BSI Group explained

BSI Group
Type:Non-profit distributing incorporated body operating under Royal Charter
Foundation:1901
Location City:London
Location Country:United Kingdom
Products:standards and standards related services
Revenue:£539.3m (2020)[1]
Num Employees:5,237 (2020)[2]
Area Served:Worldwide
Locations:90 offices in 31 countries[3]

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the national standards body of the United Kingdom. BSI produces technical standards on a wide range of products and services and also supplies certification and standards-related services to businesses.

History

BSI was founded as the Engineering Standards Committee in London in 1901.[4] [5] It subsequently extended its standardization work and became the British Engineering Standards Association in 1918, adopting the name British Standards Institution in 1931 after receiving a Royal Charter in 1929.[5] In 1998 a revision of the Charter enabled the organization to diversify and acquire other businesses, and the trading name was changed to BSI Group.

The Group now operates in 195 countries.[6] The core business remains standards and standards related services, although the majority of the Group's revenue comes from management systems assessment and certification work.[7]

In 2021, BSI appointed its first female chief executive officer, Susan Taylor Martin.[8]

Activities

BSI produces British Standards, and, as the UK's National Standards Body, is also responsible for the UK publication, in English, of international and European standards. BSI is obliged to adopt and publish all European Standards as identical British Standards (prefixed BS EN) and to withdraw pre-existing British Standards that are in conflict.[9] However, it has the option to adopt and publish international standards (prefixed BS ISO or BS IEC).

In response to commercial demands, BSI also produces commissioned standards products such as Publicly Available Specifications, (PASs), Private Standards and Business Information Publications. These products are commissioned by individual organizations and trade associations to meet their needs for standardized specifications, guidelines, codes of practice etc. Because they are not subject to the same consultation and consensus requirements as formal standards, the lead time is shorter.

BSI also publishes standards-related books, CD-ROMs, subscription and web-based products as well as providing training on standards-related issues.

Management systems assessment and certification

With 80,000 clients, BSI is one of the world's largest certification bodies. It audits and provides certification to companies worldwide who implement management systems standards. BSI also runs training courses that cover the implementation and auditing requirements of national and international management systems standards.

It is independently accredited[10] and assesses a wide range of standards and other specifications including:

Testing Services and Healthcare

Within Testing Services, BSI's best known product in the UK is the Kitemark, a registered certification mark first used in 1903.[5] [4] The Kitemark – which is recognized by 82% of UK adults[11] – signifies products or services which have been assessed and tested as meeting the requirements of the related specification or standard within a Kitemark scheme.

BSI also conducts testing of products for a range of certifications, including for CE marking. CE marking must be applied to a wide range of products intended for sale in the European Economic Area. Frequently manufacturers or importers need a third-party certification of their product from an accredited or 'Notified' body. BSI holds Notified Body status for 15 EU Directives,[12] including construction products, marine equipment, pressurised equipment and personal protective equipment.

BSI also conducts testing for manufacturers developing new products and has facilities to test across a wide range of sectors, including construction, fire safety, electrical and electronic and engineering products.

Within Healthcare, BSI provides regulatory and quality management reviews and product certification for medical device manufacturers in Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and China.[13] It is the market leader in the US, the world's biggest healthcare market.[14]

Acquisitions

Starting in 1998, BSI Group has adopted a policy of international growth through acquisition as follows:[15]

BSI Identify

In 2021, BSI Group, supported by the Construction Products Association,[30] led the development of a system known as BSI Identify, which has been established in response to Dame Judith Hackitt's recommendation that BSI Identify uses new Digital Object Identifier (DOI) technology "to deliver a unique, constant, and interoperable identifier", known as a BSI UPIN, "which can be assigned to products to help UK manufacturers to directly manage information about their products in the supply chain".[31] The aim of the BSI Identify programme is that "wherever you are with [a] product, you can take a snapshot of the QR code with your mobile device and it will immediately take you to the product technical data sheet. You can see exactly what product it is, you can answer any questions about it, you can see installation advice etc."[32]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Annual Report 2020 . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 10 November 2021.
  2. Web site: BSI Annual Report 2019 . BSI Group . 10 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Fast facts and figures. bsigroup.com. BSI Group. 23 April 2018.
  4. Robert C McWilliam. BSI: The first hundred years. 2001. Thanet Press. London
  5. Web site: . British Standards Institution . 2018.
  6. Web site: BSI Group Annual Report 2021 . BSIgroup.com . BSI Group . 28 September 2022.
  7. Web site: Annual Report 2018 . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 3 May 2019.
  8. Web site: BSI announces appointment of new chief executive . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 9 December 2020.
  9. http://www.cen.eu/cenorm/aboutus/benefits/index.asp European Committee for Standardization Benefits and Principles
  10. Web site: Who's accredited? . www.ukas.com . United Kingdom Accreditation Service . 18 May 2021.
  11. Web site: Annual Review 2006, page 15 . 3 April 2012.
  12. Web site: BSI Group Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009, page 97 . 3 April 2012.
  13. Web site: BSI Group Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009, page 11 . 3 April 2012.
  14. Web site: BSI Group Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009, page 24 . 3 April 2012.
  15. Web site: History of BSI Group . Bsigroup.com . 22 April 1929 . 3 April 2012.
  16. Web site: BSI Press Release 22 March 2010 . Bsigroup.com . 22 March 2010 . 3 April 2012.
  17. Web site: BSI strengthens position in Australia with acquisition of NCS International. BSI. 20 May 2013. 10 May 2013.
  18. Web site: BSI enters the US consultancy market with EORM acquisition . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 20 September 2019 . 28 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200928214003/https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/about-bsi/media-centre/press-releases/2015/january/bsi-enters-us-consultancy-market-with-eorm-acquisition1/ . dead .
  19. Web site: BSI Group Annual Report and Financial Statements 2014, page 59, Post balance sheet events . bsigroup.com. 5 June 2015.
  20. Web site: BSI expands its environmental consulting and engineering offering with acquisition of Hill Country Environmental Inc . bsigroup.com . BSI . 3 May 2019.
  21. Web site: Weckler. Adrian. British IT security firm snaps up Espion. The Irish Independent. 5 April 2016 . Independent IE. 11 November 2016.
  22. Web site: BSI expands US footprint with Atrium acquisition. cirmagazine.com. 15 August 2016 . Continuity Insurance and Risk. 11 November 2016.
  23. Web site: BSI acquires creative environment solutions east coast ehs . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 20 September 2019.
  24. Web site: Sims. Brian. BSI moves to acquire UK cyber security and assurance expert Info-Assure Ltd. risk-uk.com. Risk UK. 11 November 2016. 11 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161111201305/http://www.risk-uk.com/bsi-moves-acquire-uk-cyber-security-assurance-expert-info-assure-ltd/. dead.
  25. Web site: BSI completes third EHS consulting firm acquisition of 2016 with addition of Quantum Management Group Inc . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 3 May 2019.
  26. Web site: BSI strengthens position in Asia Pacific with acquisition of Neville Clarke. 2022-02-04. bsigroup.com. en-GB.
  27. Web site: Aircert acquisition strengthens BSI certification offer . aircraftinteriorsinternational.com . 15 November 2018 . Aircraft Interiors . 3 May 2019.
  28. Web site: BSI acquires AppSec Consulting . cirmagazine.com . 4 April 2019 . CIR Magazine . 3 May 2019.
  29. Web site: BSI strengthens its healthcare business with the acquisition of Q-Audit . bsigroup.com . BSI Group . 1 February 2021 . 1 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210201170526/https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/about-bsi/media-centre/press-releases/2021-press-releases/february/bsi-strengthens-its-healthcare-business-with-the-acquisition-of-q-audit/ . dead .
  30. Construction Products Association, BSI Identify, accessed 16 July 2022
  31. BSI Group, BSI Identify: New ID technology to bring transparency and product traceability through the built environment supply chain, published 15 November 2021, accessed 13 December 2021
  32. Turk, A. in interview with Cameron, H., Why product traceability matters, Barbour ABI, published November 2021, accessed 13 December 2021

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