HGS continues ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications

November 8, 2022

The recertification audit for ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certification for India, Philippines, UK, USA, Canada, and Jamaica commenced on July 25, 2022, starting with HGS Canada, and concluding on October 14, 2022, with HGS India.

Earning an ISO certification is like a seal of approval for a business that meets the industry standards for the quality of its products, services, and systems through standardization. Both the ISO 9001 and 27001 certifications validate HGS’s ability to meet the foundational quality expectations and customer requirements.

Recertification of ISO 9001:2015

Getting certified is only the beginning for any organization on the ISO journey. The challenging part is maintaining a Quality Management System (QMS) that aligns with the quality manual and being integrally prepared for recertification.

Continuous improvement is one of the key requirements of ISO 9001. The organization’s products, services, processes, satisfaction levels, and other qualitative parameters have to go through continuous tracking and improvement. It’s a cultural shift that requires the actual execution of activities that are specifically mentioned in the QMS.

The organization’s competency in planning and executing an integrated solution for change determines its commitment to quality management activities and continuous improvement, preparing it for recertification.

The ISO certification follows a three-year cycle, during which the established QMS must be maintained regularly to meet intended objectives and stay compliant. Periodic checks are conducted by the certifying authority or registrar within three years to ensure that the system maintenance is performed and aligns with the organizational processes and procedures.

Recertification of ISO 27001:2013

Successfully getting through the certification process with the right certification body takes time, effort, and unwavering commitment by the organization. So, receiving the ISO 27001 certification may seem like a big moment to celebrate. However, maintaining the certification can be an even bigger challenge with the three-year audit cycle.

The certification body monitors the Information Security Management System (ISMS) closely. It will undergo regular external maintenance audits and internal audits during the certification’s three-year life cycle.

The best way to maintain ISO 27001 is by making ISMS care part of regular business operations. The more often it is monitored and taken care of, the fewer maintenance and bottlenecks there will be. Although not easy, recertification becomes a natural process step for those organizations that are fully committed to driving tight security management.

ISO recertification audit process

On 14th October 2022 in Bangalore, the auditors from TUV Rheinland announced the continuation of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications for all the HGS delivery centers that are currently under the scope of certification.

The recertification process involved full-fledged onsite and remote audits for HGS Canada, HGS Philippines, and HGS India sites, along with management representative audits for HGS UK, HGS USA, and HGS Jamaica.

The internal audit team met with the delivery, revenue and procurement, Human Resources, Facilities, IT Infrastructure, Compliance and Governance, and our Senior Leadership team to compose a new Corrective Actions Preventative Actions (CAPA) report, which was shared with the external auditors along with the Management Review deck as evidence. Based on the interview, the deck, and the CAPA report, the external auditors verified that all requirements needed for recertification were met.

As per the suggestions of the auditors at TUV Rheinland, HGS will continue to work towards addressing the improvement areas in our management systems with help from the Business Excellence and Transformation Function, Operations, and shared/support services teams.

HGS’s collaborative teamwork

The ISO recertification was possible thanks to the senior leadership team of HGS for their active engagement and support. Special thanks to –

Savita Jones, Pushkar Mishra, Carrie Ramskill, Saravanan Thangavelu, Mouli, and Shreekanth Gudipadu for directly participating in the audit process.

Sustenance of One-HGS global certification has been demonstrated through the relentless efforts of –

Nandakumar P S, Phani Krishna, and Bharath J, B.E.T- Corporate
Theresa Maceachern and David Blott, HGS Canada
Michelle Barnett, HGS Digital
Ruth Bigornia, Ronnel Ruiz, Nicolo Fernando, and the entire QISMS Taskforce, HGS Philippines,
Karla Endaya, HGS Diversify
Mark Wilds, Harry Rodgers, and the entire UK – GRC and Security team
Pradeep Agrawal, Subramanian Gopalakrishnan, and Beth Starkey, B.E.T- NA
Florent Flora, Guy Lessard, and the entire information security team of NA geography
Chevanesse Rainford and Sakina Bryan, Jamaica Compliance

“A big thank you to all the Business Unit & Department Heads, and auditees who made this happen!”

Santanu Nandi, Senior Vice President, Global Business Excellence and Transformation, HGS

The ISO certification process is a continuous journey. Getting recertified by continuously maintaining and improving compliance is a more challenging process than the first-time certification. It is a proud moment for HGS to have successfully passed the audit under the One-HGS scope without any non-conformities.