The Access Group

Access Screening

Access Screening is one of the UK’s most respected background screening providers offering comprehensive vetting capabilities.

Harnessing state-of-the-art functionalities, Access Screening delivers a highly automated cost-effective, user-friendly compliance solution that is already integrated into Access's own front office CRM system and can be integrated into HR and recruitment platforms.

Features

  • Screening technology platform, Cloud hosted
  • Large array of screening checks including Financial, Criminal, RTW, International
  • Real time dashboard, reports & live tracking
  • Digitial Signing integration
  • JSON API, Easy integration with ATS/HR systems
  • Responsive User Interface - PC, Tablet, Mobile
  • Self configuration available, Branding & White labelling
  • PDF Export of Candidate Information & MI Reporting
  • Full Audit history of actions & Flexible data collection configuration
  • Right to Work App - Compatible with IOS & Android

Benefits

  • Speeds up the recruitment process so placements are quicker
  • Reduces your recruitment costs
  • One stop shop screening compliance, no separate links to disclosures
  • Great Candidate & User experience - Easy to use
  • MI reports in real time
  • Can be accessed from any location or device
  • Assists with compliance and legislative changes
  • Integration with front/back office solutions means less re-keying
  • Automated data results allow swifter decisions
  • Ticketing system, fast responses, no waiting in long call queues

Pricing

£1 a transaction

  • Education pricing available

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at Natalie.GilesGrant@theaccessgroup.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

1 7 7 4 8 0 4 5 3 4 7 8 8 4 6

Contact

The Access Group Natalie Giles-Grant
Telephone: 01206322575
Email: Natalie.GilesGrant@theaccessgroup.com

Service scope

Software add-on or extension
Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
What software services is the service an extension to
ATS, Front Office CRM Recruitment Systems, HR & Payroll - front and/or back office
Cloud deployment model
Private cloud
Service constraints
Planned maintenance occurs between 11PM & 4AM Mon-Fri, 8AM & 5PM Sat-Sun.

Notification 60 Hours ahead of time if more than 1 hours downtime expected.
System requirements
  • Current Web Browser (Receiving security updates)
  • Internet Access

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
SLA's detailed in service agreement to ensure timely response
User can manage status and priority of support tickets
Yes
Online ticketing support accessibility
None or don’t know
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support
Yes, at an extra cost
Web chat support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support accessibility standard
None or don’t know
How the web chat support is accessible
Technology dependent
Web chat accessibility testing
Freshworks / SalesForce Service Cloud Dependent
Onsite support
Yes, at extra cost
Support levels
Support Team - Ticketing System/Phone Support
Implementation Consultant - Initial set up/training
Account Manager - To include quarterley reviews, face to face meetings
Technical & Cloud Account Manager - if required

Escalations to:
Customer Success manager
Head of Access Screening
Support available to third parties
No

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
An implementation consultant is assigned to see project through to go-live, this includes training onsite & remote, manuals and system setup assistance.
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
End-of-contract data extraction
When termination notice is served a date will be agreed on which access will be revoked, and all data exported. Data will be represented as XML, individual JSON records & a directory structure containing static files. This will be supplied either via a secure transfer, or encrypted physical media.
End-of-contract process
When termination notice is served a date will be agreed on which access will be revoked. Included in the contract price is a data extraction in our default format, any customisation to this format will be chargeable. Un-used credit balances will be refunded according to the contracted terms.

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Supported browsers
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
Application to install
No
Designed for use on mobile devices
Yes
Differences between the mobile and desktop service
All functionality available on mobile & desktop devices.
The Right to Work App is downloadable from Apple Store, Google Play etc and is fully compatible with IOS and Android devices
Service interface
No
User support accessibility
None or don’t know
API
Yes
What users can and can't do using the API
JSON API available for process initiation, completion polling & result (both as data & PDF export) gathering.
API documentation
Yes
API documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
API sandbox or test environment
Yes
Customisation available
Yes
Description of customisation
Customisation/configuration can be accessed from within the system provided a User has the correct permission level:
Brands,
Workflows,
Check Types,
Turnaround Times,
Supplied Documents,
Requested Documents,
Candidate Questions,
Referee Questions/Ratings,
Brand logo & colours,
Emails and templates,
System Templates,
Validation Timings,
Users/Permissions with Password Resets

Scaling

Independence of resources
Screening is a single instance / multi tenant application hosted on load balanced infrastructure with redundancy between scaling servers.

Analytics

Service usage metrics
Yes
Metrics types
Customers can review service usage in the system, via real time dashboards & MI reports. These show numbers of users, number of candidates, data checks, references submitted, etc.
Reporting types
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Conforms to BS7858:2019
Government security clearance
Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
Yes
Data storage and processing locations
United Kingdom
User control over data storage and processing locations
No
Datacentre security standards
Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
Penetration testing frequency
At least once a year
Penetration testing approach
‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
Protecting data at rest
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Other
Other data at rest protection approach
AWS RDS & S3 Encryption
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach
A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach
Individual Candidates available as PDF / JSON (Via API)

Bulk meta-data via MI reports

Bulk data via XML Export, or data-export procedure as part of offboarding
Data export formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data export formats
  • XML
  • JSON
Data import formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data import formats
JSON (Via API)

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
TLS (version 1.2 or above)
Data protection within supplier network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
Other protection within supplier network
AWS Security Groups define permitted intra-server connections

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
We will use commercially reasonable efforts to make the SaaS available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for unavailability during emergency or routine maintenance.
Approach to resilience
Application hosted on multiply redundant virtual infrastructure, hardware managed by AWS. More details available on request.
Outage reporting
Email Alerts & In-System Tooling

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed
Yes
User authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
User Role / Permission system, and data segmentation within customer accounts.

Nominated contacts within customers have escalation route.
Access restriction testing frequency
At least every 6 months
Management access authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information
Users have access to real-time audit information
How long user audit data is stored for
At least 12 months
Access to supplier activity audit information
Users have access to real-time audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for
At least 12 months
How long system logs are stored for
At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
Alcumus
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
26/07/2018
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
Nothing is excluded.
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
No
Other security certifications
No

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security
Yes
Security governance certified
Yes
Security governance standards
ISO/IEC 27001
Information security policies and processes
All controls included within Annex A of the ISO27001:2013 standard. Statement Of Applicability (SOA) available on request.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard
Supplier-defined controls
Configuration and change management approach
All change management in line with Secure Development Policy & IS27001, using ticketing system, automated tests & staged release process.
Vulnerability management type
Supplier-defined controls
Vulnerability management approach
Both Application and Infrastructure subject to regular penetration & load testing. All servers have unattended-upgrades enabled for automatic installation of security updates. Logs retained in write-only storage & regularly reviewed. All physical infrastructure managed by Amazon.
Protective monitoring type
Supplier-defined controls
Protective monitoring approach
Real-time monitoring and alerting enabled of application and all server infrastructure. Traffic, Load, Database Performance & API Volume via Dashboards. Response time derived from severity, details in Service Level Agreements contract section.
Incident management type
Supplier-defined controls
Incident management approach
We operate a robust incident management process in line with ISO27001: Staff are encouraged to report all incidents using a pre-defined process using a form available on our Company Intranet site. Incident reports will be provided following forensics and closure.

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice
Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Public sector networks

Connection to public sector networks
No

Social Value

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Access places specific emphasis on the health and wellbeing of its staff and provides a “Well-being” hub in workspace that provides support for Mental Health, Finances, Social, Physical, Emotional and purpose. Assistance from Health Assured is available for all staff and there are training resources for “working in the new normal” and “Mental health and wellbeing” . Access also has “well-being” champions throughout the organisation. This is supported by monthly employee “check in” surveys and offers of flexible working for staff to meet caring commitments.

Pricing

Price
£1 a transaction
Discount for educational organisations
Yes
Free trial available
No

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at Natalie.GilesGrant@theaccessgroup.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.