Ministry of Defence Adopts First-Ever Business Collaboration Standard from BSI

LONDON, November 18, 2010 - As post-recession challenges bite, business leaders and managers are
evaluating their optimum approach to customers, suppliers and partners.
Consensus across all sectors is that a collaborative approach will deliver
better value for customers and provide suppliers with a stable environment
that encourages sustainable growth.

In recognition, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has committed to adopt the
first-ever standard on business collaboration - namely BS 11000, developed by
BSI. Having already worked with numerous companies on a collaborative basis,
the MoD affirms that collaborative working will feature as a key element of
their business operation wherever it is shown to be appropriate.

The challenges that MoD faces in the future will continue to require
various forms of joint working to ensure that it drives the greatest amount
of innovation, efficiency and value from the supply chain that supports
Defence. Overall efficacy of these relationships, however, is largely
dependent upon an understanding of the principles of collaboration. As MoD
concurs, this is where BS 11000 steps in. The newly-introduced BSI standard
is designed to provide specific guidance, smoothing the path to an increasing
number of collaborative arrangements.

MoD engages with industry on collaborative programmes to continually
increase the value it receives from the money it spends. In recognition of
this benefit the Department has adopted the principles of BS11000 and is
embedding these across the MoD and the defence industry.

This standard was introduced in order to provide the first-ever,
all-inclusive principles of collaboration. It is based on a previous Public
Available Specification - PAS 11000 - which was initiated by Partnership
Sourcing Ltd (PSL), as a joint initiative between the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Confederation of Business
Industry (CBI).

BSI's CEO Howard Kerr says: "Strategic partnerships are critical to
business success. With businesses and sectors worldwide looking to move
forward from economic recovery, organisational partnerships are becoming
increasingly attractive. The new BSI standard provides organizations with a
strategic framework to improve collaborative relationships, apply good
practice principles, and manage valuable business relationships within the
supply chain."

An example of partnering for innovation and efficiency is demonstrated by
Ascent Flight Training, which recently achieved PAS 11000 certification.
Ascent - a Public Private Partnership (PPP) approach combining Ascent, the
Directorate of Flying Training for No 22 (Training) Group and the UK Military
Flying Training System Integrated Project Team (MFTS IPT) from the MoD -
provides a world class flying training system for the UK's military aircrew.
By using the Collaborative Relationship framework, Ascent has achieved a
programme that is affordable, demonstrably value for money, and capable of
improving the quality of the equipment, courses and infrastructure.

About BSI

BSI Group is a global independent business services organization that
develops standards-based solutions to improve management practices and
promote innovation. BSI can help businesses, governments and other
organizations around the world to raise quality and performance in a
sustainable and socially responsible way. From its origins as the world's
first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years'
experience, working with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50
offices. To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com

Chiara Carella, PR Manager, BSI Group, +44(0)20-8996-7248, Mobile: +44(0)77-6835-8730, chiara.carella at bsigroup.com