“This remarkable international effort demonstrates the importance of this industry sector in support of peace and stability around the globe,” says Dr. Marc Siegel, commissioner, ASIS International Global Standards Initiative and chairman of the Technical Committee. “PSCs need to conduct their business and provide services in a manner that respects human rights and laws. The standard creates a differentiator for PSCs to assure quality of services while maintaining the safety and security of their operations with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Now this is cool. With ANSI approval, the ICoC is one step closer to being an ISO standard. Or basically a standard that is officially recognized world wide as the standard to judge or pick a company by. So if a company in India meets the ISO standard, then a client from the US could contract with that group and know what that minimum standard that company is abiding by–in order to have that ISO standard.
It’s kind of like this. ISO has been crucial to the automobile industry. It is what allows the global market place for cars to exist. If a car made in China is made to an ISO standard, then that car can be sold in another market/country that has the confidence that it is safe and built to a standard that is internationally recognized. So that is the angle here for PSC’s.
A standard also helps in the principal agent problem. If the principal will only work with companies that have an ISO stamp, and that agent knows that principals will not look at their company unless they have an ISO stamp of approval, then you can see where the value is to both parties. Without that standard, then a principal has to use other less efficient means of finding out who is good, and who is not. But the big one here is that the ISO would have value, because to not meet those standards would make you not marketable. Especially if one company in the US, wants to work for a client in Europe–both parties would know the standard that is expected.
Why standards matter (from the ISO website)
Standards make an enormous and positive contribution to most aspects of our lives.
Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services such as quality, environmental friendliness, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability – and at an economical cost.
When products and services meet our expectations, we tend to take this for granted and be unaware of the role of standards. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice. We soon care when products turn out to be of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment that we already have, are unreliable or dangerous.
When products, systems, machinery and devices work well and safely, it is often because they meet standards. And the organization responsible for many thousands of the standards which benefit the world is ISO.
When standards are absent, we soon notice.
ISO standards:
-make the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner
-facilitate trade between countries and make it fairer
-provide governments with a technical base for health, safety and environmental legislation, and conformity assessment
-share technological advances and good management practice
-disseminate innovation
-safeguard consumers, and users in general, of products and services
-life simpler by providing solutions to common problems
Check out the ISO Cafe for more examples of the impact of this system.
Very cool and we will see how it goes. We will see how long it takes to get from ANSI all the way up to ISO, but this is a big step closer to that goal. Good job to all involved and a big congrats to ASIS. –Matt
ASIS International Receives ANSI Approval for World’s First Standard to Support the Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers
Alexandria, VA
April 20, 2012
ASIS International(ASIS), the preeminent organization for security management professionals worldwide, received ANSI approval for its standard, Management System for Quality of Private Security Company Operations – Requirements with Guidance(ANSI/ASIS PSC.1-2012). Developed by a Technical Committee comprised of more than 200 members from 24 countries, this standard establishes a mechanism for Private Security Companies and their clients to provide demonstrable commitment, conformance, and accountability to the principles outlined in the International Code of Conduct (ICoC) for Private Security Service Providers.
Private Security Service Providers including Private Security Companies (collectively “PSCs”) play an important role in protecting state and non-state clients engaged in relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts; commercial business operations; diplomacy; and military activity. The purpose of this standard is to improve and demonstrate consistent and predictable quality of services provided by PSCs while maintaining the safety and security of their operations and clients within a framework that aims to ensure respect for human rights, national and international laws, and fundamental freedoms.
“This remarkable international effort demonstrates the importance of this industry sector in support of peace and stability around the globe,” says Dr. Marc Siegel, commissioner, ASIS International Global Standards Initiative and chairman of the Technical Committee. “PSCs need to conduct their business and provide services in a manner that respects human rights and laws. The standard creates a differentiator for PSCs to assure quality of services while maintaining the safety and security of their operations with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
PSCs have become critical elements for supporting peace and stability efforts in regions where the capacity of societal institutions has become overwhelmed by human and natural-caused disruptive events. PSCs operating in areas of weakened governance need to provide essential services and conduct their business with an obligation to carry out due diligence to prevent incidents, mitigate the consequences of incidents, report them when they occur, and take corrective actions, as well as preventative actions to prevent a reoccurrence.
“The United States government supports the principles of the ICoC and Montreux Document,” says Gary Motsek, deputy assistant secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense. “Using its communication platform, ASIS established a community around the world to address a crucial interest of governments and civil society everywhere. PSCs can now demonstrate commitment and accountability to the ICoC and Montreux Document.”
“The standard raises the bar for industry best practices consistent with the goal of simultaneously promoting stability and respect for human rights,” says Christopher Mayer, director, Armed Contingency Contractor Policies and Programs at the U.S. Department of Defense. “The U.S. Department of Defense has initiated the process to use the ANSI/ASIS.PSC.1 for contracting services of PSCs. This international initiative increases the requirements for quality and ethical PSC services. We recommend that clients, both governmental and non-governmental, around the world adopt this standard for their contracts with PSCs.”
ASIS continues to develop the series of standards in support of the ICoC and Montreux Document with upcoming standards for conformity assessment, a maturity model for the phased implementation of the ANSI/ASIS.PSC.1-2012, and guidance on ANSI/ASIS.PSC.1 for maritime security.
The standard is available for download through the ASIS website, http://www.asisonline.org. A panel discussion on the standard and its use in the contracting process will be presented on Monday, September 10, 2012 at the ASIS International 58th Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2012) in Philadelphia, Pa.
The work of preparing ASIS Standards and Guidelinesis carried out through the ASIS International Standards and Guidelines Commission and its committees. An ANSI accredited Standards Development Organization, ASIS actively participates in the International Organization for Standardization, developing standards and guidelines within a voluntary, nonproprietary and consensus-based process, utilizing the knowledge, experience and expertise of ASIS membership, security professionals and the global security industry. View a complete list of all ASIS Standards and Guidelines currently under development.
ASIS International is the preeminent organization for security professionals, with 38,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1955, ASIS is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and productivity of security professionals by developing educational programs and materials that address broad security interests, such as the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, as well as specific security topics. ASIS also advocates the role and value of the security management profession to business, the media, government entities and the public. By providing members and the security community with access to a full range of programs and services, and by publishing the industry’s No. 1 magazine—Security Management—ASIS leads the way for advanced and improved security performance.