TSO is delighted to officially announce the DVMS Cybersecurity Culture Assessment Tool (DVMS-CAT™) release with the DVMS Institute. 

The DVMS Institute is a training, technology and consultancy provider that teaches organisations of any size, scale or complexity an affordable and scalable way to operationalise the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.

Cybersecurity culture plays a critical role in an organisation's ability to deliver the secure, resilient and trusted digital outcomes clients and regulators expect. It must be part of a broader corporate culture of day-to-day actions, encouraging employees to make thoughtful decisions that align with security policies. One of the best ways for an organisation to reduce cyber risk is to build a culture of cybersecurity. This entails creating a mindset in employees that the risk is real and their daily actions impact that risk.

The DVMS Cybersecurity Culture Assessment Tool (DVMS-CAT™) is a 67-question survey designed to understand employees' attitudes and perceptions towards cybersecurity. Once responses have been collected, the organisation is scored against the known factors that drive positive culture.

These factors, based on the Johnson and Scholes Culture Web, include:

> Symbols (visible iconography)   
> Power Structures (management decision making)
> Organisational Structures (roles, responsibilities and reporting structures)
> Control Systems (monitoring and measuring performance)
> Rituals and Routines (people)
> Stories (collective memory)

The tool provides actionable insights and advisable next steps based on the results. Organisations can then perform in-depth analysis and filtering to understand their current state better and build a plan to reach their future state.

Rick Lemieux from the DVMS Institute said “Culture is the intangible essential that makes any organizational initiative work; it is the expression of organizational behaviours taken for granted. We built the DVMS-CAT™ to enable organizations to gain the ongoing insight necessary to effect cultural change that is crucially necessary to build a cyber resilient organization.”

Richard South, Managing Director at TSO, said “Making regulations and standards easier to use and understand is core to TSO’s business. The DVMS Cybersecurity Culture Assessment Tool will help organisations across the globe to build a roadmap to cybersecurity best practice.”

To learn more about the tool and for a free demonstration, sign up here: https://tools.dvmsinstitute.com/

TSO’s Alan Blanchard was invited to participate on panels at two large conferences in the past month, talking about how digital technologies, and RegTech for regulators in particular, can help to make compliance easier.  

IFGS 2024 (London, April 2024) and Global RegTech Summit (London, May 2024) brought together regulators, policy makers and innovators to spotlight RegTech in financial services.  

Here, Alan shares his top take aways from both events:

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

The accuracy of AI outputs has improved to a point where it can be taken seriously as a tool, particularly in financial services. This opens up opportunities for innovation and efficiency. However, it also needs good risk management and governance in place. 

The Winds of Change 

With 40 elections taking place in what is being dubbed as the biggest year for democracy on record, the question on everyone’s mind is - what comes next? Will there be a greater appetite for innovation, perhaps even an office for regulatory innovation, or will we see a clinging to the status quo? Only time will tell. 

Momentum in Collaboration 

Firms and regulators share the same goal: compliance. So it is good to see greater collaboration between regulators, regulated firms and technology. Momentum in international co-operation was another key takeaway. Initiatives like the UK-Ukraine tech bridge, along with many others, point to an ambition to mutualise effort and share benefits.

Innovative Regulatory Thinking 

Regulatory thinking is becoming innovative again. Regulators are looking at delivering improvements to their systems and processes that have been in the R&D phase until now. The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) new continuous sandbox and potential for a machine-readable handbook are examples of this. Increasing the depth of RegTech solutions will bring regulated organisations and regulators closer together and move towards more modern, efficient regulatory practices. 

Data is Central

The old adage, “garbage in, garbage out” is still true and even more important when you add AI. By laying the proper foundations to enable clarity and certainty when it comes to calling for data, we can move towards reliable data collection systems that can be tweaked and adjusted in real time.

In summary, setting a digital first standard for regulators, where regulations are not locked away in PDFs on a website but made usable for regulated organisations and RegTech, will maximise opportunities for efficiency and collaboration. 

You can view the panel session from IFGS 2024 “Can Regulators pass the RegTech test?” on YouTube

TSO is the official publications and products partner for Great Britain’s health and safety regulator: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE). As part of this contract, TSO manages the online SaaS culture and assessment tools. These premium tools provide organisations with unique insights to measure and understand their health and safety performance and identify where they need to focus for improvement.

TSO’s publishing solution includes a marketing and sales function tasked with raising awareness and adoption of these digital tools. To do this, we analyse the market and identify ways of showcasing the problem and how these tools can be used to support. This led to the introduction of informative live webinars hosted by TSO to improve customer knowledge and understanding on the various topics.

Over the last nine months, we have hosted 12 health and safety webinars and collaborated with HSE policy teams, and other leading industry bodies, to present the common issues found and proactive ways to manage them. After the webinars we actively ask for user feedback so we can continually refine them to ensure we are adding value and delivering on audience expectation. This new way of working has led to more than 19,500 registrations and a potential sales pipeline exceeding £25M.

Carl Whitman, TSO Marketing Manager and host of the webinars, said “It is fantastic to see how these webinars have developed over the past few months. We continually ask for feedback and research new ways of delivering presentations so that it resonates with our audiences and makes them think differently to drive action. We have had some brilliant engagement through these sessions which shows our breadth and capabilities in this area. Thank you to all who have taken part so far and we look forward to making our future sessions a success.”

Audience comments received:

“I wanted to say that this has been the most informative and practical health and safety seminar I have attended in a long time, all speakers brilliant and knowledgeable!! - Thank you.”

“Excellent webinar! Very informative and I will be looking to book a demo and put a business proposal together for implementing this tool.”

“I really enjoyed this webinar. Very useful information to take away back to work. Thank you.”

To learn more, register for our next webinar or watch a previous one on-demand:
•  Safety Climate Tool - https://books.hse.gov.uk/Safety-Climate-Tool
•  Stress Indicator Tool - https://books.hse.gov.uk/Stress-Indicator-Tool
•  MSD Assessment Tool - https://books.hse.gov.uk/MSD-Assessment-Tool

TSO is delighted to announce the release of the highly anticipated 2024 edition of ‘Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers’ (COSWP); a statutory requirement to be onboard all UK flagged merchant ships. Authored by Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), it provides practical guidance on safe working practices and procedures to be followed on board ships to minimise risks and prevent accidents.

Following an extensive redesign and modernisation process via TSO’s in-house content development and graphic design teams, the new edition of COSWP aims to enhance usability, clarity, and accessibility for seafarers worldwide. The comprehensive review led to structural improvements, language simplification, and the introduction of recurring design features, facilitating quicker reference and improving overall comprehension.

One significant change in the new edition is the transition from loose-leaf to bound format. This shift not only enhances the end-user experience but also eliminates the need for manual updates, providing a more cost-effective and sustainable solution for maritime safety.

MCA Chief Executive Virginia McVea, said, “The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers is such an important tool and we’re excited to finally share the latest version. It has been our constant aim to reflect industry feedback and address concerns, ensuring the best version of the code is available to all that need it. There are real benefits that come with this new version – most importantly it’s more accessible and easy-to-use. It is mandatory for UK ships to carry COSWP, and we are sure this new edition will be easier for seafarers to get the information they need.”

Ian Fik, Account Director at TSO, said, "The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers is a vital publication for ensuring the safety of seafarers. It is fantastic to see the hard work from the publishing team come to fruition and we are thrilled to have supported MCA with improvements for the release of this new edition.”

Key features of the COSWP 2024 edition:

•  comprehensive guidelines and best practices for ensuring the safety and health of seafarers on merchant vessels
•  practical guidance on safe working practices and procedures to minimise risks and prevent accidents on board ships
•  essential health and safety information accessible to any seafarer on board the ship upon request

Now available for purchase in paperback format, with options for PDF and eBook versions. For more information and to order your copy, please visit: https://www.tsoshop.co.uk/product/9780115541322/Code-of-Safe-Working-Practices-for-Merchant-Seafarers-2024-Edition-Paperback 

TSO is thrilled to announce being shortlisted in two categories at the Safety and Health Excellence Awards taking place at the VOX in Birmingham on 1 May 2024.

TSO is the official publications and products partner for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), managing a portfolio of products and online tools to enhance compliance with health and safety regulations. 

We have been shortlisted in:

1) Best Use of Health and Safety Data to Lower Incident Rates Award
2) The Safer Logistics Award

The ‘Best use of Health and Safety Data’ nomination was the result of our work in championing and managing the Stress Indicator Tool data to improve organisational health and safety performance. The tool measures the six areas of work design known to be the likely root causes of work-related stress, depression, and anxiety. With this data, organisations can understand how their workers are feeling and can allocate resource in the correct areas to manage this ongoing issue.

The nomination stated, ‘In a landscape where health issues continue to rise and are often overshadowed by reactive measures, TSO's proactive risk management approach, working with HSE, empowers organisations to prevent health issues before they arise. TSO is proactive in both developing tools and disseminating knowledge and insights through regular product and topic webinars. These webinars have attracted thousands of health and safety professionals, creating a community dedicated to advancing best practices and driving continuous improvement in health and safety.

More information on the Stress Indicator Tool: https://books.hse.gov.uk/Stress-Indicator-Tool

The second nomination, for Safer Logistics, is due to TSO’s work in creating a digital version of the Back Injury Risks in Driving (BIRD) Tool. This tool is designed to identify potential musculoskeletal hazards for those who drive for work.

TSO collaborated with HSE's policy and technical departments, along with key industry stakeholders, to assess how users interacted with different setups, such as seating arrangements, steering wheel positions, duration spent driving, and control designs. Following rigorous testing, the BIRD tool has been successfully implemented by organisations in various sectors, including waste management, quarries, healthcare, logistics and emergency services. By systematically addressing ergonomic concerns and optimising vehicle setups, the project aimed to alleviate strain on workers, thereby reducing the likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders over time.

More information on the BIRD tool: https://books.hse.gov.uk/Back-Injury-Risks-in-Driving-BIRD-Tool

Carl Whitman, Marketing Manager at TSO, said “It is fantastic to be shortlisted and recognised for our continual hard work in developing the HSE online tools and raising our profile to core markets. The award ceremony promises to be a great evening and we look forward to acknowledging all of the industry’s efforts.”

Visit Health and Safety Matters for the full list of awards and nominees: https://www.hsmsearch.com/SHE-Awards0-2024-Shortlist-announced

TSO and digital transformation experts 10xGen are delighted to announce a publishing partnership to bring more than 35 years of experience in the technology industry to a wider audience.

Today, organisations must deliver products and services at an unprecedented pace in response to changing market conditions and stakeholder expectations. Some of the common challenges are finding the right talent, navigating regulatory requirements, and communicating effectively. 'Not Another Digital Transformation', authored by 10xGen founders Ady Kalra and Mary-Beth Hosking, will provide a new approach to transformation. Aimed at all leaders, it offers a comprehensive strategy designed to boost productivity, enhance visibility and improve overall efficiency that will serve as a guide for any organisation influenced by technology. 

Ady Kalra had this to say about the need for this guidance: “At 10xGen we recognise the necessity for a more effective approach to facilitate growth, guiding organisations from startup to scale. Based on our joint experience of over 35 years in the technology industry, we have found that there is a better way to support growth from a start-up to an enterprise whilst avoiding common pitfalls.”

Mary-Beth speaks about this publication's intended impact: "The content focuses on increased productivity, improved visibility, and alignment across the organisation. We believe this will set the standard for emerging best practices for organisations seeking growth supported by technology.”

Richard South, Managing Director of TSO says "Adding this publication to the TSO best practice portfolio is a step further in our commitment to meeting emerging business needs. This publication will empower teams and enable successful organisational scalability”.

The title is available to preorder now:

TSO Shop 

Amazon UK

Amazon US

TSO is excited to announce the upcoming release of ‘Upheaval: An Executive’s Guide to Organizational Digital Leadership’ by celebrated author, speaker, and transformation consultant Patti Blackstaffe. The book is now available for pre-order, with international release on 3rd March.

In a world of complex digital change, this publication will help you shape the leadership skills needed for success. Patti Blackstaffe, a seasoned digital leadership adviser, distils decades of expertise into actionable insights.

Upheaval: An Executive’s Guide to Organizational Digital Leadership isn’t an ordinary leadership guide. It’s a strategic playbook for executives who are defining and hiring digital leadership at an organizational level. It will help to ensure digital leadership has the capacity and capability to lead skilled teams to achieve business outcomes. 

“We’re excited to work with TSO to bring executives a path to building systemic digital leadership and modernizing leadership development for the digital age. As we envision the future workplace, we see organizations strategically define leadership, align leadership principles to business outcomes, and invest in leader development. They will need organizational training essentials that lead to adaptable, resilient, and cohesive teams capable of readjusting the sails to the many converging forces hitting them in today’s interconnected world.” said Patti Blackstaffe.  

Richard South, Managing Director at TSO, says "TSO is excited to collaborate with GlobalSway to bring the principles of successful digital leadership to a wide audience. The publication of ‘Upheaval’ will provide practical tools to support organizational performance in a digital environment.”

You can pre-order your copy now on TSO shop and Amazon.com

For more information and press enquiries please contact: ibp@tso.co.uk

Sharing a commitment to advancing industry standards, TSO and House of PMO have joined forces to deliver a competency framework crafted by professionals for professionals, with the potential to deliver substantial benefits for both individuals and organisations.

House of PMO's mission revolves around harnessing the collective knowledge, insights, and experiences of the PMO community to create a comprehensive competency framework that caters to anyone who supports portfolio, programme and project management delivery.

TSO will be helping House of PMO to develop and publish their portfolio of best practice, starting with the new edition of the core text for their four accredited training courses 'Essentials for PMO Administrators', 'Essentials for PMO Analysts', 'Essentials for PMO Managers' and 'Essentials for PMO Directors'. This partnership aligns PMO best practice and publishing best practice to make content more user friendly and accessible.

Richard South, Managing Director of TSO, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "We are committed to demonstrating publishing best practice for guidance and standards. Our partnership with House of PMO will help to redefine industry standards and empower PMO professionals worldwide with a robust and adaptable framework for success."

Eileen Roden, Co-Founder of the House of PMO, shared their perspective on the collaboration, saying, "We are excited about this partnership with TSO, which represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing a universal tool that addresses the unique challenges faced by PMO professionals worldwide." 

The "PMO Competency Framework" edition is now available for those who hope to unlock the full potential of their PMO roles.

TSO, a Williams Lea company, is excited to announce a brand-new collaboration with RedWizard, a leading consultancy delivering workforce change and transformation.

Together we’re launching a new eLearning resource to help those involved in hiring freelance or contingent talent to comply with best practice. The course will provide a comprehensive understanding of compliance requirements for companies engaging non-employee labour, upskilling managers, and providing the critical framework they need to operate successfully.

RedWizard has extensive experience advising companies working with contingent workforces. Their deep understanding of the flexible labour market helped them spot a significant gap in client knowledge. While many companies rely on contingent talent, not many fully understand the associated risks and best practices required to ensure compliance.

To solve this problem, they have developed an innovative, user-friendly, and comprehensive training program specifically tailored towards anyone recruiting freelance / contingent talent. The training aims to mitigate risks, enhance skills, and empower professionals to excel at what they do.

TSO has helped RedWizard to turn their content into user-focused eLearning, using our expertise and technology solutions, so that more people can access and understand this best practice.

TSO is recognised as a trusted partner in the public and regulatory sectors with a reputation for no-fail delivery and expertise in publishing complex information and guidance. We manage authoritative information so that it is structured, accurate and up to date including across websites, apps, books, tools, and eLearning.

Jools Barrow-Read, RedWizard founder said:

“We’re excited about partnering with TSO to address the needs of managers engaging and managing freelancers, contractors and other temporary staff. As we look toward the blended workforce of the future, fluency in these skills will become increasingly critical for businesses. Upskilling staff now will help ensure companies can operate compliantly as their flexible workforces grow and diversify in the future.”

Richard South, Managing Director at TSO shares his thoughts:

“We're pleased to announce a strategic collaboration with RedWizard. This combines our expertise to develop a valuable learning resource for the benefit of businesses looking to mitigate risk and ensure their compliance in managing their contingent workforce. This partnership will provide the knowledge and skills required to navigate the complexities of today's workforce dynamics.”

Register your interest to learn more about the new eLearning course.

TSO has worked with The Takeover Panel to develop and launch the first fully digital version of the Takeover Code, which is now available at https://code.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

Using our publishing technology platform, TSO has transformed the content into structured XML and published the Code as a website making it easier for users to navigate. The Code was previously published as a PDF.

TSO's publishing platform has been developed specifically to meet the needs of regulators and providers of best practice, standards and guidance. It transforms and manages master content in XML format, enabling streamlined updating, and enhanced presentation and search of regulations and codes of practice to improve usability. 

The functions of the new Takeover Code website include navigation between provisions of the Code, pop-up boxes for defined terms, and tabs linking Rules with related Practice Statements. Individual Rules and sub-Rules can be downloaded in PDF format as well as the whole Code.

Ian Hart, Director General of The Takeover Panel said "The new digital Code enables our users for the first time to navigate seamlessly between provisions of the Code, which will provide for a significantly enhanced and more accessible user experience. Initial feedback from practitioners has been very positive. The team at TSO has delivered a top quality end product which puts The Takeover Panel at the forefront of modern takeover regulation."

Richard South, Managing Director of TSO said " We are delighted to have helped The Takeover Panel to build the new website which publishes the Takeover Code as structured HMTL, using a single source of accurate XML data to dramatically improve the experience of users. The Takeover Code is exactly the type of regulatory content that benefits from our approach to multi format publishing, making it easier for The Takeover Panel to update and easier for organisations to use."

The Takeover Panel is an independent body whose main functions are to issue and administer the Takeover Code and to supervise and regulate takeover bids and merger transactions for companies which have their registered offices in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

The digital Code can be accessed from the Panel's existing website at https://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk