“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.