BUSINESS STANDARDS
is the quarterly magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment. Regular features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems and standards.
Good for business
02 Jun 2009
Topics: SME
BSI has published a new SME guide to standardization, Good for Business: The small business guide to standards. It was created to introduce small businesses to British and international standards, and to showcase organizations benefiting from standardization.
Publication of the guide, which is available free of charge, coincided with European SME Week (6-14 May 2009).
Good for Business explains the business benefits of business continuity management, sustainability, innovation and customer service standards, which can be applied by any organization, regardless of sector. It also features a number of SME case studies and advice on getting involved in the standards-making process and information on the Kitemark and CE marking.
To download your free copy of the guide, visit www.bsigroup.com/sme-guide
Business Standards © 2007. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with the British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
Sustainability: more than "green"
Sustainable development means taking into account the social, economic and environmental impacts of business activities, not only for the present but also for future generations.
Security is a challenge at the best of times for a retail bank. If you offer services via the internet, security becomes even more complicated. For Barclays UK Retail Online Banking, information security is at the core of their business, which is one of the main reasons the organization pursued and achieved certification to ISO/IEC 27001 Information security from BSI.
While there was a time when companies would never consider working alongside the competition, today's marketplace demands a more flexible approach. Collaboration is fast becoming par for the course. For example, large government contracts often require expertise that goes far beyond any one company's capacity to deliver. Forming a consortium brings together the right experience in the right place, and it can mean the difference between winning or losing a tender.
Until now, there has been no strict guidance in the UK relating to how audiovisual (AV) installations are carried out. This includes everything from computers and projectors to interactive whiteboards, plasma screens and loud speakers. For AV installation companies, processes can vary significantly.
Rising waters: revising PAS 1188
For those living in areas that are prone to flooding, having the right protection resources available is essential. While images of emergency sandbags holding back rivers of water may fill the media, there is a much wider range of products available for flood protection.
Question: This year marks the 25th anniversary of data protection regulation in the UK. Does the fact that such legislation exists mean that standards do not have a big role to play in the data protection puzzle?
First of all, the fact that there is legislation in place does not mean standards do not have a role to play. Quite the contrary: in many cases, standards offer a framework for businesses to better prepare and comply with legislation.
Have a standards-related question for BSI or a comment on the website? We'll find the right person to answer.
