Blackthorn GRC

2002 - QCC Information Security Limited created a Microsoft Access application called Secure Incident Database (SID).

2004 - SID was transformed into a Web Application at which point Ian Hardman was first involved.

2010 - SID was rebranded to Blackthorn.

2012 - With the success of the application, the application was transferred to a new company, with new ownership, called Blackthorn Technologies Limited.

Dec 2015 - Blackthorn GRC Limited launched as the vehicle to take products and software forward.

“Customer Focused”

We only exist because of our customers. Yes, we do inform you about the direction you should take, but ultimately it is your decision. We are here for a long term relationship with you and as a result our support is known to be second to none. There is no point having a great system if you are not sure how to use it. No matter how many manuals you have, the user always prefers to be able to pick up the telephone and speak to someone who actually knows how to resolve your problem AND that is what we supply.

“Fair Price for a fair Job”

We believe in growing ourselves and our clients companies together and it is the only partnership that will truly bring value. Our prices reflect a true image of our expertise in the field. We are not the cheapest, nor are we the most expensive. However, our clients recognise our value for money and that's why we have so much repeat business.

“Keep it simple”

There are lots of buzz words around these days such as Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Minimum Marketable Product (MMP), Lean, etc… We try to keep things as simple as possible and believe that it is best to work towards the MMP. It is fine working in small iterations (MVP) but you must keep your eye on the goal. Build the basics first, but the basics must be sufficient to actually give significant benefit to the business.

“Not Style over Substance”

Many applications these days look fabulous in demonstrations, but when you start using the product you realise it simply won’t meet your needs. Our product may not be the prettiest, but it does do a phenomenal job. The question is do you want an application that looks nice or an application that can actually perform. We are working on the styling and try to give you the best mixture of both.

“We are with our employees for the ride”

We value our employees as they are the key to anything to everything we do as a business. Although Blackthorn GRC is a small company, we both value and actively encourage career progression through internal and external training, support and encouragement. We are here to progress their careers. Our workplace is simply a great place to work, with friendly colleagues, interesting clients & challenging work. Ex-employees want to come back and work with us.

“Don’t run before you can walk”

We prefer to split projects into phases; ensuring that each phase works in practice before moving on to the next. We don't use our clients as guinea pigs and therefore prefer to use existing, well established technology that can be specifically tailoured to suit the needs of each individual client.

“We are responsible for what we give you”

It does not matter if we are supplying you a third party product or something that we have produced entirely, it is our responsibility to resolve any problems that you are having. We use Blackthorn internally so we are aware of how the product operates daily and are alerted to any changes or possible problems that clients may experience before they are encountered.

We believe passionately in:

What We Do

We recognise the importance of your roles and the value in your work. We love providing you systems that will help you catch and convict perpetrators, prevent accidents and injury, provide the correct compensation, and resolve wrong doings. From ensuring buildings are safe and secure for staff, to making sure HSE guidelines are followed, vetting staff to ensure the right type of people are employed, to credit card PCI compliance, the list goes on. We love being able to help you with your preventative activities.

How We Do It

We pride ourselves in doing the best job we can for the price you can afford. Budgets are tight and it is both of our responsibilities to make sure that money is targeted in a way that will ensure that you get the "biggest bang for your buck".

Who We Do It For

We treat our clients and employees as family. We are not here for our personal gain, but what we can achieve together, and how we better society as a whole. We want to be proud to say we are working for you, and for you to be confident in the fact that we are doing our very best to help you achieve your goals. By making you happy, we grow as a business and our employees feel pride and ultimate job satisfaction.