The International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS) is a globally recognized method for assessing business management systems throughout the railway supply chain. It is based on ISO 9001 and is customized to the specific needs of the global railway industry.

Who Should Apply for IRIS? 

IRIS is a certification programme for manufacturers of parts, components, and rail-mounted vehicles, as well as operators.

The Benefits of IRIS(Railways)

• • Instil confidence in your products and services by demonstrating that they meet the rail industry's expectations and standards.
• • In addition to increased efficiency and effectiveness, IRIS allows you to supply all significant rail manufacturers.
• • IRIS shares elements with ISO 9001:2015, making it simple to integrate with the standards you already use.
• • IRIS certification and ISO/TS 22163 are globally recognized and provide access to best practices from the rail industry.
   

How Can QACA Help You?

A Quality Austria Central Asia certificate verifies that internal corporate processes have been checked and are in compliance with the relevant standard for IRIS(Railways). In addition, our certified certification body conducts audits that follow the IRIS(Railways). 

You can request a certificate from us to evaluate your organization's performance based on IRIS(Railways).

MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification is an extensive drive to create awareness amongst MSMEs about Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) practices and motivate and incentivize them for ZED Certification while also encouraging them to become MSME Champions.

Objective:

The ZED Certification envisages the promotion of Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) practices amongst MSMEs so as to:

• • Encourage and enable MSMEs for manufacturing quality products using the latest technology, and tools & to constantly upgrade their processes for the achievement of high quality and high productivity with the least effect on the environment
• • Develop an Ecosystem for ZED Manufacturing in MSMEs, for enhancing competitiveness and enabling exports
• • Promote the adoption of ZED practices and recognize the efforts of successful MSMEs
• • Encourage MSMEs to achieve higher ZED Certification levels through graded incentives
• • Increase public awareness on demanding Zero Defect and Zero Effect products through the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification
• • Identify areas to improve upon, thereby assisting the Government in policy decisions and investment prioritization
• • Quality Austria Central Asia is an approved Assessment agency for ZED Certification authorized by the ZED Division of Quality Council of India (QCI). Quality Austria Central Asia has been carrying out ZED certification audits since the inception of the scheme.

MSMEs can apply for certification at any of the following three levels:

• • Certification Level 1: BRONZE (5 Parameters)
• • Certification Level 2: SILVER (14 Parameters)
• • Certification Level 3: GOLD (20 Parameters)

Eligibility:

All MSMEs registered with the UDYAM registration portal (of the MoMSME) will be eligible to participate in MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification and avail of related benefits/incentives.

Process:

Registration > ZED Pledge > Zed Certification Level selection > Document Upload & Verification > Closures of Gaps > Issuance of Certificate.

To Register: Complete the registration form: https://forms.gle/2WTzPntRHSGPhb4c9

Certification Fees:

Refer discount on certification fees up to 100%

• • Certification Level 1: BRONZE (5 Parameters) – INR 10,000
• • Certification Level 2: SILVER (14 Parameters) – INR 40,000
• • Certification Level 3: GOLD (20 Parameters) – INR 90,000

Incentives:

• • MSMEs will be given financial assistance/ subsidy for obtaining a ZED Certification Level.
• • An MSME unit will get a subsidy as per the following structure, on the cost of certification:

1. Micro Enterprises: 80%
2. Small Enterprises: 60%
3. Medium Enterprises: 50%

• • There will be an additional subsidy of 10% for the MSMEs owned by Women/SC/ST Entrepreneurs OR MSMEs in NER/ Himalayan/LWE / Island territories / aspirational districts.
• • In addition to the above, there will be an additional subsidy of 5% for MSMEs which are also a part of the SFURTI OR Micro & Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) of the Ministry.

A limited-purpose joining reward of Rs.10,000/- will be offered to each MSME once they take the ZED Pledge which needs to be utilized within a defined time period for the purpose defined as per the following modalities:

1. This joining reward may be used by an applicant MSME only once while applying for a ZED Certification (Bronze, Silver, and Gold).
2. If the joining reward is used for any Certification, then the cost of the reward will be first deducted from the cost of Certification and then the Subsidy may apply if applicable. For example, if an MSME uses the reward for applying for Bronze Certification, the effective cost to MSME becomes zero, while in case an MSME applies for the Silver or Gold Certification, the reward amount will be adjusted in the Certification Cost and the subsidy will apply on the balance amount as per the type of the MSME (Micro, Small or Medium).
3. This joining reward will be valid only for 1 year after taking the ZED Pledge.

Some of the Benefits of ZED Certification:

• • Access to Digital MSME Subscription
• • International Cooperation (IC) Scheme
• • Stall Charges are subject to a maximum of Rs.3.50 lakh or actual rent paid, whichever is lower
• • Economy class airfare is subject to a maximum of Rs. 1.75 lakh or actual fare paid, whichever is lower
• • Financial Institution Incentives (Processing Fees Waiver – up to 0.5%, Interest Rate Waiver – up to 1%)
• • Technology Transfer and Quality Certification, ZED Certification - The fee payable for obtaining BIS/ ISO/ FSSAI/ AGMARK/ HALLMARK/ SILK MARK/ ZED Certification, etc., and fee payable for getting Technical knowhow/ Technology transfer from any recognized national /international research laboratories/ Technical Institutes/ University, Institutions like CFTRI, CIPET, etc. by eligible unit, will be provided subsidy up to the extent of 75%, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 10.00 lakh.
• • Quality Certification Subsidy -   The new and existing Micro, Small, and Medium category industries established by general category entrepreneurs in the State shall be reimbursed 50% of the amount spent, a maximum of Rs. 5 Lakh for obtaining ISO 9001, ISO14001, ISO 45001, ISO22000 category, IS certification, ZED certification, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) certification LEBP certification in the field of new and renewable energy, Euro Standard or other similar national/international certification.

Additionally, you can visit the below website for more details: https://zed.msme.gov.in/

Security sTar Agencies Rating Scheme is a voluntary Certification and Rating Scheme for Private Security Agencies. The private security industry (PSI) of India is comprised of over 22,000 Private Security Agencies regulated through the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act-2005 and the Rules as applicable in the jurisdiction. Quality Council of India (QCI), India’s apex quality facilitation and national accreditation body, and the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), the prominent organization for security professionals jointly owns the scheme.

Quality Austria Central Asia (QACA) is the pioneer and leading Certification Body that has been approved by QCI to take this quality initiative ahead in the field of Security and certify various PSAs to different levels as per the scheme criteria. QACA is being at the forefront of this scheme and an important stakeholder of this entire value chain.

 As a Certification body, QACA will certify the PSAs and the certified PSAs will have all the necessary requirements that one looks for in terms of credibility while engaging them for security requirements. While certifying a PSA, QACA assesses it on the basis of global best practices, international standards and Private Security Agencies Regulation Act-2005 licensing requirements that are prescribed in sTar agency guidelines.

Certification Levels under the Security sTar Agencies Rating (STAR) Scheme are as follows:

• Level 1 – One Star – Meeting Compliance Requirements
• Level 2 – Two Star – Established Compliance Management
• Level 3 – Three Star – Consistent Operations
• Level 4 – Four Star – Sustained Performance
• Level 5 – Five Star – Assured Quality
• Level 6 – Six Star – Trusted Excellence
• Level 7 – Seven Star – Professionally Managed Security Operations

The importance of this scheme can be understood by the fact that ‘Government e Market’ place under the ‘Security and Manpower Services’ has mentioned the sTar Security Scheme at the document submission stage recognizing the merits and acceptability of the Scheme. The Scheme has been aimed to enhance the credibility of the PSA. The fact that this certificate is recognised in the national and international market gives tremendous opportunities to the PSA to open up new vistas of business across the globe. Hence QACA strongly recommends PSAs to avail this opportunity and get themselves STAR RATED.

For any clarification, you can go through the Scheme document enclosures or may contact us directly at: marketing@qacamail.com or prateek.kishor@qacamail.com

Kindly, download the registration form and mail us the filled copy for getting a quotation.

For Scheme related documents please visit the following link:

https://qcin.org/security-star-agencies-rating-scheme

We’re in a digital economy where data is more valuable than ever. It’s the key to the smooth functioning of everything from effective administration to businesses. Without it, progress would halt. You probably have heard the expression "data is the new oil." In fact, data today is fuelling an increasing number of businesses. Personalized customer experiences, automated marketing messages, and science-driven insights all depend on the quality and volume of the information. Firms are eager to collect data. Regulators, on the other hand, are working hard to protect the privacy and safety of individual and organizational data.
Businesses often face challenges globally as they aim to comply with data privacy regulations like Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) & other local regulations. In India currently, data privacy is in an amorphous state and soon with the adoption of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2022 stringent rules and regulations will be in place to manage information privacy. The French data protection authority, the CNIL, has recently recognized the interest of the ISO/IEC 27701:2019 standard for data protection. To demonstrate organizational compliance with data privacy and security there are various management systems that can be adopted and one of them is ISO 27701.

ISO 27701:2019 is the first global privacy management standard. It sets out requirements relating to the implementation of a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). The ISO 27701 standard serves to demonstrate compliance with data protection regulations and represents an extension of the well-known ISO 27001. Both standards and the combined management system are based on the principles of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and information. The conformity with the standard’s requirements is certifiable & businesses can get certified by adoption and implementation of the requirements of the standard.  The ISO/IEC 27701:2019 proposes a set of additional requirements and guides dedicated to the protection of personal data in extension to ISO 27001.

Risk-based Approach

The ISO/IEC 27701 encapsulates a risk management process defined by ISO as the “organized application of management policies, procedures, and practices to the activities of communicating, consulting, establishing the context, identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and reviewing risk.’ In the ISO/IEC 27701:2019, the risk management process aims to assess and address the data security risks associated to the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data.

Certification Process

This is typically a two-stage process consisting of a system appraisal and an initial assessment, the duration of which is dependent on the size and nature of your organization.
The successful demonstration by an organization against the requirement of the ISO 27701 standard during the third-party assessment by the Conformity body will result in certification. The certification cycle is of 3 years with which the first year being for Readiness and Certification Audit. In the following 2 years, annual Surveillance audits are conducted to assess compliance with the existing system requirements and to capture the changes, if any.

Need and Benefits of adopting ISO 27701

• Ensures legal and regulatory compliance.  
• Minimizes the risk of data privacy breaches and hence the potential consequences.  
• Building trust with existing stakeholders and potential customers. 
• Defines roles and responsibilities clearly 
• Offers a structured framework that could be used by businesses to streamline their internal personal data processing activities.
• ISO 27701 satisfies the demand from your customers and suppliers for managing the data privacy requirements. 

How can we help?

Quality Austria offers the Certificate for Privacy Information Management Systems as per ISO 27701 standard – in the form of an extension to ISO 27001. Our assessors are qualified professionals with sector-specific information security and IT experience that matches your business needs, ensuring an effective audit of your system. Our certification mark is accepted worldwide, making it a demonstration tool for your system to showcase compliance with data privacy practices.
For any query or support, write to us at: marketing@qacamail.com;