A housing association has achieved an ISO certificate following a recent audit. 

Platform Housing Group has been awarded ISO 27001:2013 by UCAS Management Systems. 

ISO 27001:2013 is an internationally recognised standard that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an Information Security Management System – or ISMS. 

Achieving the certification confirms the Group has implemented comprehensive information security controls and demonstrates the company’s systematic approach to continuously improving and managing the protection of the confidentiality, integrity and availability of company, customer and partner data. 

Jon Cocker, Chief Information Officer – Technology at Platform Housing Group said : “It’s a true measure of a great team effort to achieve these internationally recognised standards in areas of rapid growth, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to all stakeholders and external regulators in relation to information security.  For our customers, it also gives reassurance that we have robust systems in place to protect data.  It places the customer at the very heart of what we do.” 

The evidence based audit – which took place over 6 days – covered areas including risk management procedures, threat mitigation, access control, physical security and business continuity planning. 

Preparation for the audit began 12 months ago and involved a thorough review of processes, documentation, policies and classifications surrounding both technology and people. 

Jon concluded : “These standards give assurance to the Board and the wider Platform Housing Group business, that we are a sector leading organisation.  External audits give a completely impartial measure of a business and we are justifiably proud of our achievements.  Our thanks and congratulations go to all those involved.” 

Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19).  The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past 2 years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built. Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.