GB Group forms strategic part

RNS Number : 1269X

GB Group PLC

01 December 2010

 



Press release

Strategic Partnership Could See Huge Benefits for Citizens and Councils

~ GB Group, Microsoft and Serco forms alliance that paves the way for cost effective and convenient online transactions within local authorities ~

LONDON - 01 December 2010 - Identity Management provider GB Group is pleased to announce that it has worked in collaboration with Serco and Microsoft to develop a leading identity management solution which is set to provide citizens with secure access to local Authority information and entitlements. Serco has announced today that the first application of the solution has been implemented at Enfield London Borough.

GB Group's CitizenSafe® service, powered by its unique and award winning ID3 technology, forms a key part of this identity management solution, which also incorporates Microsoft's federation hub infrastructure. Both GB Group and Microsoft have worked with Serco to build this service that can be shared by multiple local councils. Serco is providing a fully scalable Enterprise Solution in order to take this to the rest of the market.

The service is aligned to the Government Gateway future design initiative, tasked with creating a common, trusted and secure way of enabling citizens to transact online.

Historically, councils have been hesitant to conduct high value transactions and sharing sensitive information online due to the risk of this information falling into the wrong hands. As a consequence this has led to a less than optimum and sometimes labour intensive user experience and the loss of potential savings due to lack of consistency and duplication.

Over the last 18 months, GB Group has worked closely with, Serco and Microsoft and a number of local authorities to develop a solution that drives a "channel shift" approach within councils. This has resulted in the introduction of a break-through service solution that enables citizens to verify their identity remotely when accessing information or entitlements from a local authority.  In providing a single and secure 'platform' for all on-line services, the often inconvenient and inefficient traditional practices for verifying user identity are eliminated.

This is believed to be the first such application in Government but has significant potential as the Government embraces e-government and efficiency. Enfield London Borough, who outsources its information and communications technology to Serco, is the first council to implement the technology. Various other councils have also showed interest and the solution will also be extended to the private sector, particularly the financial industry, where customers are involved with high risk transactions. 

Richard Law, CEO at GB Group commented, "We have been working closely with both Serco and Microsoft to develop this exciting application. The service is simple, easy to use and has the ability to scale according to each council's needs and requirements, which is exactly what government wants."

"I'm extremely pleased that GB Group's Citizensafe technology was chosen by Serco to fulfill this requirement and I'm excited by the potential for this application to be replicated."

Full Serco release attached as Appendix 1

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About GB Group plc

GB is the UK's leading Identity Management business. It helps organisations recognise and verify all elements of an individual's identity at every interaction. Through the application of our proprietary technology, we enable organisations to connect, communicate and transact with people safely, responsibly and profitably.  In doing so, we help businesses like O2, Laura Ashley, HMRC, BBC TV Licensing, Ordnance Survey, HBoS, LloydsTSB, ASOS.com, Virgin Games, PartyGaming, Betfair and Ladbrokes understand their customers better to create more meaningful customer interactions - and reduce costs across the business.

GB is listed on the London Stock Exchange (GBG). For more information, please visit GB Group's website: www.gb.co.uk.

GB Group - because identity matters™  

For any further information, please contact:

Maxine Morgan, GB Group

Email: [e-mail] 

Number: 07976 538556 / 01244 657333

Adrie Wessels, Bite Communications

Email: [e-mail] 

Number: 07907 979945 / 020 8834 3474

Appendix 1: Full Serco Release

Pioneering Serco partnership maximises on-line service standards and efficiencies for local authorities

1 December 2010

Citizens and local authorities are to benefit from a user-friendly and secure identity solution for all on-line services. 

In a major move to capitalise fully on the potential of on-line technologies to help local authorities to improve productivity and service provision as budgets are squeezed, Serco has confirmed a pioneering partnership with Microsoft and Identity Management specialists, the GB Group. 

The first collaboration of its kind has now resulted in the introduction of a breakthrough service solution that enables citizens to verify their identity remotely when accessing information or entitlements from a local authority. Significantly, this provides a single and secure 'platform' for all on-line services and eliminates the inconvenience and inefficiencies of traditional practices for verifying user identity.

The new service is aligned closely with the Government Gateway future design initiative to establish a common, trusted and secure way for all citizens' on-line transactions.  Now, local authorities can provide a full range of on-line services where citizens only need to register their personal details when they first use the system.  Once their identity has been verified, they are then issued with a unique electronic identity 'token' for all subsequent on-line transactions with the local authority. Highly convenient for citizens without the risk of personal details being compromised, the new self-service solution reduces the need for paper transactions and is expected to deliver substantial savings for local authorities.

The first authority to take advantage of the new on-line solution is the London Borough of Enfield.  The Council, which recently awarded Serco a five year, £24m information and communications technology contract, has confirmed that it will be introducing the first phase of the new on-line service in January 2011.

"Serco and its partners have clearly come up with a highly effective solution to a problem that has previously held many authorities back from making full use of on-line service provision," says Kate Robertson, Assistant Director for Customer Service at the London Borough of Enfield.

"We're absolutely delighted with the way the new 'platform' combines user convenience with the peace of mind that comes from proven and secure technologies from three highly respected industry leaders.  In many respects, this will transform the way we do business and engage with our citizens.  It will also help to extend and improve the way we deliver many of our services in the future and, at the same time, provide significant operational cost savings."     

"Like most local authorities, the London Borough of Enfield is determined to maximise its on-line resources and accessibility to all of its services," adds Serco's Nigel Bates.  "Our highly productive partnership with GB Group and Microsoft has now resulted in a practical and flexible solution that meets both short and long term objectives for any local authority.  Indeed, we expect the solution to be adopted widely throughout local government as well as by other organisations that require a secure 'platform' for on-line transactions."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact Serco:

Mary Leonard, Director of Communications, Local Government and Commercial:

[e-mail]

Luke Allen, Communications Manager, Local Government and Commercial:

[e-mail]

About Serco

Serco is a FTSE 100 international service company, which combines commercial know-how with a deep public service ethos.

Around the world, we improve essential services by managing people, processes, technology and assets more effectively. We advise policy makers, design innovative solutions, integrate systems and - most of all - deliver to the public.

Serco supports governments, agencies and companies who seek a trusted partner with a solid track record of providing assured service excellence. Our people offer operational, management and consulting expertise in the aviation, BPO, defence, education, environmental services, facilities management, health, home affairs, information and communications technology, knowledge services, local government, science and nuclear, transport, welfare to work and the commercial sectors.

More information can be found at www.serco.com 

About Serco in Local Government

Serco's local government business delivers services that range from children's services to business process outsourcing, property management to procurement, economic development to facilities management and information communications technology to environmental services. The business supports local authorities to deliver services to millions of UK citizens daily. In the last two years Serco has signed shared service contracts with a number of local authorities including Enfield Council, Derby City Council and Peterborough Borough Council.

More information can be found at http://www.serco.com/markets/localgov/

About Enfield Council

Enfield is one of London's largest boroughs, serving a diverse population of over 285,000 people and a workforce of over 4000 excluding schools.  Its LEANER transformation programme has received national recognition and many of its services are considered exemplars of best practice, not least its approach to partnership on issues such as community safety, vulnerable adults and children's services.  It's 'place-shaping' strategy to address areas of deprivation and improve quality of life is already leading to increased investment into the borough from private and public sector partners.  The authority has led a number of pan-London ICT procurement exercises including e-auctions on hardware and is delivering savings through its approach to procurement.

www.enfield.gov.uk.

 

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