Quality Mark for IT SMEs – a worldwide launch

The ESICenter Global Alliance has launched worldwide the IT Mark Certification for quality and maturity of the Business Processes in SMEs that develop and maintain Information Technology (IT) Systems.

The IT Mark is a reference for IT SMEs. Thus they can demonstrate their customers the state-of-the-practice processes enable them to provide best-in-class Services and Products. On the other hand, the customers can distinguish Good Suppliers from the rest.

IT Mark assesses and certifies the quality of SMEs from three points of view: first, related to overall Business Management (strategic, commercial, financial, marketing, etc); second, on Information Security Management; third, specifically related to the Maturity of their IT Development Processes. In all three levels the world recognised models are followed.

In matters relating to Business Management the reference used is the 10-Squared model. From the Information Security Management point of view, the reference model is the ISO 17799, whereas for Software & Systems Maturity a lightweight version of CMMI is used, a model globally acknowledged by the IT world. ESI has broad experience in providing services to enterprises in all five continents.

IT Mark differentiates three increasing maturity grades -One, Two and Three Stars- depending on the Maturity shown by the SMEs processes. The Service also defines Improvement Actions and seeks to launch a process of Continuous Improvement in the SME.

Out of a total of quarter of a million firms in Europe - 99.8% of the IT sector's companies are SMEs (up to 250 employees), and 85% are micro-SMEs (up to 10 employees). These figures give a clear notion of IT Mark potential market dimensions.