DataSeal first for meta-morphix

Data bureaux consultancy meta-morphix, part of the REaD Group, has become the first UK Company to have successfully undergone stringent auditing by the BSi to receive its DataSeal. The BSi-backed data security standard was developed by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) to give members a roadmap for addressing consumer concerns about the security of their personal information and is the only recognised standard for information security management systems other than ISO 27001.

The DataSeal is an accessible alternative for third-party marketing services suppliers and other companies using data for marketing purposes, to fulfil their information security responsibilities without the need to achieve the extended requirements of the ISO 27001.

Seven other organisations holding ISO 27001 certification have already been awarded DataSeals without undergoing an audit by the BSi, but meta-morphix is the first to have achieved accreditation by going through the rigorous auditing process undertaken by the BSi.  

Selected by the DMA to test and help specify the auditing requirements for the BSi, the meta-morphix DataSeal bears the historic accreditation number of DS1-001. 

Mike Lordan, Chief of operations for DMA, commented: "meta-morphix should be incredibly proud to be the first organistion to have undergone the rigorous audit process to qualify for DataSeal. 

"As well as yielding greater commercial benefits by satisfying prospective clients that they can be entrusted with managing their customers' data, adoption of the DataSeal scheme will also help to rebuild consumer confidence in sharing their personal details with companies and demonstrate to government that the direct marketing industry has its house in order and does not require yet more regulation to keep it in check."

Rob Salmon, Managing Director of meta-morphix, added: "Our prospects and clients can be confident that our data security provisions have been rigorously checked and approved, ensuring that their outsourced data marketing activities are being delivered by a professional company that takes the issue of data security seriously."

Article from Database Marketing, July 2010