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Strategic Blue

Cloud FinOps Consultancy

Cloud FinOps Consultancy, and our FinOps review, sits at the intersection of cloud technology and finance. We advise customers on FinOps and cloud related topics, such as cloud cost optimisation, governance, cost planning, cross-charging, intercompany billing, and supporting the creation of a Cloud FinOps practice.

Features

  • Access to independent Cloud Finance experts
  • Review and enhance Cloud FinOps governance
  • Assist the development of Cloud FinOps Culture across the organisation
  • Help you to improve chargeback and showback capabilities
  • Enable effective budget assignment and tracking of cloud costs
  • Review and improve the many technical cost optimisation processes
  • Review financial optimisation and improve the cloud cost rates
  • Manage and mitigate risks in peak spending
  • Extensive guidance on building an effective Cloud FinOps practice
  • Due diligence support

Benefits

  • Improve your cloud FinOps practice quickly
  • Improve cloud value and ROI
  • Enable a business orientated cloud centre of excellence CCoE
  • Help you to increase the value of your cloud
  • Help you to correctly assign and attribute cloud costs
  • Assist in cost optimisation and rate reduction exercises
  • Enhance the Cloud FinOps maturity of the organisation
  • Provide a defined route for improvements
  • Knowledge transfer to existing or new Cloud FinOps practice
  • Insight for due diligence mergers and acquisitions

Pricing

£1,650 to £100,000 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 sales@strategic-blue.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

3 8 7 8 7 4 3 7 9 3 0 9 6 0 8

Contact

Strategic Blue James Mitchell
Telephone: 0736 0498154
Email: sales@strategic-blue.com

Planning

Planning service
Yes
How the planning service works
Strategic Blue can provide cost planning services as part of a detailed cost analysis consultancy offering.
Planning service works with specific services
No

Training

Training service provided
Yes
How the training service works
As part of the FinOps practice development Strategic Blue can provide FinOps training covering finops governance, planning & tracking, optimisation, risk mitigation and maturity assessments
Training is tied to specific services
No

Setup and migration

Setup or migration service available
No

Quality assurance and performance testing

Quality assurance and performance testing service
No

Security testing

Security services
No

Ongoing support

Ongoing support service
Yes
Types of service supported
Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
How the support service works
Multi-cloud Hosting

Service scope

Service constraints
None

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
General support tickets are answered within 48 hours, Monday to Friday.
User can manage status and priority of support tickets
No
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support
Web chat
Web chat support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support accessibility standard
WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Web chat accessibility testing
Webchat is provided via a Slack channel. https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/accessibility-plan
Support levels
Not applicable to consultancy services

Resellers

Supplier type
Reseller providing extra features and support
Organisation whose services are being resold
AWS, Google, Azure and other cloud vendors on request

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
British Assessment Bureau
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
22 October 2024
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
N/A
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
Yes
CSA STAR accreditation date
14/02/2023
CSA STAR certification level
Level 1: CSA STAR Self-Assessment
What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover
All services are covered
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
No
Other security certifications
No

Social Value

Social Value

Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

Fighting climate change

Strategic Blue is committed to achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2040 and has a Carbon Reduction Plan on our website. We are certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management compliant. Our Environmental Policy outlines our commitment to minimising the environmental impact of our activities, including embedding environmental sustainability in procurement processes and contract terms to ensure our suppliers are able to demonstrate their commitment to protecting the environment.

In recent years, we've implemented several measures aimed at diminishing our carbon emissions. Initiatives like our electric car salary sacrifice programme and cycle-to-work scheme were launched to promote environmental consciousness among our staff. Embracing a hybrid work approach, we limit travel to essential in-person meetings, thereby lessening our carbon impact. Additionally, our assessment of the supply chain includes an evaluation of supplier environmental credentials and carbon reduction strategies.

We believe that through cost optimisation we make the cloud a more attractive financial option, which encourages our customers to move more of their workloads to the cloud. This has the benefit of moving services from inefficient legacy data centres (average PUE 1.6) to cloud data centres (PUE 1.2) with a consequential 25% power saving, and associated carbon emissions reduction.
Critical to this migration is the buyer’s ability to forecast its future costs, and those future costs benefiting from optimal prices. Strategic Blue’s core proposition thus centres around helping buyers understand their future usage and costs, translating into commitments to hyperscalers, to help these vendors manage their capacity, and thus their carbon footprint.

Tackling economic inequality

Strategic Blue fully recognises the importance of creating new opportunities for all individuals to acquire relevant digital skills.
Strategic Blue works as part of the Cloudbank consortium, funded by the NSF, to enable cloud research and facilitate easy access to digital skills development.
We continue to support UK-based university customers, including those early in their cloud journey, helping researchers and support staff enhance their digital skills. We desire to build on this foundation to establish a UK-based Cloudbank initiative.
We freely expand the Cloud FinOps knowledge available within the broader cloud user community through blogs and podcasts on cost optimisation and control, on our website, events and through our active contribution to the FinOps Foundation.
We have established a Core Competency and Values framework, outlining necessary competencies and core values for all at Strategic Blue. We shall be formulating learning and development initiatives that will be integral to tackling the digital skills gap. These initiatives will empower Strategic Blue to establish impactful apprenticeships and internships, targeting marginalised communities and individuals confronted by economic obstacles, and granting them access to valuable opportunities.
We aim to forge partnerships with non-profit organisations specialising in addressing economic inequality and the digital skills gap. By collaborating, we can amplify our impact and reach a broader audience, possibly involving joint initiatives, outreach programmes, or financial support.
With expanding business demands, we will hire additional Account Managers, Technical Support personnel, and Portfolio specialists, creating new digitally skilled jobs. Nurturing an inclusive culture valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, we create an inviting environment that attracts talent from various communities.

Equal opportunity

Strategic Blue is committed to promoting awareness of and taking positive action to address workforce inequality across multiple dimensions, including employment, skills, pay, and development. We ensure that our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive, actively seeking candidates from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups. We have implemented policies and practices that prevent discrimination based on factors such as race, gender, age, disability, or socioeconomic status. Our goal is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
We invest in continuous skills development programmes for our employees, providing training opportunities that enhance their professional growth and aim to close skills gaps within our organisation. We provide access to training and development initiatives, ensuring that all employees have an equal chance to acquire new skills and advance their careers.
We conduct regular and thorough pay equity analyses to identify and rectify any disparities in compensation based on any protected characteristics. Our aim is to ensure that all employees receive fair and equitable remuneration for their contributions, regardless of their background.
We have clear pathways for career advancement and development within our organisation. We implement performance evaluation systems that are unbiased and objective, provide opportunities for mentorship, and offer transparent criteria for promotions. By creating an environment that fosters equal opportunities for growth, we actively tackle workforce inequality.
As a small to medium-sized business we are constrained in our capacity to guarantee the dedication of our suppliers to uphold fairness in their workplaces. However, we assess our suppliers within our approved supplier process and conduct yearly audits. These steps are taken to verify that our supply chain aligns with our principles concerning equality, diversity, and respect.

Wellbeing

Strategic Blue prioritises the holistic health and wellbeing of its workforce, fostering a culture of support and encouragement that extends beyond the workplace. We give all employees access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that offers vital resources such as counselling and tailored nutrition advice, ensuring employees have access to professional guidance for both physical and mental health challenges.

Recognising the importance of mental health awareness, all new starters undergo specialised training to equip them with the knowledge and tools to navigate mental health issues effectively. Additionally, our commitment to employee wellbeing is underscored by mandatory training for managers on 'How to Support Employee Wellbeing', empowering them to create a nurturing environment conducive to optimal health outcomes.

We also provide staff with access to two medical benefit providers that offer a diverse range of services tailored to address both mental and physical wellbeing, ensuring our employees have access to comprehensive support networks. Furthermore, our dedicated mental health support folder provides a repository of valuable resources, including expert advice and informative documents, accessible to all employees.

Strategic Blue goes beyond mere provision, actively fostering a culture of wellbeing through regular events designed to promote team cohesion and mental health awareness. From team-building activities to stress-relief initiatives like yoga classes, these events serve as vital outlets for employees to unwind and prioritise self-care.

Central to our ethos is the cultivation of a supportive workplace culture that champions work-life balance and open dialogue around wellbeing. By encouraging transparent communication and fostering an environment where employees feel valued and supported, we strive to create a community where holistic health is prioritised and nurtured.

Pricing

Price
£1,650 to £100,000 a transaction
Discount for educational organisations
Yes

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 sales@strategic-blue.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.