BI Incorporated achieves recertification for ISO 9001:2008 based on quality standards
Certification involves design, production, service levels
After an intensive audit, BI Incorporated announced today that it has been recertified for ISO 9001:2008, an industry-leading management standard developed by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) for quality processes and services.
Det Norske Veritas, one of the world’s most respected ISO-certification bodies, completed the independent audit and granted BI recertification for its product development, manufacturing, service and monitoring center operations. This certification is valid until Jan. 20, 2016.
“BI has been a major proponent of the development of high quality standards for the industry,” said Bruce Thacher, BI President and CEO. “We first earned ISO certification in 1995. Since then, we have been audited and re-certified several times and we will continue to make this effort because it is good for us and the industry.”
Formed in 1978, BI is the nation’s largest provider of offender monitoring equipment, treatment, training and supervision for correctional agencies. The company’s location monitoring technologies, including sophisticated Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking, radio-frequency, and alcohol monitoring systems, are used throughout the United States. BI equipment is used to monitor approximately 50,000 individuals in the United States daily for federal, state and local correctional agencies.
“The audit and certification process is intense every six months, but we believe it is important for us and the industry to reach for the highest standards possible,” Thacher added.
Since ISO 9001:2008 applies to processes, not products, it does not contain technical specifications; rather it contains criteria for quality management, which refers to what an organization does to ensure that its products and services meet customer requirements. To meet these criteria, BI established and measures uniform and continuous quality management practices in eight areas involving customer satisfaction, internal processes and systems, information gathering, and supplier relationships.
The ISO 9001:2008 standard includes a strong emphasis on customer service and satisfaction. BI has encouraged governmental agencies, including state, county and local corrections departments, to demand manufacturers of electronic monitoring equipment meet the most current ISO standards and become certified. Today, many agencies are making ISO certification a requirement during the procurement process.
For more information about the International Organization of Standardization, go to: www.iso.ch
About BI Incorporated (www.bi.com)
Established in 1978, BI Incorporated is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The GEO Group (NYSE: GEO), a global leader in the delivery of correctional, detention, and residential treatment services to federal, state, and local government agencies. BI provides a full continuum of offender monitoring technologies and community reentry services for parolees, probationers, pretrial defendants and illegal aliens involved in the U.S. immigration court process. BI also owns and operates an ISO-certified national monitoring center, providing 24/7 expert support supervision services exclusively to governmental agencies. BI works closely with corrections officials to cost effectively reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and strengthen the communities they serve.
