An open letter to our customers, members and volunteers

What happened

In February, based on the technical advice we had at the time, we launched several systems concurrently, including a new customer database, training provider portal, transactional website and members’ area, together with the integrations connecting these to existing systems.

This was a complex project and the culmination of years of planning. Our previous systems were ageing, increasingly difficult to maintain and presented security risks, making their replacement essential. Their age and complexity also meant that replacing them safely was challenging, particularly because data had been structured differently across systems over many years.

Prior to ‘go live’ we brought in external assurance and technical advisory services to manage the inevitable risks of a new system. Having reviewed the evidence and assurances available at the time, we took the decision to proceed.  However, the scale and range of problems following launch were significantly greater than anticipated. Data issues, system integrations, new processes and technical failures combined to create disruption for customers, members, training providers and our colleagues.

Some issues were resolved, while others have proved more difficult and intermittent than expected. We recognise that this has damaged trust and caused understandable frustration.

What we’re doing

We moved quickly into formal incident response, with the situation receiving regular oversight from our Board.

We have:

• strengthened our customer support operation, including bringing in temporary additional staff
• engaged independent technical experts to assess our systems and support our response
• introduced contingency arrangements and alternative ways of working where possible, including manual processes
• prioritised critical customer and member services
• provided regular service updates through our website and social channels.

Our colleagues have worked exceptionally hard over the months since launch, often under significant pressure, to support customers and resolve problems.

Where we are now

We remain in incident response mode and are focused on restoring services fully and reliably.

Some important services have been restored, including online joining and renewal, with telephone options also available. Membership upgrades are progressing, although some are taking longer than usual as we work through backlogs.

There are still intermittent issues affecting some training provider services, including workbook ordering and fulfilment, digital workbooks, and the release and dispatch of certificates.

Progress has not always been consistent, and we do not yet have a reliable date for full restoration of every service. We would rather be honest about that than give you timelines we cannot guarantee.

In the meantime, we will continue to provide additional support and regular updates as services improve.

What happens next

Our immediate priority is stability: resolving the remaining issues, reducing backlogs and restoring a dependable service.

With stability returning, trustees have instructed that a fully independent lessons-learned review is commissioned. This will look at what happened, why it happened, how we responded and what we need to change. We are committed to acting on its findings.

We are also changing how we approach customer service. This incident has highlighted operational weaknesses that have sometimes made it harder for us to respond and reassure customers quickly. Improving this will be a key part of our recovery.

Our new systems have already strengthened our data security and provide a stronger foundation for how we work with customers and members online. We remain committed to investing in them and making them more robust and easier to use.

Keeping you informed

We will continue to publish the latest service information on our dedicated website status page, which is checked daily and updated at least weekly.

We will keep communicating until our services are back to the standards you expect.

For our training providers, we will share the latest training-specific information via your dedicated newsletter. 

All IOSH members are invited to join an online session, where we'll share what's happened, where we are now, and what we're doing to put things right. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions. 

Thank you

We know that trust is earned through actions, not words. We recognise that our operational performance has fallen short, and we are committed to rebuilding that trust through what we do next.

We are particularly grateful to our customers and members. Your frustration is entirely understandable, but many of you have continued to engage constructively and encourage us to do better. We genuinely appreciate that.

We also want to thank our volunteers. Operational problems are not your responsibility, yet many of you have been approached by members and colleagues seeking answers or help. We are sorry that you have been put in that position and had to deal with difficult questions about issues you did not cause and could not resolve.

IOSH’s reputation for professional excellence has been built over more than 80 years. Our members uphold that reputation every day through the standards they bring to their work. We are committed to ensuring that our own operational standards reflect the same professionalism.

Our focus now is to: restore reliable services, support those affected, learn from what has happened and emerge as a stronger organisation.

Thank you for your patience, your honesty and your continued commitment to IOSH.

Anthony Blackman
Interim Independent Chair
IOSH Board of Trustees

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher
Chief Executive
IOSH