What is BS 10025:2021 about?
All organizations need to manage records to support their business needs and objectives, help meet legal and regulatory obligations, and leverage the value of the information produced to drive business improvement and innovation. BS 10025:2021 is a new standard giving practical guidance on how.
NOTE: The code uses the term “records” for whatever an organization produces, receives and accumulates in the delivery of its operations and activities – but recommends that, as part of its policy, an organization defines and describes the term that it feels works best for it, if different.
Who is BS 10025:2021 for?
BS 10025 applies to all organizations whatever their size, complexity, or operating environments. It is relevant to organizations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, agencies, authorities, charities, companies, corporations, government departments, institutions, partnerships, universities, and sole traders.
The code is intended for anyone who has responsibility for managing an organization’s records – not just professionals or experts in records management and related areas. In particular the code is written for all those in an organization who have a lead role in the management of records but may not be familiar with principles and good practice. It's also for those who support specific areas of the management of records, for example developers of IT systems being used to capture, process, and store records.
It's recommended that an organization give operational responsibility for the overall management of records to a worker with the necessary knowledge and skills and that the organization’s policy and related business rules are based on consultation with specialists and relevant experts.
What does BS 10025:2021 cover?
This new UK code of practice offers practical guidance to help organizations manage their records. It covers whatever an organization produces, receives, and accumulates in the delivery of its operations and activities, which it may call data, documents, information, documented information, or a combination of all these terms.
BS 10025 highlights relevant national, international and other standards with useful further information e.g. BS EN ISO/IEC 27002. It also advocates that management of records is embedded into an organization’s core business processes and tools and isn’t treated as a standalone activity.
Why should you use BS 10025:2021?
It will help organizations to:
- Leverage the information value of records to support business needs and objectives and drive improvement and innovation
- Demonstrate to interested parties that they’re following good practice in the management of records – stakeholders might be citizens, taxpayers, customers, regulators, or the courts
- Meet legal and regulatory obligations: in particular the requirements of GDPR and Freedom of information (FoI)
- Implement information security more effectively
- Accelerate innovation
- Develop expertise in the management of records
- Improve efficiency and save time
- Manage risk better