Our data centre accreditations – a year of audit successes

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A recent blog discussed our data centre accreditations and why we believe them to be so important.

We noted in this blog that whilst the initial challenge may be to achieve the accreditations in the first place, there is a lot of work to be done to maintain the accreditations and make adjustments to ensure compliance as requirements or expectations change.

To demonstrate that we are continually achieving the standards required (only by doing this can we continue to display the ISO quality mark), we are subject to regular audits. So, in line with the Combined Management System (CMS) implemented at our London edge facility (which incorporates ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001) all of our ISO accreditations were audited this year under the watchful eye of James Hagan, our Data Centre Engineer and Compliance Officer.

Our year started with two audits in January (ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2018) followed by audits for ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 in May. In all cases, we were recommended for recertification and are pleased to report that the audits confirmed that our CMS is continuing to achieve its intended outcome and is assisting with the strategic direction of the continued operations of our organisations and our future growth plans. As well as the positive feedback we received, we were pleased to take on board some opportunities for further improvement, which help guide our continual improvement activities.

ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management)

An on-site audit was conducted in January 2023 and, based on the assessment of our Environmental Management System (EMS), a recommendation for recertification was made.

The assessment findings identified the overall strengths of our management system within the areas covered by the assessment, and concluded that:

  • the processes reviewed across our organisation are clearly linked to our business strategy;
  • clear progress has been made since our last assessment evidenced by the closure of previous nonconformities;
  • effective management review processes are in place;
  • fire and spill tests are up to date;
  • there are no obstructions in corridors;
  • our operational control is effective, including equipment inspections, site tours and aspects identification;
  • our contractor control processes are effective.

ISO 50001:2018 (Energy Management)

Based on the aspects sampled as part of the remote assessment, the auditors concluded that our Energy Management System (EnMS) is effective at operating to planned arrangements and delivering intended outcomes, and that commitment to continual improvement and improved energy performance was evident.

ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management) and ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management)

Both certifications were assessed in May and a positive recommendation for continued certification was made.

Next up...

In August this year, our Manchester site will be audited for its ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management) recertification. We’ll update you on that once the audit has taken place.

Overall, these accreditations (and our other non-ISO accreditations) demonstrate that we have implemented (and maintain) robust management systems and processes to ensure quality and efficiency in our operations, whilst offering us a very clear framework for continual improvement. And, importantly, they show our clients (and potential clients) that we take our operations seriously and are committed to being the very best we can be.

Interested in finding out more?

We have colocation data centres in the two most economically active regions of the UK – the South East (FRN1 – London edge) and the North West (MCR1 – Manchester), and are embarking on the construction of two brand new facilities at both sites (FRN2 and MCR2). So, this is the perfect time to get in touch to discuss your requirements for off-premise data centre footprint.

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