InfoSecurity

Jun 29, 2006
BSI acquires Entropy International

NEW DELHI -- BSI Group recently accquired one of the world’s leading providers of performance and sustainability software solutions, Entropy International. The acquisition will enhance BSI’s portfolio of performance management solutions for its global business customers.

Entropy International is a UK and North American-based company providing large multi-national clients with an integrated web-based tool for assessing and managing risk, performance, and compliance, across environment, health and safety and quality management systems.

BSI, which operates in 86 countries, is a world leader in the development of bespoke standardisation solutions and the delivery of management systems standards assessments. BSI’s reputation and expertise in a wide range of current and new standards areas such as risk and continuity management, relationship management, corporate social responsibility and emissions verification will considerably broaden the application of Entropy’s software system.

BSI operates worldwide to provide organisations with independent third-party certification of their management systems, including ISO9001 (Quality), ISO14001 (Environment), OHSAS18001 (Occupational Health and Safety), ISO/IEC 27001 (previously BS7799 for Information Security), ISO/IEC 20000 (previously BS15000 for IT Service Management) and Food Safety, including ISO22000.

Commenting on the need for information security, Neeraj Gupta, Vice President, sales and marketing, BSI Management Systems, India, said: "There is a need to establish a comprehensive Information Security Policy within all organisations. The organisations need to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of corporate as well as and customer information. The standard for Information Security Management System (ISMS), BS 7799 (now ISO/IEC 27001:2005), has fast become one of the world's established biggest sellers. BSI Management Systems offers a cost-effective and highly efficient independent assessment service to help the organisations achieve registration to an Information Security Management System (ISMS)."

An information security management system (ISMS) is a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information and information entrusted to companies by third parties so that it remains secure.

"BSI had published BS7799 (now ISO27001:2005) and ISO/IEC 17799 to assist companies with implementing a management system for the protection of information," added Neeraj.

Information security does not end at implementing the latest firewall, or hiring a 24-hour sub-contracted security firm. The overall approach to information security, and integration of different security initiatives, need to be managed in order for each element to be most effective. That's where an ISMS comes in. "It allows the organisations to co-ordinate their security efforts effectively," noted Neeraj

Neeraj informed: "BSI plans to extend its integrated approach. The company is expanding into operational risk management assessment as well as environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions verification services."