Seeking Out Quality in the Best Practice Marketplace
Demand for products and services that support OGC's Best Practice has driven the development of a global commercial marketplace. For consumers, this brings the benefit of choice but with a sting in its tail. How do you know that you are investing in quality? For OGC, as owners of the guidance, it brings the responsibility to protect both its products and its customers from poor quality substitutes.
OGC draws upon the valuable resources available through its official partnership arrangements. TSO (The Stationery Office) is OGC's official publisher and The APM Group Ltd (APMG) provides official accreditation services. Together they have created Best Management Practice as the home of OGC's Best Practice guidance. The partners are committed to supporting the very best products and services in the marketplace. Innovation by third parties is encouraged and promoted through the provision of endorsement marks and initiatives such as APMG's software tools accreditation service. This gives users the greatest opportunity to successfully introduce OGC's guidance into their own organisations.
What To Look For
OGC has introduced this swirl symbol as a mark of quality. It can only be used by OGC's official partners (TSO and APMG) and it is used to identify publications from the official publisher, accredited training providers and examination institutes, which have all been through a rigorous review process. The swirl symbol is also used by the partners when working in association with recognised user groups and forums.
You should also look for this endorsement mark which denotes a quality product or service not from the official publisher or accreditor. OGC and its partners have introduced this scheme to encourage the development of innovative, high quality products by third parties. This provides customers and users of Best Practice with a wide choice of easily identified, quality products.
For suppliers of products and services that support OGC's Best Practice, a simple route to achieving this quality mark has been created. Enjoy the benefits of providing an officially endorsed product. Details on how to apply for the endorsement mark.
Unauthorised Products
Reducing the number of poor quality, unauthorised products remains a priority for OGC and its partners. The Best Practice products are protected by Crown copyright and Trade Mark regulations, and as such require licences for their re-use. The licence application process provides an opportunity to monitor and control the quality of many products.
Monitoring Infringements
OGC as part of the UK Government has delegated authority from the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO), which allows, in association with HMSO, the right to manage and administer the intellectual property rights (IPR) in the products and associated materials produced on its behalf.
OGC, with its partners, TSO and APM Group invest time and resources into creating its products and our IPR protection team will pursue any infringements to the intellectual property rights to protect OGC's reputation, integrity and products.
We constantly monitor websites, attend conferences and trade fairs and with our network of Accredited Organisations check on items that infringe intellectual property rights, including trade marks and logos, counterfeit and pirated products and products and websites where an implication of association with OGC or an authorisation from OGC is given.
We welcome any information regarding infringement of intellectual property rights, incorrect use of logos or trade marks or products you believe are incorrectly associated with OGC and details can be forwarded to ogcinfringements@best-management-practice.co.uk.
For more information, download 'OGC Best Practice Portfolio: Official and Complementary Publications Explained'.
