I spend a while looking for a copy of ISO 27001 on the internet and just when I think I have wasted a my time, I strike gold. On result 26 of the fourth Google search, a copy of ISO 27001 – all 34 pages of it!

Items containing computer hard drives

The security rubric on the document has the words “Uncontrolled Copy” on it. “You can say that again,” I think. It was available as a download off some German student’s website in a directory which was full of photos and videos and other stuff. That’s pretty uncontrolled!

I know when I sit down to read it that understanding it is going to be a challenge (judging from my ISO 9001 experience), but at least I have got a copy. Nice one!

I then email a contact that I have met at the Supply London seminars I have been to recently and ask her for a copy of ISO 14001 which she said she had. She says she will be able to oblige but I might have to wait a while. The point is that I’ve got so much work to do on ISO 27001, I am very happy to wait a while  for for a copy of the ISO 14001 Standard!

Based on notes from my diary in June 2008.

In the last three days I have been to two Supply London workshops.

The first was the Environmental Workshop. This was a real basic level course aimed at getting you to think about the environmental aspects of your business. I feel good when I understand where it fits into the overall ISO 14001 accreditation process. It only covers the very early part of the Acorn book. Including the book, I am now in possession of a significant amount of information on ISO 14001 which I have accrued by my own research and feel I understand what is required.

Computer media including data tapes must be properly recycled.

The second Supply London event I attended is about Wining Public Sector Business. Its the third out of the four free courses I get from Supply London and I have been told by other delegates who have already done this one that this is the best course.  (None of these provide hard disk destruction services.)

Things get underway at about 930 and go through until about 3. This is the first course that we don’t spend the day thinking about policies and being introduced to real common denominator level concepts. Most of the slides/talk was about material I didn’t know.

We are given lots of really useful information including a great 58 page printed A4 booklet. At the back was a list of London councils and the way they took quotes and tenders for different values of contracts from the small under £5k, to the biggies over £144k which apparently have to be offered to all EU companies under some directive.

The course explained what councils typically look for in supplier. The basic is that they have the right balance of skills and experience. Companies are unlikely to win a contract which is worth more than a quarter of their existing turnover. Supply London gave a check list to measure one’s fitness to supply.

This course just confirms the importance of the ISOs and why they have to be tackled. I made sure I took a second copy of the course material from the empty seat next to me. In 17 years of running and being involved in businesses this is the most useful free handout or course I have had from the government. I can’t believe I am saying this considering the grief government generally causes business!

Based on notes from my diary from June 2008.

I attend the Supply London Seminar on how to write a Quality Policy. We are sitting there for 40 minutes before anything happens. The course materials were not biked over the night before apparently . There aren’t even any pens and paper to take notes.

Vain attempts are made to get the venue to provide these and also for the receptionist at the venue to receive the course material by email, print them out and then photocopy them. We are told to start introducing ourselves to the person next to us to kill time. The guy next to me is Adrian. Adrian works for an office equipment company and is planning to implement ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001. Adrian has done this before in Wales working for another company. He says he has some stuff that might be useful to me so we exchange details.

I am getting increasingly irritated with the seminar and perhaps visibly so. The seminar is about Quality, and I and my fellow delegates have thought up some great things to say to the course leader about the lack of quality. She, though, takes the wind out of our sails by repeatedly saying what a poor quality performance she is putting on. No-one disagrees.

I suffer for a further two and a half hours once the seminar is underway but I do get the message loud and clear that public sector buyers are concerned with ISO 9001 – the Quality Standard and ISO 14001 – the Environmental Standard.

I have now done two Supply London seminars and there are two to go. Supply London are training us to write policy documents which are required if your company is going to supply to public sector. What is crucial here is the link between the policy document the ISO Standard. The one sided policy documents (eg. a Quality Policy or and Environmental Policy) should be underpinned by a management system – the structure of which is provided by the relevant ISO.

I originally contacted Supply London to learn how to access the public sector but doing so has diverted my focus back onto ISOs. Getting access to the public sector is about loads of advance spade work, registering as a supplier in various website and directories and patient networking. Clearly if Data Eliminate has the ISOs it will be ahead of the pack.

The importance of this to the business strategy is further underlined by the increasingly parlous state of the economy. Data Eliminate has to been in a position to tender for public sector business as early as is practical.

In light of the Supply London advice and the comment from my Competitor about being only one of two businesses with ISO 27001, the priorities are now ISO 9001 The Quality Standard, ISO 27001 the Information Security Standard and ISO 14001 the Environmental Standard - in that order.

Based on diary entires from April 2008.

I am booked onto the Supply London Health and Safety Seminar today. I attend because I think all these will help me tackle the public sector. The seminar itself is basic centred on writing a one sided HSE policy document. But the notes and suggested additional sources of information are good.

Based on diary entires from April 2008.

I have my first meeting with my Supply London Advisor, Arthur, today.  He spends a while telling me what Supply London does and the politics and difficulties or working for a government agency.  He used to be a corporate buyer himself.

Arthur expresses some doubt as to whether Data Eliminate can be helped by Supply London as Arthur has to link the work he does to the number of jobs created to satisfy government statistics etc.  I get the message the whole thing might be too target driven and not centred on the helping businesses in the most practical way. Arthur has a  form analysing his work which he asks me to sign.

The good news is that he says he has ISO 9001 experience and that he can advise with the preparation of documentation and also on the first internal audit.  This could be really helpful.  He seems unsure about exactly how much he can help. I think the chemistry is ok.  I aim to use him when I really need to and save up some sensible questions to maintain the goodwill.

Based on entries from my diary in March 2008.

With regards to the overall development of the business things are now starting to take shape.  The company has a  website, promotional material and a brand identity. I am settled on an on site data destruction business model  and that there will be no US joint venture.  Finally, I have preferred ERP package.

I am always conscious of the need to get the phasing of a start- up right.  In other words if something is going to take a while to come to fruition then make sure you start it early.  One such example is becoming a supplier in the public sector.  One part of achieving  this is having the accreditations and the ISOs – another is learning your way around the public sector – how to “play the game”.   I need to consolidate my knowledge bout the public sector  now so I can build it into the business development plan.

I’ve still got Steven Regelado’s card from the Lambeth Meet the Buyer Event at the YMCA. So I email him and ask him the name of the lady who presented alongside him which I have forgotten.  After a short delay he replies that its Carol Hustler of Supply London.

I speak to Carol.  She tells me I need to register with Supply London. I can attend some free training courses aimed at helping become a public sector supplier.  One on Health and Safety, one on environmental considerations, one on writing a quality policy and another all day one on supplying the public sector in general. I might also get free help from a consultant.

After my previous dealings with Business Link, I am sceptical about the level and quality of advice one gets from these government agencies. But  am going to take full advantage and attend the courses. 

Based on entries in my diary from Marh 2008.

One of many bits of (junk) mail I receive as a long suffering company director is an invitation from Lambeth Council to a Meet the Buyer Event aimed at helping local businesses become suppliers to the Council.  I accept the invite.

My expectations are not particularly high when I turn up.  The YMCA at Stockwell doesn’t sound like the classiest of venues and I get there its fallen down (I later discover it is in fact being rebuilt).  There are about 60 people in the audience.  I pick up the vibe that most of these people are from very small business.

There are three or four presentations and they are short and to the point.  The messages are that Lambeth has a specific initiative to help small businesses become public sector suppliers, and that if you are going to become a small business supplier its more likely to be as a second or third tier supplier to a larger private company which has won a large council contract.

Particularly impressive is a lady called Carol Hustler of Supply London.   She presents really well and seems to know her subject.  The colourful Steven Regalado from the Lambeth Council procurement department is also very approachable.

Questions from the floor are basic and largely uninspiring.  I ask what turnover companies require before they will get council contracts.  Stephen explains that most councils won’t give a company an order which is worth more than a quarter of its turnover.

At the end , I get Stephen’s business card but Carol has run out of them.  In nearly didn’t respond to the invite but I am glad I came – good event.

Based on an account recorded in my diary from December 2007.