C Spire has earned three International Organization for Standardization certifications simultaneously, completing its first audit with zero nonconformities as the managed services provider strengthens its security, service management, and quality standards for customers in regulated industries.
These certifications verify that C Spire’s management system “meets rigorous, internationally recognized standards for quality, security, and reliability.”
The certifications include:
- ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems: This certification sets the criteria for a quality management system that ensures an organization consistently delivers products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. It covers the management system supporting how C Spire runs its services to a refined, repeatable standard with a formal process to catch, fix, and prevent possible shortfalls.
- ISO/IEC 20000-1 IT Service Management: This certification defines requirements for an IT service management system to ensure that IT services are delivered effectively, aligned with business needs and continually improved. It covers the management system supporting how C Spire’s service is actively managed against the commitments it makes and the ones customers feel directly day to day.
- ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security: This provides a framework for an information security management system that protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. It covers the management system supporting that C Spire’s protection of customer information is built into how the company operates and is governed by a risk-based program rather than ad hoc practices.
C Spire completes three ISO certifications simultaneously
In an interview with Channel Insider, Brad Carpenter, Chief Operating Officer and EVP of Business Technology, C Spire, said that the organization achieved the three ISO certifications simultaneously with zero nonconformities during its first audit due to organizational focus, executive oversight, and cross-functional collaboration rather than treating each certification as a separate initiative.
“We started out the year with a commitment to continue to elevate how we’re providing managed services to our clients,” Carpenter explained. “We viewed the ISO certifications as a key component to that.”
Carpenter explained that rather than hitting each certification and moving on to the next one, they tackled all three in one motion, which highlighted some synergies that C Spire was able to realize.
Unified operating model connects security, service and quality
A unified operational approach was more effective than separate quality, service management, and security programs.
“When you look at the customer experience, they’re not going to experience quality service and security separately. They experience one service from C Spire, and we wanted one disciplined operating model that brings all three together rather than treating them as separate compliance exercises,” said Carpenter.
“By approaching these certifications all as one, I think that really instilled that we are approaching this as one operating model, which translates into delivering a better experience, an elevated experience, a consistent experience, and a secure experience for our customers.”
The ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security certification does not eliminate risk; however, it formalizes how cybersecurity is governed through a structured, risk-based management system that becomes part of everyday operations.
“It does validate that information security and how we validate cybersecurity – it’s governed through a more formal risk-based management system,” Carpenter said. “Going back to our operating model, it instills how it’s built into how we operate rather than … in an ad hoc practice.”
ISO certifications expand opportunities for channel partners
The certifications create opportunities for channel partners, strengthening C Spire’s ability to support highly regulated industries while reinforcing its technical expertise and engineering capabilities.
“We’re a partner that channel partners can reach out to for these types of engagements,” said Carpenter. “It uniquely positions us, along with our bench of 200-plus engineers, who are highly certified as well. This positions us to really do well and add value in industries that are highly regulated, which is part of the intent of obtaining these certifications. We do operate in highly regulated areas.”
Recently, C Spire also earned the Cisco Secure Networking certification. This certification is another validation of C Spire’s capabilities and emphasizes its role in supporting secure AI deployments without increasing operational risk.
“We’re the fourth managed service provider in the country to obtain that certification, and it’s just further validation that we can design, we can implement. We can manage solutions in a highly complex environment while maintaining security, which is really foundational to be enabled to take advantage of AI workloads without incurring additional operational risks,” said Carpenter.
Certifications validate managed services for regulated industries
The certifications benefit customers by validating that quality, service management, and information security are embedded throughout the organization.
They also recognize C Spire’s efforts while pointing to customer experience as the true measure of success.
“From a customer point of view, our customers trust us with technology that’s increasingly critical to how their businesses operate. So what these certifications provide – they independently validate the quality, the service management, and information security built into how we work,” said Carpenter.
“I’m extremely proud of what our team accomplished, but I think the real measure from a customer’s point of view is going to be the consistency, the accountability, and the service experience that we’re able to deliver for our customers.”
C Spire ties security credentials to future growth
Carpenter adds that while earning the certifications is not the end goal, it’s the beginning of a broader effort to continue improving and pursuing additional milestones.
“It’s a great accomplishment to hit all three. We put that as a challenge to the team and they stepped up,” Carpenter remarked. “This isn’t the finish line. It’s really just a foundation that we’re continuing to build on. We’re moving in the right direction.”