ADSI lays out long-term ambitions
Professionalism, ethics, competence and principles are mainstays of new code of conduct for security trade body
Turning pro: ADSI hopes to address a "lack of professionalism in some parts of the industry"
Founding members of the Association of Data Security Integrators (ADSI) have expressed hope that membership will be a requirement on end user tenders within four years.
The newly launched not-for-profit body has eight founding members: GSS, Secon, MIS, Integralis, Network Defence, Foursys, Vistorm and 2e2.
Members must adhere to a code of conduct but David Hobson, managing director of GSS, said that the revenue bar for inclusion had been set deliberately low at about £2m to £2.5m.
Speaking on CRN TV, Hobson said that the idea first came about 18 months ago.
“It was a discussion on a beach in Spain where we were all together at a partner conference and were talking about the issues we face in the industry,” he said. “One of the challenges is the lack of professionalism in some parts of the industry and we wanted to address that.
“We do not want it to be an exclusive club for the larger companies; it is about professionalism throughout the industry.”
Rob Gupta, managing director of Secon, added: “A lot of our common customers had been approached by organisations that claimed to be security experts but are really just sales arms. ADSI addresses that.”
ADSI will initially be open only to integrators or VARs at the frontline of the channel. They will pay a £500 joining fee. As the association develops, vendors and distributors will also be allowed to join, while end users will be invited to help steer its strategy as external members.
Hobson said ADSI is designed not to be a drain on member resources but stressed that the body needs funds to promote itself to end users.
“This is not a profit centre. But if end users do not recognise our kitemark’s value, we have not achieved our aim,” he explained.
ADSI’s code of conduct comprises 15 points relating to ethics, competence and principles. Hobson hoped that in three or four years’ time end users would no longer enquire about suppliers’ insurance and ethics on tenders but simply ask whether or not they are an ADSI member.
Paul Prior, managing director of Foursys, said: “One of the main drivers of ADSI is to differentiate the systems integrators from those that do not have the requisite skills. Once customers see there is a group of recognised suppliers involved with ADSI, they will see it as having value.”
Gupta stressed that ADSI is seeking more members.
“We do not have any specific targets, but we encourage organisations with either a security practice or ones that are dedicated to delivering security solutions to make contact with us and to start adhering to the code,” he said. “It’s a trade association and it is open to all.”
James McKee, security manager at Qual, argued that ADSI would take a long time to establish its name at an end user level.
“Would I join? Not at the moment,” he said. “The people involved are respected companies in the market but are more well known to resellers than they are to end users. It has a long way to go.”