TÜV SÜD certifies European Central Bank
TÜV SÜD certifies European Central Bank
The European Central Bank (ECB) has been awarded ISO/IEC20000 certification for excellence in IT service management (ITSM). The ECB’s Directorate General Information Systems underwent comprehensive auditing and assessment by TÜVSÜD before being awarded. ISO/IEC 20000 is a worldwide standard specifically aimed at ITSM. It describes an integrated set of management processes for the effective delivery of IT services to the business and its customers. The ECB is the world's first central bank to attain ISO/IEC 20000. DrPeter Klein, Chief Financial Officer of TÜVSÜD AG, presented the certificate to Dr Jürgen Stark, Member of the ECB’s Executive Board.
At the presentation, DrKlein commended the ECB for its detailed approach to the introduction of new services and its excellent management of IT operations: “When I look at the business processes at a central bank – the collation, preparation and communication of data related to national economies –
I notice particularly that these processes are hardly feasible without efficient and effective IT support. Certification in this context is not a one-off event, but triggers a continuous improvement process through which ECB gains competitive edge”.
Commenting on the certification, Hans-Gert Penzel, Director General Information Systems at the ECB, said that it signifies to internal and external stakeholders that DG-IS is able to deliver efficient and effective IT services using industry best practices.
The award of the certification is a major milestone in the ECB’s Service Improvement Programme and has already contributed positively to internal customer and user satisfaction as well as realising direct cost benefits.
ISO/IEC 20000 comprises two parts: Part 1, the specification, focuses on the requirements for successful IT Service Management. It primarily addresses IT staff in charge of IT Service Management introduction, implementation or maintenance. This part of the standard must be implemented completely if a company wishes to be certified as compliant with ISO/IEC 20000. Part 2 of the standard assists auditors and IT service providers in the improvement of process and service quality.
All IT processes at the ECB are documented and monitored. This permits rapid identification and immediate correction of any technical malfunctions. The system’s transparency ensures maximum availability and reduces failure of individual system components. The systematic annual quality audits performed within the scope of certification ensure continuous monitoring and appropriate improvement of processes and structures.
The ECB's certification project received the award of “Project of the Year“ at the annual conference of itSMF UK, a global organization committed to the ongoing development and promotion of best practice in IT Service Management, in December 2008.
More information about services and certification in the IT sector is available here 
on the Internet.
N.B.: Photos from the event can be found here under “Current Press Photos“.
Media relations: Heidi Atzler
