Innovation

"Our time is precious. It's overwhelmingly cheaper to get a third party in to help you. We wouldn't have had the time to do this ourselves.

"The subject matter is broad and very detailed, and with a heavy workload it's not an easy project to take on. But Chloe is always so knowledgeable, enthusiastic and has lots of energy. She helps lift people up and became an invaluable member of the team."

Mark Sinclair, Managing Partner

The company

Innovation helps organisations with vehicle fleets of all sizes to capture business mileage accurately, check each trip for HMRC compliance and generate significant ongoing savings for their clients. Founded 20 years ago as a tax consultancy, it now works with some of the UK's largest private sector fleets, the biggest with around 8,500 vehicles.

Managing partners Mark Sinclair and Nick Chambers joined the business in June 2024 and lead a team of 30 based in South Wales.

The challenge

Innovation works with a wide variety of fleets, including many of the UK's largest, which often belong to national and multinational companies with high expectations on quality and security. In 2025 it won a tender with a major services company, only to be asked straight afterwards whether it held ISO/IEC 27001.

Following the high-profile cyber attacks on Marks & Spencer and Jaguar Land Rover, the prospect required ISO 27001 from its suppliers. In 20 years of trading, Innovation had never been asked for it before.

Mark and Nick had experience of both ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, so the decision was clear: Innovation would gain both standards, and sooner than it had planned. The four-person executive team would lead the project themselves while running the business, so they needed a partner who could turn the standards into practical documents and processes without taking over their diaries.

The approach

Equas consultant Chloe Jones supplied templates and guidance, working with the executive team and colleagues from IT and finance. The work showed a well-run business with clear processes. What was missing was the paperwork to prove it: written policies, audit checks and issue logs.

With the documentation in place, Stage 1 went smoothly. The Stage 2 audit was carried out remotely, including a camera walk-round of the office's access controls, with Chloe on hand to point the assessor to the right evidence.

"Chloe had a detailed working knowledge of our documentation. Even though it's our business, during the audit she knew where to find the answers to any question that arose. If the assessor asked for something, she'd say it's here, there you go."

Mark Sinclair

The wider team took part in training sessions and briefings, but day-to-day processes did not need to change. The work was much more about documentation and controls.

The benefits

• 0

  Nonconformities at first certification

• 2

  Standards certified together at the first attempt

• 1 year

  Of ongoing Equas support to embed the system

Innovation achieved ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 certification in October 2026, at the first attempt and with zero nonconformities. Mark puts that down to a business that was already well run, and to Chloe.

"The whole process was structured and supportive. It was a really positive experience."

Mark Sinclair

The focus for the first year is to make the system part of the routine. A named member of staff now owns ISO, and Innovation has signed up for a year of ongoing support from Chloe, taking it through to its next audit in October 2027.

With ISO 27001 in place, Innovation meets the security requirements that its clients and prospects increasingly expect of their suppliers. Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are planned for 2027.

Google review

"Equas helped us at Innovation achieve ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification at the first attempt, with zero non-conformities. Chloe's knowledge, enthusiasm and practical guidance made a demanding project manageable alongside running the business. She became an invaluable member of our team, supporting us throughout the process and both audits. A really positive experience, highly recommended."

Mark Sinclair