Flooding Then Pandemic Proves Immensely Challenging For South Wales Construction Firm Who Clinch Their ISO 27001 Recertification

A South Wales construction company which continues to play a major role in helping to redevelop properties hit by flooding at the start of the year, at the same time trying to operate safe workplaces and practices in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, has just passed its international certification for information security.

Camilleri Construction is a building firm which concentrates on insurance-related projects, so the provision of the global standard ISO 27001 is crucial when handling data in the financial and insurance sector.

The company said that they had successfully managed to juggle all of the challenges of 2020 so far, and that they were particularly delighted to have been given the ‘seal of approval’ regarding their handling of policy holder and client information.

Ceri Camilleri, Risk & Compliance Manager at Camilleri Construction, said: “This year has been a difficult one for so many people and businesses alike, and we have been no different – which is why we have been particularly indebted to the work of our ISO consultants, The Ideas Distillery, who have supported us again this year in securing our ISO 27001 certificate with no issues whatsoever.

“In February, residents of houses and commercial properties in South Wales, and other areas of the UK, were battling flooding as a series of storms battered parts of the country. As they sort through sodden possessions in the aftermath, saving what they could, many were made homeless and told it could be up to nine months before they could return to their homes.

“Camilleri Construction quickly mobilised to try to turn around as many of these houses as possible and took on 80 flood-related projects, working long hours to get people out of emergency accommodation and back into their homes and businesses as soon as possible.

“Refurbishment of these houses and commercial properties were progressing steadily, until the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Driven by the thought of many homeowners and businesses enduring the trauma of being locked down, we were determined to redouble our efforts to complete as many projects as quickly as possible.

“During this time we were audit against our full suite of standards – ISO 9001 which is our quality systems; ISO 14001 is about our environmental performance; ISO 445001 which shows our commitment to health and safety; and ISO 27001 which demonstrates our competency in handling information securely.

“I want to pay testament to the professionalism and sheer hard work given to us by our consultants, The Ideas Distillery, in making sure these went utterly smoothly, with no issues – even minor ones – given in our audits, despite the difficult conditions we were working under.

“We now want to look forward to playing our part in rebuilding our economy which has taken a battering thanks to the pandemic,” she said.

Camilleri Construction is a CIOB Chartered Building Company and NHBC Registered Builder specialising in high-net-worth insurance repairs. The Company is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 27001:2013, and achieved the 2020 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold award.

The company also supports defence personnel and has recently received the bronze award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. It aims to achieve the Silver Award in 2021 as part of its continuing recruitment strategy supporting defence personnel.

Russell Lawson. Managing Director of The Ideas Distillery, said: “This is fantastic news for Camilleri Construction and, as a company, they really deserve it.

“They are a great company to work with, and really take their compliance obligations seriously – all of the standards they operate they genuinely live throughout their whole business, which is obviously why they are the go-to construction company for insurance firms operating in South Wales and the West.

“This is exactly the type of company that we need to nurture and develop and will be crucial to any recovery post-COVID.

“If anyone wants to take a look at how a company should operate with an emphasis on using management systems, developing a competent workforce and having a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, then they shouldn’t look any further than this company.

“We wish Camilleri Construction continued success in everything they do,” he said.