Qweb certificate to the K-Alliance’s Plussa.com web service

The K-Alliance’s consumer portal Plussa.com became the first consumer web service in Finland to receive the world-wide Qweb certificate that signifies reliability and high quality. The Qweb is based on the requirements set out by IQNet, the organisation of international certification body partners.

The primary aim of the Qweb certification is to ensure the security and rights of the service users. The audit of the web service looks into, among other things, the ethical principles, privacy protection, IT security and the quality of business processes. The service must also be clear and logical in use.

Ethical principles assess, for instance, how truthful advertising is, how advertising promises are kept and restrictions related to children observed. In IT security assessments, special attention is paid to ensuring privacy and confidentiality. Quality criteria of business processes require that activities in relation to customer expectations be monitored and corrective actions be taken, if required. Feedback and complaints management must also be in order. Certification necessitates efficient operating and monitoring systems to enhance the quality of web service operations. For the user, the Qweb certificate is a guarantee of a reliable web service.

Plussa.com is the K-Alliance’s consumer portal and the web service of the Plussa customer loyalty programme. Plussa.com has about 200,000 registered users. Kesko’s subsidiary K-Plus Oy, which is responsible for the K-Alliance’s Plussa customer loyalty programme, develops the content of the site.

The Qweb Mark awarded to Plussa.com is valid for one year. To ensure the continuing conformity to the Qweb requirements, the certification body will carry out further audits at least once a year and will check the certified pages every three months. In Finland, SFS-Inspecta Sertifiointi Oy makes the audit required for the certificate and grants the certificate.

TietoEnator Oyj is responsible for the technical implementation of Plussa.com and the consultation aiming at the Qweb certification was made by Satama Interactive Oyj.

Further information:
Niila Rajala, Managing Director, K-Plus Oy, tel. +358 1053 37100, niila.rajala@kesko.fi
Arja Toiviainen, Editor-in-chief, Plussa.com, tel. +358 1053 37057, arja.toiviainen@kesko.fi