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

£1 a transaction

• Education pricing available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

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 tendernotifications@theaccessgroup.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

921840141919465

Contact

Access UK
01206322575
tendernotifications@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

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Access UK Limited is a Software author and provide associated services, including Hosting, Payroll Bureau and Payment services. We recognise that although we do not undertake manufacturing, our day to day operations will have impact on the environment at global, national, and local level. We are committed to the care of the environment and the prevention of pollution. •Access ensures that all our operations are carried out in with the minimum adverse effect on the environment but implementing many available resources and approved processes •We protect the environment by striving to prevent and minimise our contribution to pollution of land, air, and water •We keep wastage to a minimum and maximise the efficient use of materials and resources, and manage disposal of all waste in a responsible manner •We use energy, water, and natural resources wisely and prevent pollution by minimising waste, recycling whenever possible and properly disposing of waste that cannot be recycled. •Our management processes are developed to ensure that environmental factors are considered during planning and implementation •We raise employee awareness and encourage best practices for sustainability at work

  Equal opportunity

  We want everyone to feel at home at Access, knowing that they are valued for what they do, not who they are. We want people to feel that they truly belong here regardless of their age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes them individual; after all, if we were all the same it would be a pretty dull place. We love the fact that we’re all different. Having more diverse perspectives at work improves how we run our business, helps us support our customers, and when you think about it, it's just more fun. For us, this all starts with helping everyone feel part of the family and being at their best every day, making Access a place where everyone can love what they do and do what they love. We all have regular check-ins with our leaders, take part in monthly employee surveys, have lots of chances to share our views and ask for help, and with our own learning system, 'Access Shine', we really can make things even better each and every day. At Access we'll always hire the best candidate but we're continually looking for creative ways to increase the mix of diverse candidates into our recruitment process. On the basis that you ‘have to see it, to be it’, one thing we're doing is sharing more stories to celebrate the wonderful diverse range of talent we have at Access. It is important for us that our employees understand and reflect the customers and communities we support, and we want everyone to feel at home here, knowing that they are valued for what they do, not who they are. We want people to feel that they truly belong here regardless of their age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes them individual.

  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

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

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 tendernotifications@theaccessgroup.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.