Governance Strategy and Achievements

Smarter Technologies has established a robust governance framework to support its commitment to quality, cyber and information security, and environmental responsibility.  To reflect this commitment and align with client requirements, the organisation has achieved certification to ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 14001, as well as Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.

While these certifications are essential for fulfilling contractual obligations with both government and private-sector clients, Smarter Technologies views them as providing opportunities and benefits far beyond their role as compliance measures.  The implementation of these standards has enabled the Company to strengthen its commitment to operational excellence and responsible business conduct, leading to the formalisation of processes that were previously ad hoc and informal.  

The regular penetration testing commissioned by Smarter Technologies further highlights its proactive stance to improving cyber security, as well as its dedication to safeguarding data and maintaining high levels of security across its services.  This governance strategy ensures that quality, security and sustainability are embedded into day-to-day operations, enabling Smarter Technologies to deliver trustworthy and resilient solutions to its clients.

Partnership With URM

Since 2023, Smarter Technologies has worked with URM Consulting Services (URM), a leading governance, risk and compliance and cyber security consultancy, which has become a trusted partner of the Company.  Elaine Glock, Smarter Technologies’ Data Protection Officer and ISO Manager, considers the following four reasons to be central to the success of this partnership:

Supportive, Approachable and Responsive

Elaine Glock believes that a key differentiator between URM and other consultancy providers is its supportive and responsive approach, as well as the approachableness consistently demonstrated by all of the URM team.  ‘Throughout our engagements with URM, consultants have always offered guidance without judgement, even when I’ve been unfamiliar with specific standards or needed reassurance on my work.  I’ve always felt totally supported whenever I’ve needed to ask for clarification, never dismissed or brushed off, and the URM team members I’ve dealt with, both on the consultancy and account management side, have been approachable, patient, and quick to respond.  This level of support stands in stark contrast to a previous experience with another provider, where communication was difficult and guidance was lacking.  URM’s approach is completely different, and I really value the confidence of knowing that help is always available when needed.’

Flexible

One of the main challenges of Smarter Technologies’ ISO 27001 journey was that, due to the introduction of new requirements by one of its public-sector clients, it had a window of only two months to implement the Standard’s requirements and achieve certification.  Despite this incredibly tight timeframe, Smarter Technologies successfully achieved ISO 27001 certification with no findings, a result that Elaine Glock largely attributes to URM’s highly adaptable and hands-on approach.  Elaine explains, ‘When we approached URM and explained our circumstances, they quickly mobilised their team to meet the urgency of the situation, initially supporting the creation of our ISMS documentation, then helping us with internal audits and management reviews.  When it came to the formal certification audit, the URM consultant sat in on both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 assessments to guide us through the more technical elements and ensure we completely understood what the auditor was asking of us.  Their ability to tailor support to our evolving needs, including providing technical expertise during the audit process, was instrumental in ensuring a smooth and successful certification outcome.’

Expertise and Quality

Smarter Technologies has worked with a number of URM consultants across various standards and certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 20000, Cyber Essentials, and Cyber Essentials Plus.  Elaine Glock was consistently impressed not only by the consultants’ technical knowledge and subject matter expertise, but also by their ability to apply and communicate that knowledge effectively.  ‘The enthusiasm and passion URM consultants have for their subject matter is clearly evident in every engagement.  They always take care to ensure that the advice they deliver is understandable and actionable.  Whether it’s an audit report, gap analysis, business continuity exercise or penetration test report, the quality of URM’s documentation has been consistently high.  Everything is written in a clear, concise, and easy-to-understand manner, which makes my job significantly easier and ensures that our internal teams can engage with the findings and recommendations confidently.’

Comprehensive Service Offering

Elaine Glock highlighted the significant benefits of working with a consultancy that offers a broad range of services, both GRC and technical under one roof.  ‘URM’s ability to support multiple areas of compliance and certification, including a range of ISO Standards and Cyber Essentials, is a major advantage and greatly simplifies my role.  Rather than having to coordinate with multiple providers for different standards or services, we can rely on a single, trusted partner for consistent support and expertise.’

Conclusion

Through its focus on governance and security, Smarter Technologies has positioned itself to meet the evolving demands of both public- and private-sector clients with confidence and agility.  With the support of URM’s responsive, knowledgeable, and approachable team, the company has implemented robust, sustainable practices that align with its operational goals and values.  This collaborative approach ensures long-term resilience and continued excellence across Smarter Technologies’ service offerings.

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