MORRISVILLE, N.C., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At their recent 2010 Mid-year conference in La Jolla, California, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC) announced the following companies have successfully achieved compliance with the Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP): Acxiom Information Security Systems Inc., Independence, Ohio; AmericanChecked, Tulsa, Oklahoma; BackTrack, Mentor, Ohio; CARCO Group, Holtsville, New York; EmployeeScreenIQ, Cleveland, Ohio; Employment Screening Resources, Novato, California; IntelliCorp Records Inc., Beachwood, Ohio; OPENonline LLC, Columbus, Ohio and PeopleTrail, Draper, Utah. The above companies are now formally recognized as BSCC Accredited.

This voluntary program is open to all background screening companies in the U.S.  The process required to earn accreditation is highly demanding and takes approximately six months from submission of the initial application to completion. In order to be accredited, consumer reporting agencies must pass a rigorous onsite audit, conducted by an independent auditing firm, of its policies and procedures as they relate to six critical areas: consumer protection, legal compliance, client education, product standards, service standards and general business practices.

Currently there are several applicant-companies in various stages of the accreditation program and the BSCC anticipates that within the next six to 12 months, additional companies will earn the seal of accreditation.  The industry goal is to get a majority of screening firms accredited within the next five years.  

Since its inception, NAPBS has recognized the need for a singular, cohesive industry standard and the BSAAP has fulfilled that vision. Governed by a strict professional standard composed of requirements and measurements, the BSAAP is positioned to become a widely recognized seal of approval that brings national recognition to background screening organizations (also referred to as Consumer Reporting Agencies) for their conformity with these national accreditation standards.

"The BSAAP is the industry's primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability," said Catherine Aldrich, chairperson of the BSCC . "Developed and sustained by background screening professionals, the BSAAP reflects, reinforces, and promotes best practices, institutional ethics and the highest standards of background screening operations."

The NAPBS Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC) oversees the application process and is the governing accreditation body that will ensure that the background screening organizations seeking accreditation meet or exceed the Standard.  Any U.S.-based employment screening organization is eligible to apply for accreditation. A copy of the standard, the policies and procedures and measurements is available at www.napbs.com.

About NAPBS®

Founded in 2003 as a non-profit trade association, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) represents the interests of more than 700 member companies around the world that offer tenant, employment and background screening. NAPBS provides relevant programs and training aimed at empowering members to better serve clients and maintain standards of excellence in the background screening industry, and presents a unified voice in the development of national, state and local regulations. For more information, visit www.napbs.com.

SOURCE National Association of Professional Background Screeners