When you’re trusting someone with your payroll, you’re handing over some of the most sensitive data your business holds. Employee personal information, bank details, salaries, and National Insurance numbers. The works.
Most payroll providers will tell you they take security seriously. They’ll mention GDPR compliance, talk about encryption, and maybe reference some policies. And that’s fine. It’s the baseline.
But at Ascend, we decided baseline wasn’t good enough. Not for us, and certainly not for our clients.
That’s why we hold three ISO certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 27701. And while many providers hold one or even two of these standards, ISO 27701 is exceptionally rare in managed payroll. We’re one of only a handful of UK payroll providers that can make this claim.
Let me explain why these matters.
ISO 9001 – the quality foundation
ISO 9001 is about quality management. It means we’ve documented every process, built in controls to prevent errors, and committed to continual improvement.
In practical terms, this means when you submit your payroll data to Ascend, it goes through the same tested, verified process every single time. No shortcuts. No “we’ll figure it out as we go.” Every step is defined, every handoff is clear, and every check is mandatory.
For you, that translates to consistency. Your payroll runs on time, calculations are accurate, and HMRC submissions happen exactly when they should. Month after month, year after year.
ISO 9001 proves we don’t just promise quality. We’ve built systems that guarantee it.
ISO 27001 – the security framework
ISO 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for information security management. This is where we demonstrate that protecting your data isn’t something we think about occasionally. It’s embedded into everything we do.
Under UK GDPR, Article 32 requires data processors to implement “appropriate technical and organisational measures” to ensure data security. That’s deliberately vague language. What’s “appropriate” exactly? How do you prove you’ve done enough?
ISO 27001 answers that question definitively.
Our certification means we maintain a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS). We conduct regular risk assessments. We’ve implemented controls covering access management, encryption (both at rest and in transit), incident response, business continuity, and physical security.
We’re independently audited every year to prove we’re maintaining these controls. And if we don’t meet the standard? We lose the certification.
For payroll specifically, this means:
- Your data is encrypted with AES-256 encryption when stored and TLS 1.3 when transmitted
- Multi-factor authentication is mandatory for every user accessing our systems
- We conduct annual penetration testing by CREST-certified security specialists
- All staff with data access undergo background checks and sign confidentiality agreements
- We maintain detailed audit logs of who accessed what data and when
- Our disaster recovery plans are tested twice yearly with 4-hour recovery time objectives
This isn’t marketing fluff. These are audited, verified, and maintained controls.
ISO 27701 – the privacy game-changer
Here’s where Ascend really stands apart.
ISO 27701 is an extension to ISO 27001, but it focuses specifically on privacy information management. It maps directly to GDPR requirements and provides a framework for managing personal data throughout its entire lifecycle.
And it’s genuinely rare in managed payroll.
Why? Because ISO 27701 is demanding. It requires organisations to embed privacy into their operations at every level. From how we design systems (privacy by design) to how we handle data subject rights requests, from data minimisation practices to cross-border data transfer controls.
Most payroll providers will claim GDPR compliance. We can prove it through independent certification.
ISO 27701 demonstrates that Ascend has:
- Systematic privacy processes. We don’t make it up as we go. Every aspect of how we collect, process, store, and delete personal data is documented, controlled, and audited.
- Privacy by design principles. When we built our Elementary platform, privacy wasn’t bolted on at the end. It was embedded from day one. Data minimisation, purpose limitation, storage limitation. All baked in.
- Clear data handling procedures. We can tell you exactly what personal data we hold, why we hold it, how long we keep it, and what happens when we’re done with it. For every data category. For every processing purpose.
- Robust data subject rights management. When an employee exercises their right to access, rectify, or delete their data, we have tested procedures to respond within legal timeframes. Every time.
- Regular privacy audits. Just like ISO 27001, we’re audited annually by independent assessors. They review our privacy documentation, test our procedures, and verify we’re actually doing what we say we’re doing.
Specifically for UK GDPR alignment
ISO 27701 proves we’ve implemented the technical and organisational measures required under Article 32. We’ve documented our lawful bases for processing under Article 6. We’ve established procedures for Article 15 subject access requests. We’ve built in the safeguards required for Article 28 processor obligations.
This isn’t just about avoiding ICO fines (though that matters too). It’s about respecting the privacy rights of every employee whose data we process. About treating personal information with the care and attention it deserves.
Why this combination matters
Having all three certifications. ISO 9001, 27001, and 27701. Creates something greater than the sum of its parts.
Quality management (ISO 9001) ensures our processes are consistent and controlled.
Information security (ISO 27001) ensures that those processes protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
Privacy management (ISO 27701) ensures we respect the rights and freedoms of individuals whose data we process.
Together, they create a framework where security, privacy, and quality aren’t competing priorities. They’re integrated into everything we do.
What does this mean when you choose Ascend?
Trust built on evidence, not promises
When we say we take data protection seriously, we’re not asking you to take our word for it. We’re giving you independently verified proof. Annual audit reports. Certification documents. A Statement of Applicability that details every control we’ve implemented.
Simpler due diligence
If you’re an accountancy firm white-labelling our services, or a finance director evaluating providers, you can point to our ISO certifications as evidence of compliance. You don’t need to conduct your own lengthy security audits. Independent auditors have already done that work.
Enterprise-grade protection
Smaller organisations get access to the same level of security and privacy controls that major enterprises demand. ISO standards don’t care about company size. They care about implementation and compliance.
Regulatory confidence
If the ICO ever comes asking questions about your payroll data processing, you can demonstrate that you’ve chosen a processor with independently certified privacy and security controls. That matters.
Continuous improvement
ISO standards require ongoing compliance, not a one-time tick-box exercise. We’re re-audited annually. We’re continually assessing risks, updating controls, and improving processes. The certifications force us to keep getting better.
The ISO 27701 difference
Most managed payroll providers don’t hold ISO 27701 certification. It’s not that they’re necessarily doing anything wrong. It’s just that the certification is demanding, expensive to maintain, and requires significant organisational commitment.
But that’s exactly why it matters.
When Ascend pursued ISO 27701 certification, we were making a statement. Privacy isn’t something we do because we have to. It’s something we do because it’s right. Because employees deserve to know their personal data is being handled with the utmost care. Because our clients deserve to know we’ve gone beyond the
minimum requirements.
In an industry where “GDPR-compliant” has become almost meaningless. Every provider claims it. ISO 27701 provides objective proof. It separates those who take privacy seriously from those who just talk about it.
Proving what others promise
There’s a phrase we use internally at Ascend: “Trust earned, not assumed.”
Anyone can promise secure, compliant, high-quality payroll processing. We’ve built our entire operation to prove it. Through documented processes. Through independently audited controls. Through certifications that require annual verification.
ISO 9001, 27001, and 27701 aren’t marketing tools for us. They’re an operational reality. They’re how we work, every day, for every client, for every payroll cycle.
When you choose Ascend, you’re not just choosing a managed payroll provider. You’re choosing one that has invested in building, documenting, and maintaining systems that meet the highest international standards for quality, security, and privacy.
In an industry built on trust, we believe that trust should be earned through evidence, not just asserted through claims.
Our three ISO certifications. Especially the rare ISO 27701 standard. That’s how we earn that trust.
Ready to experience payroll backed by ISO-certified quality, security, and privacy?
Let’s have a chat about how Ascend’s commitment to the highest standards can benefit your organisation. Get in touch with our team today.
