What is ISO?

Why ISO certification?

At Markteffect, large volumes of various types of data and information are processed daily. This includes research results, as well as personal data of our panel members and sometimes even personal data of our clients' contacts. Therefore, we attach great importance not only to robust information security but also to delivering reliable and high-quality work. Data is a core product for us, and by having our information security system independently audited, we can guarantee the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of all data. This ensures that we always serve our clients diligently and professionally.

With ISO 27001 certification, we not only demonstrate that our information security is up to standard, it also has a positive impact on the quality of our work. Our daily processes are regularly evaluated, and we constantly strive to improve ourselves. That is why we also have ISO 9001 certification (general quality standard) and ISO 20252 certification (quality standard for research agencies).

We are a fast-growing company. Because we hold these standards in high regard, we can stimulate our growth in a healthy way while continuing to deliver the quality our customers have come to expect.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 forms the basis of quality from which other certifications derive. It is a standard that reflects the requirements of a quality management system. It shows that a company can accurately and qualitatively meet customer demands. In simple terms, ISO 9001 boils down to:

• Say what you do
• Do what you say
• Proof that you have done this 

Where ISO 20252 is the quality standard that focuses specifically on market research, ISO 9001 is a quality standard for all companies. The criteria of ISO 9001 are embedded in ISO 27001 & ISO 20252.

What is ISO 27001?

The ISO 27001 standard is an information security standard. The standard describes a number of conditions that an organization must meet in order to guarantee that different types of data are secured in the correct manner. This takes into account the current state of technology. The standard is therefore updated regularly. The ISO 27001:2017 standard actually covers three main themes:

• Securing data in such a way that only formally authorized persons have access to it
• Monitoring data integrity: i.e., preventing unauthorized persons from making changes to data files
• Dealing with incidents: ensuring that data files are preserved in the event of, for example, fire or power failure

What is ISO 20252?

ISO 20252 is a quality standard specifically focused on market research. The standard outlines several conditions that an organization must meet to guarantee that research is conducted in a high-quality and consistent manner. The ISO 20252:2019 standard consists of a general (basic) part and six annexes. Each annex subsequently addresses a specific element within the research domain. Markteffect has obtained certification for five* of these annexes:

• Annex A: Sampling, including Access panels
• Annex B: Fieldwork
• Annex C: Physical Observation
• Annex E: Self Completion
• Annex F: Data management and processing

_{(Annex D does not relate to our activities and does not apply to our certification.)}