Press release (05/11/2009) - Socitm Consulting achieves AUK quality certification
Socitm Consulting wins Accredit UK certification
Socitm Consulting has been awarded certification under the Accredit UK quality standard run by The National Computing Centre. Accredit UK is a mark of quality for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry and identifies businesses that will deliver ICT solutions to a high standard.
Socitm Consulting today announced that it has achieved accreditation under the NCC’s Accredit UK scheme in the ICT Business Consultancy, ICT Technical Consultancy and ICT Service Management Consultancy categories. Certification follows a rigorous vetting process which ensures that accredited suppliers have an appropriate balance of technical resources and sound processes, employ and recruit staff with the right skills and experience, deliver to meet client expectations and have a history of client satisfaction.
The Accredit UK standard is a service delivered by the National Computing Centre Limited. Launched in 2008, it aims to drive up standards in the UK ICT industry and provide ICT buyers with a shortlist of suppliers whose excellence has been assessed. Current segments addressed under the scheme are: ICT Consultancy, Software product design and development, Solutions design and development, Communications (network design and installation), New media & e-commerce and Information assurance.
Socitm Consulting’s Consulting Manager Doug Maclean comments: “Achieving Accredit UK certification has taken time and energy but has real benefits for us as an organisation and for our customers. We wanted to prove to prospective clients that we can meet their requirements in terms of quality and competence, to benchmark our procedures and processes against industry best practice, and to provide ourselves with a framework against which we can measure our policy of continuous improvement. Prospective clients know they can come to us or to other Accredit UK listed suppliers and be confident that they are getting end to end quality of service. This should simplify the procurement process, minimise project risk and enable buyers to broaden their supplier base safely.”
Vaughan Shayler, Director for Accredit UK said: “By using the Accredit UK standard, Socitm Consulting is helping to make it easier for purchasers to feel confident to buy services from technology companies. 94% of people that we surveyed think that the Accredit UK standard is a good idea. That is because it solves their burning need – they can now get what they want without fear.”
Further information
Notes to editors
Socitm
Consulting (
www.socitmconsulting.co.uk) provides strategic management and technology consultancy, project and programme management, benchmarking and interim management support to a large number of public and independent sector clients. Socitm Consulting helps its clients to develop and update transformational strategies, plan and deliver successful change programmes, build up in-house skill sets and monitor and manage performance effectively.
Accredit UK (
www.accredituk.com) is a service delivered by the NCC Ltd, a division of the National Computing Centre. Launched in 2008, its mission is to drive up standards in the ICT industry and provide ICT buyers with a shortlist of suppliers whose excellence has been assessed. Unlike most other standards, Accredit UK measures the whole of a business’ people, processes and performance across the five key stages of a business’ operations: management, direction, new business generation, delivery and operations, and customer relationships.
A core element in the continued development of Accredit UK is consultation. In addition to formal partners who work or have worked on the development of the Standard, the Advisory Board included: BIS, e-Skills UK, Intellect, InterForum, Microsoft, Technology Innovation Centre, West Midlands Regional Centre of Excellence. Other organisations which helped shape the Standard during development include: National Computing Centre, Advantage West Midlands, The National, B2B Centre. The West Midlands ICT Cluster, The Evaluation Centre, BSI, MaximITy, European Regional Development Fund, Warwickshire County Council and Simon Brandon Marketing.
Press release (09/10/2009) - BIS-sponsored training courses on imlementing the EU Services Directive
BIS-sponsored training courses on implementing the EU Services Directive
Local authorities across the UK can learn how to implement the EU Services Directive at a series of targeted training courses sponsored by The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and delivered by Socitm Learning.
Socitm Learning, the training arm of Socitm Consulting, has been commissioned by BIS to deliver a series of subsidised training courses in October and November on implementing the EU Services Directive in a local authority. The intensive half-day courses are being run at locations across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and are priced at just £75 per delegate.
The EU Services Directive has to be implemented in local authorities by December 28th this year. Successful implementation will provide an electronic channel for authorities to receive and respond to applications in the scope of the Directive, provide access to more competitive suppliers, and create broader market openings for local businesses. Failure to comply could open local authorities to legal action, judicial reviews or infraction under EU law.
The Socitm Learning courses form part of a larger campaign by BIS to help local authorities implement the Directive. Other linked initiatives include the provision of an ELMS (Electronic Licence Management System), an online Community of Practice with more than 400 members, newsletters, technical notes, flowcharts and a pilot scheme to introduce local authorities to the Internal Market Information (IMI) System, an internet-based, secure messaging system developed by the European Commission to enable more effective day-to-day cooperation between Member States on the Services Directive.
The Socitm Learning course will highlight what each authority needs to do to comply with the Directive and what support is available. The course is designed specifically for Managers and Supervisors responsible for the day-to-day running of business regulatory and licensing activities within the scope of the Services Directive.
Full details of the course content, dates and locations can be viewed at http://www.socitmlearning.co.uk/showCourse.asp?CourseTypeID=17 and places can be booked online. The direct line for enquiries about the courses is 0845 241 2773.
Socitm Consulting’s Consulting Manager Doug Maclean comments: “These courses form part of a well-planned campaign by a central government department to bring local authorities up to speed with new legislation and best practice. We are very pleased that our expertise in communicating with local authorities across the UK and reinforcing best practice at all levels has been recognised by BIS.”
ENDS
Further information
Notes to editors
Socitm
Consulting (
www.socitmconsulting.co.uk) provides strategic management and technology consultancy, project and programme management, benchmarking and interim management support to a large number of public and independent sector clients. Socitm Consulting helps its clients to develop and update transformational strategies, plan and deliver successful change programmes, build up in-house skill sets and monitor and manage performance effectively.
Socitm
Learning (
www.socitmlearning.co.uk) is the training arm of Socitm
Consulting. Socitm
Learning draws on the knowledge and expertise of the wider Socitm family including
Insight to deliver up-to-date learning experiences specifically tailored for local government, the public sector and the Society's expanding membership.
The EU Services Directive aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in services between countries in the EU. It will make it easier for service providers, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to offer their services to customers in other EU countries, whether establishing elsewhere in the EU or providing services remotely from the UK.
EU Member states are required to implement the Directive by 28 December 2009. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) leads on implementation in the UK and is working closely with other Government Departments, the devolved administrations, local authorities, regulators and others in tasks such as screening legislation for compliance with the Directive and establishing an online ‘Point of Single Contact’ for service providers to find out about doing business in the UK.