Meet Jody Kennard, SITUs Information Security & Compliance Manager. We interviewed her to discuss all things Jody and ISO!
A Day in the Life
How long have you been the Information Security & Compliance Manager and why SITU?
I first joined the SITU team in 2017 as the office manager. Since joining, my job role evolved around me, and my duties expanded. In January 2020, my title changed to Information Security and Compliance Manager. From office management tasks, my work grew to involve SITU’s data protection, information, and security. SITU interested me as a company as it was known for its great internal culture, and I was interested in working within the hospitality industry.
What does a “typical” day/week look like for you?
I don’t have a typical working week or a typical job schedule. My work is reactive, and I complete tasks as and when they are needed. I prioritise what needs to be done and make sure it is all covered. I work heavily in data protection for SITU along with ongoing project work such as company accreditations. Every day is different.
What is your favourite part of your job?
My favourite part of my role is the variety. It keeps me on my toes. I also like the fact that my job interests me and I feel like I am always learning. I like the variation in tasks, from data protection to corporate social responsibility (CSR). The feeling of repetitive actions and feeling stuck is one I hate and I don’t like doing the same thing day in and day out – I don’t have that at SITU.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
Outside of work I love to spend my free time reading and going to the cinema. I like the escapism I can experience when watching a film. I also am a dog lover and have two Lurchers, Evie and Pip. My family are important to me and I like to spend my free time with them when I can.
What is your dream holiday destination?
I have two places I would love it go to. The first is Tahiti. My only reason for wanting to go is the name. It’s fun and I love the sound of it! The second is Egypt. When I was younger, I was interested in the mythology and the history of Ancient Egypt. That interest has stayed with me and it would be amazing to go and visit the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Nile!
Business Traveller Wellbeing & ISO
ISO: What does it mean you in a general term?
ISO to me is a great way of showing that SITU looks for ways it can improve. Internally and externally, we can show off that we do the best we can, and we are actively working on ourselves. ISO exhibits we are a forward-thinking company and are willing to change in areas we need it.
Why do you think that ISO is important to organisations?
I think that ISO is important in showing an organisations reliability. It helps instil trust in our customers, clients, stakeholders, suppliers, and employees. It shows we have processes in place to protect us as a company, but also the data of those who choose to work with us. ISO standards also provide us with guidelines on ways to work better, improve and grow.
How do you feel ISO impacts our industry specifically?
Within the hospitality industry, and the serviced accommodation industry specifically, ISO is useful to exhibit who we are to clients. When a company looks to work with SITU, it can be reassuring to know that we have been checked and looked at by an external body. The ISO standards cover all bases and provide the message that we are doing our bit to make real change.
What do you predict for the future of SITU and ISO?
We are always looking for ways we can grow and evolve within our industry. ISO is great for providing us with guidelines on how best we can achieve our goals, in the best way. As of September 2021, we have been certified with the ISO 14001 in Environmental Management which helps us on our CSR and environmentalism journey!
SITU is dedicated to constant improvement both as a company and as part of the industry as a whole. Take a look at our awards and accreditations page here to see the other work we have been doing to better improve ourselves.
To find out more about SITU and the work we do, head over to our website here!