New ISO 20252 Standard released

Re: Introducing a new ISO 20252:2019 Standard for Industry

As the reputational and financial risk of being revealed as an untrustworthy data host continues to escalate, never has AMSRO’s need to support members across quality standards been greater or more important.

AMSRO Trust Mark members – certified to ISO 20252:2012; working under Australia’s only legislated industry privacy code; adhering to the industry code of ethics; and endorsed with the Trust Mark – know all too well, the value having quality practices in place to ensure effective risk management across the company.

I am therefore pleased to advise that AMSRO’s investment to co-develop a globally recognised and streamlined ISO Standard (undertaken over the past four years), has now been realised, with the new Standard ISO:20252:2019 available via SAI Standards Australia. 

Note – Cost is $290.  SAI Global owns the license for the Standard.

It is important your organisations purchase the 2019 standard containing the ‘annexes’, as per the diagram below.

The release of this new standard is a significant change from the existing ISO 20252 and the panel access standard ISO 26362, with some substantial content and format changes that will affect all ISO certified companies.

The changes combine the previous ISO 20252 & ISO 26362 and move the standard to a mandatory framework and a series of compulsory annexes (where applicable across your business). ISO 26362: 2009 has been withdrawn and incorporated into ISO 20252:2018 which covers both online and offline access panels. This is as a result of the emergence and global acceptance of online sampling as a primary sample source. Data analytics and digital observation are also more prominent.

The revised ISO 20252 standard has a stronger focus on information security and is based around annexes which cover the various methodologies.

The new ISO 20252:2019 framework:  

All new company certifications commencing in May 2019 should address ISO 20252:2019.

Certified companies will have until December 2020 to comply with this new standard.

As part of our ongoing commitment to best practice and supporting our members, AMSRO will be providing a suite of new resources, including a comparative workbook and templates to ensure your staff are across their new compliance obligations under the revised standard.

Further to this, AMSRO is working with the following independent certification bodies to ensure their auditors are suitably trained to the new standard and meet industry expectation in terms of providing our members the very best service.

AMSRO recognised certification bodies (under the new standard) for 2019 include:

• Best Practice Certification – https://www.bestpracticecertification.com.au
• ISO Experts – a new company headed up by Terry Dold (former market and social research auditor for BSI and BPC)-http://www.isoexperts.com.au
• CIRQ (in association with the Insights Association and suitable for global/multi-national certification) – https://www.insightsassociation.org/tags/cirq

These certification companies have auditors fully trained to the new Standard and are working in partnership with AMSRO to provide members a subsidised (and exclusive) membership offer for both Small and Medium sized businesses.  The cost for each is available from each of the suppliers or you can contact AMSRO on (02) 8017 6717 to find out more.

Please note: A one-off transitional fee to the new standard may be charged by certification bodies.

Clients need to know that when using an AMSRO Trust Mark Research Company they can feel confident your organisation’s integrity, profits and reputation is being protected by a research supplier engaging in legally compliant and independently audited market and social research methods.  We therefore recommend members use one of the above companies for certification under the new standard.

If your company’s audit is not being conducted by one of the above, please contact me at sarah@amsro.com.au or 02 8017 6717 to discuss your options.