You have probably read numerous stories about the WannaCry cyberattack (also known as WannaCrypt) that shook the world's IT systems recently. Hundreds of thousands of computers were infected across 150 different countries; if you live in the UK, there's a chance you were affected by the chaos that ensued when a number of NHS systems were hit by ransomware.
The WannaCry attack - which is still ongoing at time of writing - has thrust the issue of online security into the spotlight once again, and many business owners are now wondering what they can do to safeguard their own IT systems from future cyberattacks. Here are a few tips:
- Look carefully at emails before clicking a link or opening an attachment. Hackers often impersonate trusted companies (PayPal, Apple, Amazon, etc.) and sometimes even your own colleagues/clients. Before clicking on a link in an email (or opening an attachment), read it carefully - are there any spelling/grammar mistakes that you wouldn't expect the sender to make? Any suspicious statements or incorrect information? Also, look at the sender's actual email address - it's common to see emails from 'Apple' or 'Google' that are really from unaffiliated email addresses (e.g. customerservice@company.xyz) or 'spoof' addresses that are subtly misspelled (e.g. admin@appple.com).
- Hover your mouse over links before clicking them. If there's a hyperlink in a potentially suspicious email, don't click it to find out what it is. Instead, hover your mouse cursor over the link - this should reveal the true destination of the hyperlink. Again, look out for subtle misspellings and unfamiliar domain names, and don't assume that the clickable text is representative of the link's actual destination - just because the link said 'www.amazon.co.uk' doesn't mean it wasn't sneakily linking to something else!
- Implement an information security management system. It can be difficult to ensure good cyber security practices throughout the entirety of a large organisation, and it may therefore be worth implementing an information security management system within your company and seeking ISO 27001 certification. We at NPT Management Systems can assist with this task - contact us now to discuss your requirements.
Last year, we at NPT Management Systems decided to sponsor Junior Sailing at the local Hamble River Sailing Club. As a show of support for this great local youth group, we very proudly provided the club with a number of high-visibility jackets for the instructors and other helpers to wear while in action.
As you can see, our branded hi-vis jackets (as modelled in the image above by our Principal Consultant Neil Peattie) are still in use almost a year later. The above photograph was taken a couple of weeks ago, when the club's youth section sailed up the River Hamble to nearby Bursledon Beach.
It was great to catch up with the HRSC, and we were very happy to learn that the jackets are still benefiting the club!
Why do we sponsor the Hamble River Sailing Club?
As we've mentioned many times before on this blog, we at NPT Management Systems have close ties to the marine sector here in the South of England. Many of our ISO certification clients come from the marine industry, and we have proven again and again that we are the best company for these jobs.
Furthermore, we love supporting the local community, and we felt that this would be a great way to do so. Neil is the parent of children who sail on the River Hamble, and so this particular cause is very close to his heart!
Visit www.hrsc.org.uk to learn more about the Hamble River Sailing Club.
So you want to gain ISO 9001 certification for your business...but you're not sure of how to achieve this?
Don't worry! Here at NPT, we've helped countless organisations to achieve ISO certification on the first attempt, and we're more than happy to advise company owners who - when it comes to ISO 9001 - don't know where to start.
Here's a rough guide to the ISO 9001 certification process that you and your organisation will need to go through in order to gain that all-important accreditation.
Stage 1 - Planning
In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to implement a quality management system (QMS) that meets ISO requirements and is geared towards maximising the quality of your output and the satisfaction of your customers/clients. The first thing to do is plan how you will do this; you may have to start from scratch with a brand new quality management system, or if you already have a QMS in place, you may simply have to plan some changes and improvements to bring it into line with the ISO 9001 standard.
Stage 2 - Implementation
Once you have a robust plan in place, the next stage is to implement your quality management system throughout the whole of your organisation. In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to ensure that every member of every department is operating within the system you have laid out!
Stage 3 - Certification
Finally, you will need to seek certification via a UKAS-accredited body. They will evaluate your QMS and how it is being implemented, then award certification if everything conforms.
Do you need help with this process? We at NPT can help you to plan and implement an ISO-compliant quality management system; we can also help you to select a certification body for the final stage of the process. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification (or any other ISO accreditation), an organisation must:
- Implement a management system that meets ISO standards.
- Obtain approval from a UKAS-accredited certification body.
We at NPT Management Systems can help you to take care of step 1, but what about the second part?
Choosing your certification body
There are numerous UKAS-accredited certification bodies in the UK, all of whom are qualified to evaluate management systems and award ISO certification where it has been earned. Some ISO certification bodies specialise in certain industries/sectors - such as agriculture, food, or construction - while others provide a more general certification service for British businesses and organisations. Once your ISO-compliant management system is in place, you can seek certification from whichever body is best-suited to your company.
And that's another thing we at NPT can help with - we have close working relationships with a number of ISO certification bodies, and we provide the following service FOR FREE:
- Contact us to explain your certification requirements.
- We will gather quotes from a variety of UKAS-accredited certification bodies.
- We'll pass the best quotation(s) to you, leaving you to decide whether or not to go ahead with the certification process.
This service is completely free - email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk today to get the ball rolling!
ISO certification - whether we're talking about ISO 9001, ISO 14001, or another such standard - doesn't come for free. In order to state that your business is 'ISO certified', not only do you have to dedicate resources to planning and implementing a compliant management system - you also have to pay to get verified by a UKAS-accredited certification body.
But cost varies from one certification body to the next!
When seeking ISO certification, it's important to bear in mind that there is no fixed rate for the service you require. The exact cost of getting certified depends largely on which certification body you use - believe it or not, some are significantly cheaper than others!
How we can help
Here at NPT Management Systems, we have connections to - and close working relationships with - a large number of UKAS-accredited bodies who specialise in ISO certification. We can match any business with a certification body that will offer them optimum value for money, so if you want to save money on your ISO certification costs, here's what to do:
- Email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk - let us know the best way to contact you, and we'll respond ASAP to discuss your requirements.
- We will gather quotes from a variety of UKAS-accredited bodies to find out who can offer you the best service at the lowest price.
- We will then share our recommendation with you - whether or not you follow our advice is entirely up to you!
This service is completely FREE, so what is there to lose? Get in touch today and find out how much you could save on your ISO certification costs!
