Approval Criteria

To achieve and retain NSI approval, companies must meet a wide range of criteria including technical standards relevant to how they provide their specific service and requirements covering the way their businesses are operated.  These include checks that companies:

  • carry out security screening to BS 7858 of all individuals in relevant employment
  • are financially sound with a capital base appropriate to turnover, normally including annual accounts covering two years prior to date of application
  • have persons managing, controlling and having principal interests in the ownership of the company that are demonstrably reputable persons of good standing
  • have suitably experienced managers and trained and qualified personnel, sufficient to meet obligations
  • operate from suitable and adequately secure premises
  • use suitable tools, equipment, test instruments and vehicles (where relevant)
  • hold product liability insurance cover extending to wrongful advice and failure to perform with a limit of indemnity (in respect of any one event and also in the aggregate) of at least one million pounds sterling
  • provide twenty-four hour cover (where relevant)
  • maintain sufficient level of trading activity
  • do not impose unreasonable contracts upon customers
  • have policy to encourage maintenance contracts for electronic security systems
  • have procedures in place for dealing with customer complaints effectively
  • adhere to all relevant industry Standards, Codes of Practice, etc
  • manage and conduct all business in accordance with stated policies, procedures and practices

Ongoing six-monthly inspections include;

  • review of new contracts to ensure they have been dealt with properly and efficiently
  • site visits to customer premises to inspect security systems for compliance with standards
  • review of any management & structural changes
  • checking that all new staff are security screened
  • checking that changes to industry standards etc are being implemented correctly
  • checking that training is being delivered effectively

In addition, the Quality Management Systems of NSI Gold approved companies are audited by NSI against the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001.