LeadingEdge champions cloud best practice with CIF certification

APM Group, the Cloud Industry Forum’s (CIF) independent certification partner, says that LeadingEdge, an innovative provider of managed services and business technology solutions, has successfully certified against the CIF Code of Practice. The certification signifies the company’s commitment to transparency in the provision of cloud services.

The Code of Practice is a credible, certifiable tool that allows Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) such as LeadingEdge, to demonstrate that they meet specified requirements of transparency, accountability and capability, as prescribed by CIF. It aims to standardise enterprises offering cloud services to provide clarity, transparency and assurance to end users seeking to migrate to the cloud.

With more than a decade of experience, LeadingEdge based in Ashford, Surrey, remains focussed on delivering IT services and solutions that fully complement the business strategy of ambitious IT-dependent businesses across a variety of sectors including Law, Accountancy, Healthcare, Retail and Digital Marketing.

Shaun McKay, Managing Director at LeadingEdge, explains what the CIF certification means to the company: “Selecting the right cloud provider for your business has historically been no easy task. The fundamental shift from managing your own IT in-house to moving your data and applications to a third party requires a significant amount of trust. Though many providers have flashy websites, it’s often difficult to determine what operational substance lies beneath. Certifying against the Code of Practice means that we have secured validation of our services from a trusted and independent third party. Now, rather than just saying “trust us”, potential customers can determine immediately that we are a responsible and trustworthy partner for the long-term. As a reasonably small provider, such validation is invaluable.”

Richard Pharro, CEO of APM Group, said: “The CIF Code of Practice enables professional CSPs to demonstrate, with clarity, their ethics, practices and processes. As in any market sector, independent validations that allow customers to make more educated buying decisions have to be of value. The Cloud Industry Forum has taken important steps in providing this foundation in what is a fast changing and, to many, a new technology sector.”