Category: Blog

Peter Ellis joins The Bank of England’s Decision Making Panel

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Smith & Ouzman’s Finance Director Peter Ellis has been confirmed as a member of the Bank of England Decision Maker Panel for Brexit implications. The Bank of England acts as an advisory body to the Government and plays a key role in managing the economy. In the wake of the Brexit vote it has launched an important initiative to engage Finance Directors from across industries and around the country to be part of a Decision Maker Panel. The purpose of the panel is to help the Bank understand the implications of Brexit for businesses on the ground. Peter will Read More …

Funding Ambulances in Kenya

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Seeing the arrival of these ambulances in Kenya is a positive conclusion to a very painful experience for all concerned at Smith & Ouzman; it had long been hoped that this might be the outcome of negotiations between the British and Kenyan governments. Lessons have been learnt which have benefited Smith & Ouzman’s ongoing development, with new market leading bribery and corruption prevention management systems being put in place. Smith & Ouzman is also the first company in the security print industry to attain BS10500 accreditation (soon to become ISO37001). We are sure that our experiences have helped open the eyes Read More …

Certificate Fraud: a Resolution

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Not all of us are the type to have made a New Year’s resolution. Perhaps everything in your life is already perfectly in place (lucky you), or you already possess the will to achieve your goals without a ritualised resolution. Maybe you’re unwilling to set yourself up for inevitable disappointment, or maybe… you just think the whole thing is a load of old cod. For those of us that do take that sacred oath when January comes around, whatever the resolution may be, we can all agree the aim of the commitment is in pursuit of one thing: change. Read More …

Protecting certificates. Preserving reputations.

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Following the government’s commitment in June 2015 to crackdown on bogus university degree certificates by prosecuting and taking down fraudulent websites, it was encouraging to see this week’s BBC news, reporting that more than 40 fraudulent websites have recently been shut down. The sites closed included those selling authentic-looking certificates using the names of real British universities. Others were providers offering distance learning courses, but were not valid UK degree awarding bodies. September alone saw the closure of four bogus university sites and three websites selling fake degree certificates from multiple UK universities including Stafford University, which had been Read More …

Epayslipsecure: Payroll World Awards Finalist for second year running!

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Epayslipsecure has once again been selected by a panel of industry experts, as a Finalist in the ‘Technology’ category at the 2016 Payroll World Awards, to be held at the Hilton London Bankside on November 3rd. This follows Epayslipsecure’s nomination in the same category in 2015, which was won by Channel 4 TV.  Commenting on the recent announcement by Payroll World magazine, Epayslipsecure’s Business Development Manager, Martin Wright said, “As a comparative newcomer to the industry, to receive back-to-back nominations at the UK payroll industry’s premier awards, is recognition of the hard work and innovation which has gone into creating Epayslipsecure and Read More …

Welcome, Ecertsecure

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The face of certification is changing. As the world moves ever faster into the digital realm, the way in which certificates are issued, shared and verified is in transition – and it’s connectivity that’s the driving force. Modern certificates depend on numerous connections throughout their lifetime. Student data needs to connect to certificate software. Certificate software must connect to the institution. The institution to the student. The student to the employer. And to verify the certificate, a good employer should, through the institution, connect back to the student data. By combining an understanding of how institutions are issuing certificates, Read More …

MORE DEVICES. MORE EXPECTATIONS

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AS DIGITALLY CONNECTED DEVICES PLAY AN INCREASINGLY CENTRAL ROLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES, EMERGESECURE’s MARTIN WRIGHT LOOKS AT WHY E-PAYSLIPS SHOULD BE EMBRACED BY EVERY ORGANISATION Electronic payslips have become standard for many, as employers provide access to payslips via online portals, email and apps, while others remain reluctant to migrate from paper formats, claiming it is still the primary choice among an ageing workforce and expressing concerns over security, data control and business continuity. The reality however, is that epayslip integration can be simple, seamless and secure, with a range of benefits that are felt across Read More …

Smith & Ouzman is helping Royal Mail overcome poll card processing problems

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Automated sorting equipment has streamlined mail sorting in the UK, but not without creating many challenges for Royal Mail, especially when processing card products such as poll cards. At Smith & Ouzman we are currently working with Royal Mail to help them resolve these problems without changing the unit cost of the poll card product, thereby minimising the impact of change upon local authorities. Two issues that cause rejections of poll cards within the feeding and sorting processes are the flat nature of card material and the dual address format printed on the face of the cards. Sorting equipment Read More …