Do you cooperate with a company that’s processing business and personal data? Then it will make you feel comfortable knowing that this company meets the highest standards for information security and has optimized its processes and procedures accordingly. Confirmation that you are working with a reliable partner is assured if you choose a company that is certified by standards such as ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and NEN 7510. These are exactly the standards that we as Fellow Digitals comply with, as affirmed again with our latest certificate in March 2022.
As an international supplier of digital workplace solutions, Fellow Digitals always attributes great importance to data protection. Within the European Union, the legislation on personal data has become stricter over the last few years. This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) effective in May 2018. Unlike many countries outside the EU, European countries now meet a high standard of data security. When the GDPR legislation was announced, Fellow Digitals started preparations to comply with the latest information security requirements of ISO 27001 and NEN 7510.
In March 2022 we successfully added ISO 27701 for the enhanced protection of organizations’ personal data to expand the already implemented GDPR requirements of ISO 27001. Because we continually meet these requirements, it is transparent for customers which information and privacy security protocols and associated processes Fellow Digitals uses. This quality mark also means that when a security incident occurs, it can be solved targeted and according to the set protocols as part of our systematic Privacy and Information Security Management System (PIMS).
For more safety and transparency
Many people are familiar with the ISO quality standards. For decades, these highly-valuated criteria have been accepted worldwide in various industries. When a company implements this type of certificate, the organization is checked by an external audit institution for the correctness and in-depth application of these standards. By obtaining the ISO 27001 certificate in 2019, Fellow Digitals shows the following:
- Careful handling of data at all levels
- Compliance with laws and regulations
- Be a credible and professional company
- Limiting the chances of risks and incidents
Personal data security at its best
With its new ISO 27701 certificate, which serves as a complement to ISO 27001, Fellow Digitals also demonstrates:
- Extended compliance with worldwide data protection regulations
- Protect the data privacy and processing of individuals
In addition to data security, Fellow Digitals’ transparency is particularly important. Rick Tigelaar, Director Operations at Fellow Digitals, observes:
“Fellow Digitals has been around since 1997, but we are still a small and flexible team with offices in the Netherlands, Germany, and Bangladesh. This sometimes led to a lack of clarity about who does what. Over the past years, we have made great strides in streamlining processes and embedding quality requirements around information and data security.”
A clear division of roles means that certain rights are treated with care internally. As a result, only people involved in certain processes have access to the corresponding data. This reduces the chance of data leaks.
NEN 7510
Besides the international ISO 27001 certificate, Fellow Digitals now also complies with the NEN 7510 certificates since 2019. While ISO focuses on international standardization, NEN focuses mainly on the Dutch market. When both certificates are placed next to each other, they largely coincide. However, there is one difference. Whereas the ISO 27001 certificate includes ‘general’ data protection, the NEN 7510 focuses specifically on the protection of medical data. “The combination of both certifications is very beneficial. Because with organizations such as HAweb and Municipal Health Service Zuid-Limburg we already have customers who manage special personal data, we felt it was important to comply with these guidelines as well,” explains Rick Tigelaar.
The procedure
Obtaining certificates is not something you can do as a company on your own. Focus on adapting your processes is important. That is why we have chosen to be supported in setting up the processes by the ISO and NEN quality guidelines. Bureau Kader, an approved partner of recognized certification bodies, supervises Fellow Digitals. Rick Tigelaar enthusiastically remembers the start of the collaboration:
“The knowledge and experience the Kader team brought to the table has taken us through the long process. We have appreciated their professional guidance during the certification processes for Fellow Digitals since.”
The external audits are executed by KIWA. As an accreditation authority, KIWA is able to test the processes and application of the quality guidelines and award an ISO and NEN certificate on this basis. The various audits that have taken place have convinced KIWA that Fellow Digitals has its internal organization in order and that it meets the quality requirements in accordance with ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and NEN 7510.
The future
As Fellow Digitals always did, the company will keep putting a lot of effort to ensure the safety of its users. In fact, Fellow Digitals is already working on the next certificate. “The ISO 9001 quality mark could be our next goal,” says Rick Tigelaar. The ISO 9001 is perhaps the best-known international certificate. During this certification, we look at the quality management systems of companies. With this, Fellow Digitals once again shows that it can set up the quality of its product.
A good and secure platform that all users can use with peace of mind, these are the core values that Fellow Digitals has stood for for more than 20 years. By obtaining the ISO and NEN certificates, (potential) customers are even more certain that their sensitive information is in good hands when using Fellow Digitals.
Your security is our priority
Security is essential. Curious about what precautions have been taken? Read our security leaflet!
