IRMS Comment on the draft BS 10025 Records management - Code of practice

The British Standards Institution developed the new BS10025 British Standard on Records Management, a standard that gives recommendations for the effective management of an organisation's records produced as a by-product of its operations or activities. The IRMS has issued the following statement to support its publication:

The Information and Records Management Society welcomes the publication of this draft standard, which provides comprehensive guidance and recommendations for records management. 

The Society has informed our membership of the consultation process around this standard so that members can seek to individually submit responses. 

We are very pleased that the draft standard covers all aspects of records management irrespective of the media or format used to create and store them or the type of information they contain, including IT applications and systems (for example, databases, electronic document and records management systems, content management system, CCTV and voice recordings, business and information systems, the contents of websites and social media platforms) as well as physical records. 

As a code of practice to support all organisations regardless of type, size and nature of the business, we support the use of the term ”management of records” throughout this standard rather than the term ”records management” which could be seen by some as covering only the field and discipline practised by records managers. 

However, we are also pleased that the standard highlights the need for domain expertise in information governance and records management and the empowerment of workers with lead responsibilities. This includes the expertise and efforts of records managers, information managers, information asset managers, data managers and data protection officers, IT professionals and administrators, archivists and specialist librarians, legal advisors and business administrators. 

We believe that the draft standard provides a baseline to evolve further best practice around the information asset owner / administrator role, which is so vital as a conduit of delivery of and best practice in records management throughout an organisation. 

Once finalised, the Society would like to see and will support the adoption of the standard by sector regulators within their own codes and standards.