Certification Demonstrates Commitment to Data Security 

Chanhassen, Minn. - As part of its Continuous Improvement initiatives, IWCO Direct, a leading provider of direct marketing solutions, announced it has achieved ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS) certification through BSI Group America Inc. The certification signifies IWCO Direct has met internationally-accepted benchmarks and standards for protecting the data of its customers and the organization.

IWCO Direct aggressively pursued certification due to the growing use of consumer data to drive relevancy and performance in direct mail campaigns. Using consumer data to personalize direct mail makes it more relevant to consumers’ interests and more effective for marketers. Protection of this data is critically important. ISO/IEC 27001 is the only auditable international standard which defines the requirements for an ISMS. In order to achieve certification, IWCO Direct was required to meet or exceed established benchmarks relating to the physical plant, information technology and internal process controls of its data security system. IWCO Direct’s certification will remain valid for three years, during which regular internal and external audits will be conducted to ensure that security practices remain in place.

“With data quickly becoming the new currency, our ISO 27001 certification is tangible proof we’re taking the initiative to drive security to the next level and safeguard one of our customers’ most valuable assets,” stated Chris Van Houtte, vice president of information technology at IWCO Direct. “Marketers should be asking tough questions of their direct mail production partners and requiring them to have the technology, systems and protocols in place to adequately protect their data.”

IWCO Direct’s ISO 27001 certification is further demonstration of the company’s Continuous Improvement initiatives that are focused on streamlining operations, enhancing security and increasing efficiencies. The company recently expanded its Level 1 Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard 2.0 (PCI DSS) compliance certification across all IWCO Direct facilities. The company was also recently awarded G7^® Master Qualification from IDEAlliance^®. With the G7 methodology and best practices, IWCO Direct can achieve a faster, more consistent color match between the proof and printed sheet on web, sheetfed, digital and flexo presses. In addition, IWCO Direct is actively implementing Lean Manufacturing principles across its platform.