techUK Business Professional Certificate Scheme

Service Description

Introduction

The BPC is a business improvement performance scheme that gives recognition - and therefore competitive advantage - to Technology companies who prove themselves to be reputable suppliers, committed to higher standards.

Prime audience

SMEs within the Technology Sector that are looking to continually improve their internal processes and procedures and to demonstrate they have attained a level of professionalism.

Proposition

The ethos behind the BPC is that it is generated from within the techUK membership – ‘by members for members’ – by people who are already creating and sharing best practice and who are motivated to improve standards and ultimately the reputation of the industry. It is an assurance of quality.

The principles:

The foundations of the BPC are based on the core values for which techUK stands:

Professionalism – Improving the professionalism of the technology industry at both organisation and individual level

Best Practice – Developing and sharing best practice among the community

Market Expertise – Improving knowledge of the market in order to better serve customers

Participation

The BPC application process is quite straightforward. There are 10 Scheme Components (SC), each of which is broken down into Performance Criteria (PC). To complete the BPC, applicants must provide evidence to prove their company meet or exceed the PC.

If the applicant is unable to provide evidence of compliance to match each PC, techUK can help with guidance through signposting - links to appropriate organisations and templates are available on our website. Our templates have been developed in conjunction with industry experts.

Performance Criteria:

1 / Professional
Indemnity / 1.1 PI insurance.
2 / Information
Security Policy / 2.1 Statement of management intent.
2.2 Nominated senior management owner.
2.3 Documented Security Policy to cover, as a minimum, how following procedures are covered –
2.3.1 Information will be protected against unauthorised access.
2.3.2 Confidentiality of information will be assured.
2.3.3 Integrity of information will be maintained.
2.3.4 Regulatory and legislative requirements will be met.
2.3.5 Business continuity plans will be produced and reviewed.
2.3.6 Information security training will be available to all staff.
2.3.7 All breaches of information security, actual or suspected, will be reported to, and investigated by, the Information Security manager.
2.3.8 Standards will be produced to support the policy to include virus control, passwords and encryption.
2.3.9 Business requirements for the availability of information and information systems will be met.
3 / Business Continuity plan / 3.1 Business impact analysis (to include effect on service and resource requirements).
3.2 Hazard analysis to include - loss of electricity, IT failure, flooding and fire.
3.3 Critical function priority list.
3.4 Emergency response check list.
3.5 Key contact list .
4 / Project management process
If n/a then Licence Agreement document required
(i.e. supplier of a standard software product) / 4.1 Definition of projects, Statement of Work (SOW).
4.2 Programme planning.
4.3 Risk management.
4.4 Monitoring, control and reporting.
4.5 Quality Management.
5 / Bid review / 5.1 Bid qualification criteria.
5.2 Independent review process of proposals.
6 / Customer care programme / Customer care –
6.1 Customer helpline.
6.2 FAQs on company website.
6.3 Courtesy follow up call post sale.
6.4 On-going customer information / after sales service.
Complaints policy –
6.5 Set time scale policy for dealing with complaints and corrective process.
6.6 Process for recording detail and investigation.
6.7 Appropriate follow up action.
7 / Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) / Environmental policy
7.1 Company policy showing commitment to energy efficiency
- Lighting (lights switched off when a room is not in use)
- Works station and electrical equipment are switched off at the end of the day
- Printers default set to double sided printing and black and white
7.2Recycling of paper and packaging materials.
Reduction of environmental pollution
Workplace travel plan -
7.3 Offer season ticket interest free loan.
7.4 Promote car sharing schemes.
7.5 Offer the Cycle to Work scheme.
7.6 Bike racks provided for employees.
7.7 Changing facilities available for employees.
8 / Human Resources / Contractual status
8.1 Status of workers is identified and appropriate contractual agreements in place. (Statements must be issued within eight weeks of commencement of employment.)
8.2 Terms of agreement comply with statutory minimum requirements covering –
  • Holidays
  • Sickness
  • Working Time
  • Regulations
8.3 Part time and Fixed Term contracts are legally compliant.
Pay
8.4 Employees receive National Minimum Wage (NMW) as a minimum and itemised pay slips produced.
8.5 Pay scales are non-discriminatory.
Policies
8.6. Essential policies are in place for all six points –
  • Disciplinary
  • Grievance
  • Equal opportunities
  • Bullying and harassment
  • IT
  • Health and Safety (if more than five employees this is legal requirement)
Training and Development
8.7 Essential training is provided –
- Health and Safety
- First Aid
8.8 Individual training plans.
8.9 Regular review of performance scheme in place and non-performers managed/good performers rewarded (not necessarily financial).
Communication
8.10 Regular team meetings held with all staff/workers.
8.11 Regular meetings held with directors / senior managers.
9 / Customer References / NB. Two Customer References required, covering:
9.1 Customer helpline.
9.2 FAQs on company website.
9.3 Courtesy follow up call post sale.
9.4 Efficiency and reliability in fulfilling orders.
9.5 On-going customer information.
9.6 After sales service.
10 / Escrow / 10.1 Escrow clearly offered.
10.2 Agreements in place where requested.

Evidence for each PC can be supplied in the following formats –

- Copies of Certificates – (with valid dates)

- Tailored company policy documents

- Framework documents

- Process and procedure documents

- Evaluation forms

- Certificates of attendance

- Copies of agendas and minutes

- Copies of web page evidence

- Contact details of references

Initial Assessment

An Evidence Pack should be produced for submission to techUK. Each PC must be linked to the relevant piece of evidence, and clearly indexed. There is no need to provide excessive amounts of data. Cross-referencing one SC with another SC is acceptable.

Once the Evidence Pack has been developed and submitted to techUK for assessment, the assessors shall assess the evidence provided against all of the PC, and the lead assessor shall then inform the applicant of the result of the assessment through an evidence feedback form. If insufficient or incorrect evidence has been supplied, the applicant shall be requested to resubmit their evidence for assessment.

If the evidence supplied by the applicant is successful then the applicant is awarded the BPC Certification for one year. During the certification period the holder of a BPC Certificate will be required to submit copies of certificates used as evidence e.g. PI Insurance Certificate or ISO certification as they expire. This will enable the BPC certified company to continually show that their PI, ISO and any other certificates used as evidence are continually valid.

Annual Assessment

BPC certified companies shall be evaluated on an annual basis to determine whether or not they continue to meet the PC. For an annual assessment, the assessor shall select certain PC and the BPC holder will be required to submit evidence that they continue to meet or exceed the selected PC. The number of PC that may be examined for the annual assessment is at techUK’s absolute discretion.

Recognition

Participation in the BPC will be recognised in two stages –

  • ‘Working towards recognition’. This will enable applicants with less experience to seek support from techUK and more experienced peers.
  • ‘Achieved recognition’. Applicants who complete the award successfully will be recognised at an awards ceremony and will be able to display the BPC logo. They will also be listed on the ‘Achieved recognition’ section of the techUK website.

Successful applicants will be able to use the techUK Certified Professional Business logo on company literature.

Appeals and Complaints Process

If an applicant wishes to appeal against an evidence-based decision by the assessors then an appeals process is in place. The applicant will put their appeal in writing to the Chair of the techUK Membership Committee and the allocated working party. The same process applies should a BPC certified company have a complaint about the BPC.

If a member of the customer community makes a complaint against a BPC certified company then an investigation will take place using three members of the Membership Committee to investigate the complaint. A full complaints process is available upon request.

techUK Business Professional Certificate – Commitment to best practice

T +44 (0) 20 7331 2000 E W

Information Technology Telecommunications & Electronics Association. A Company Limited by Guarantee

Registered in England No 1200318. Registered Office: 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD