by Brianna Crandall — October 26, 2016 — ASIS International, the worldwide association for security management professionals, has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate and either reaffirm, or revise, its Management System for Quality of Private Security Company Operations — Requirements with Guidance American National Standard (PSC.1).
Developed in 2012 by a technical committee comprised of more than 200 members from 24 countries, the standard provides a mechanism for private security companies and their clients to provide demonstrable commitment, conformance, and accountability to the principles outlined in the International Code of Conduct (ICoC) for Private Security Service Providers.
ASIS is conducting this review process as part of its ANSI accreditation, which requires all standards to be evaluated at least once every five years. Technical committee formation is now underway, and interested parties are encouraged to request an application to join by contacting standards@asisonline.org close of business (COB) on November 4, 2016.
Private security operations or private security companies (collectively “PSCs”) are a critical element for supporting peace, development, and stability efforts in regions where the capacity of societal institutions has become overwhelmed by human or naturally caused disruptive events, notes ASIS. The standard helps PSCs ensure quality of service, manage risks, and protect human rights in areas of the world where rule of law has been undermined due to acts of war or natural disaster.
Christopher Mayer, director, Armed Contingency Contractor Policies and Programs at the U.S. Department of Defense, stated:
The PSC.1 standard has been a game changer for security service providers operating in high-risk environments. The Department of Defense made compliance to this standard a requirement for contractors and subcontractors for security functions outside the United States, and its adoption by ISO in 2015 has made it the global standard for quality and ethical private security company services.
ASIS has developed a series of PSC standards in support of the ICoC and Montreux Document, including standards for conformity assessment and a maturity model for the phased implementation of the ANSI/ASIS PSC.1-2012. For more information on the PSC series, visit the ASIS Web site.
