ISO to Develop New Global Private Security Quality Management Standard

USA - English

• USA - English

Alexandria, Va. (PRWEB) August 07, 2013 -- ASIS International, the leading organization for security professionals worldwide, today announced that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) will begin work on an ISO International Standard based on the ANSI/ASIS.PSC.1: 2012 - Management System for Quality of Private Security Company Operations—Requirements with Guidance. Development of the new standard will be overseen by ISO Project Committee (PC) 284, Management System for Quality of Private Security Company (PSC) Operations - Requirements with Guidance.

“PSCs play an important role in high risk environments supporting businesses, governments, infrastructure protection, disaster relief, and aid agencies,” said Marc Sigel, commissioner ASIS Global Standards Initiative and chairman of the ISO Project Committee. “This standard will provide a business sensible approach for PSCs to provide quality services, manage risks, and demonstrate accountability to the International Code of Conduct (ICoC), the Montreux Document, Human Rights Codes, and legal requirements. The ISO Project Committee welcomes the input of users of security services, providers of security services, civil and human rights organizations, legal experts, and other impacted parties and communities.”

To support this effort, ASIS and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are seeking participants for a U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for ISO PC 284. Members of the U.S. TAG will advise ANSI on voting positions relevant to the proposed standard and will carry out detailed discussions on issues related to the standard’s development. Following the TAG’s accreditation by ANSI, ASIS International will head up the U.S. work effort by serving as the U.S. TAG administrator to ISO PC 284.

All U.S. experts and interested stakeholders in fields related to private security and human rights are encouraged to get involved and help influence the development of this important standard. To participate, please complete the U.S. Tag Application Form on http://www.asisonline.org/standards and submit it to ASIS at standards(at)asisonline(dot)org on or before Friday, August 16, 2013.

Outside the United States, interested parties should contact their National Standards Body to learn more about their country’s participation in ISO/PC284 and how they can get involved.

“With the major growth of private security firms in recent years, the time is right for an International Standard addressing quality issues in this global industry,” said ANSI president and CEO S. Joe Bhatia. “The standardization work being done in this sector has the potential to improve accountability and effectiveness among private security companies while also helping to protect the human rights of all.”

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ASIS International is the leading organization for security professionals, with more than 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.

ASIS develops security standards nationally as an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developing organization and internationally in the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), through Liaison Status in security related Technical Committees. ASIS is recognized by ISO through the creation of the ISO Project Committee (PC) 284 for Quality of Private Security Company Operations. In pursuit of this effort, ASIS is the administrator of the US Technical Advisory Group (US TAG), the body representing the US perspective in global security standards development efforts. View a complete list of all ASIS Standards and Guidelines currently under development.

Leigh A. McGuire, ASIS International, https://www.asisonline.org, +1.703.518.1465, [email protected]