AIS 2000 Ltd

"AIS 2000 held and worked to a non-UKAS accredited ISO 9001 since 2003, but we were keen to move to a UKAS-accredited standard and at the same time implement BS 102000. On a recommendation we chose Equas, who appointed Mark Pendleton to work closely with us to guide, advise and support us during the implementation.

"It was a challenge to implement a combined project for ISO 9001 and BS 102000, which also includes a requirement for BS 7858. Having Equas on hand meant the process went smoothly. As Equas did the bulk of the work, our team were free to keep the business running as usual.

"AIS 2000 were extremely satisfied with the service and support we received from the consultant and the rest of the Equas team."

Paul Champion, Managing Director

The company

AIS, the Accident Investigation Service, was founded in 1994. The company employs over 70 investigators and operates nationwide including Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, with its head office in Cardiff.

All its investigators are detectives trained to a high standard, experienced in work ranging from protracted criminal matters, undercover operations and surveillance to fraud and financial irregularities, intellectual property investigations, asset tracing, national process serving and road traffic collision investigation.

The challenge

As an active member of the Association of British Investigators, Paul Champion was keen to demonstrate how BS 102000 could benefit companies and the industry as a whole. At the same time he wanted to maintain flexibility to respond to customer needs and achieve a return on the investment.

The approach

The consultant worked through the BS 102000 standard to establish how the company could most effectively comply.

AIS 2000 had maintained a non-accredited ISO 9001 certification since 2003, but decided the time was right to upgrade to UKAS-accredited certification. As that involves more rigorous auditing and assessment, a more extensive quality management system was required.

Equas developed an enhanced ISO 9001 system providing a core foundation, with additional processes and documents incorporated to satisfy BS 102000.

Code of ethics. AIS had an existing code of ethics based on the Association of British Investigators codes. This was compared against the requirements of the standard, and small amendments produced a fully compliant statement of the company's standards of operation.

BS 7858 security screening. The standard also requires background screening of staff and subcontractors carrying out investigation work. Equas helped AIS establish a formalised screening procedure with supporting forms and records.

The resulting framework was successfully assessed in a UKAS-witnessed audit against BS 102000 in November 2014, with UKAS-accredited ISO 9001 certification following in March 2015.

The benefits

Certification positioned AIS 2000 at the forefront of the private investigation industry, with customers gaining confidence in both the standards to which the company operates and the level of service it provides.