accounting documents will be kept for at least ten years or longer.
- Employee records will be retained for three years after employee termination.
- Partnership and vendor contracts or documents will be retained for at least six years.
- Disposal Period
Records will be disposed either by physical destruction or transferring to the organisation’s archives at the end of their retention period.
- Official records shall not be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by any of the organisation’s staff except as outlined in the Records Management Process and Retention Schedule.
- Transitory/convenience records may be destroyed at the discretion of the user, assuring the secure destruction of confidential information. Transitory/convenience records that may have historical or enduring value should be reviewed by the organisation’s Head of Division before destruction.
- Exceptions to disposal of records:
- Any record in any form may not be disposed of by the holder if the holder is aware of any audit, litigation, public records request, claim, negotiation, open administrative review, or other action involving the record.
- Records must be maintained until all required audits and requests are satisfied and should be retained beyond the required retention period when there is a probability of litigation either involving records or requiring their use.
- If Management has issued a litigation or legal hold, records relevant to the issue must be preserved until the hold has been released.
- Protection of Records
The company shall protect its records physically and intellectually throughout their lifecycle to ensure their survival for as long as they are needed as evidence and information in the past and present. The intellectual security mechanisms include coming up with access and security classification of all records at the file level (and folio level if necessary). Records will be classified into open and confidential records. Open/unclassified records will have no access restrictions whilst the confidential records will be accessed only by authorized officers.
- Training and awareness
The company shall regularly organize records management campaigns, raise awareness for its officers. It will also contribute to the training and development of any Records Personnel (including other officers with records management responsibilities). The organisation shall ensure that all action officers are trained on Records Management Policies, Procedures and shall conduct or arrange training to equip staff with Records Management skills for efficient performance of records management obligations.
- Utilization of Information Technology
The Records Personnel shall implement appropriate information technology records management systems in collaboration with all stake holders.
- POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
The University shall put in place necessary structures and resources to ensure effective implementation, management, use, compliance, monitoring, and adherence to this Policy.
- Board of Directors
As the accounting office, the Board shall have the overall responsibility for the company’s Records Management Policy implementation.
- Head of Divisions/Departments
They shall ensure compliance with the Policy with respect to their records. This shall include having in place measures and processes to manage risks associated with their records in accordance with the University Risk Management Framework.
- Coordinator / Administration Office
They shall be responsible for setting and implementing the records management processes to raise and maintain standards of records keeping and information management within the company through:
- Ensuring that records management policies and standards are kept up to date and are relevant to the needs and obligations of the organisation
- Developing appropriate procedures and guidelines to underpin the policies and standards
- Communicating procedures and guidance on records keeping and information management within the organization
- Records Management Committee
The organisation shall establish a Records Management Committee to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the records management programme, which will be undertaken to meet the requirements of this policy. The Committee shall comprise of representatives from managerial and junior levels.
- Executive Management Team
- The Executive Management Team shall be responsible for assessing and approving proposals for disposal of records
- The Executive Management Team (with assistance from outsourced legal team) shall be responsible for updating the Records Management Unit on developments regarding legal and statutory environment that may impact on records keeping and records management practices.
- POLICY REVIEW
This policy shall be reviewed every three years or as is necessary.
Last Updated: August 2025