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Merkle Response Management Group Achieves PCI DSS 3.0 Level 1 ComplianceMerkle Response Management Group (Merkle RMG), a subsidiary of Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency and the nation's largest privately-held agency, has announced that it achieved Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI (News - Alert) DSS) 3.0 Level 1 Compliance. Achieving PCI DSS 3.0 Level 1 Compliance illustrates Merkle RMG's dedication to helping nonprofits provide excellent service to their donors, which includes keeping financial information secure. Developed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), PCI DSS is a security standard that ensures an organization can safely and securely process credit card information. While previous versions of PCI DSS focused primarily on more recent activity and only touched on a few year-long examples of a business' results, PCI DSS 3.0 examines the full previous year of activity in much greater detail, requiring evidence that PCI DSS requirements have been consistently met. Under PCI DSS 3.0, auditing firms are also held to a greater level of accountability in the event of a violation. These measures ensure organizations and their payment processors have ongoing, proven security standards in place. "Every time a nonprofit or payment processor receives a donation, the organization is accepting responsibility for the security of its donors' financial information. Merkle RMG is committed to helping nonprofits meet this expectation. Achieving PCI DSS 3.0 Level 1 Compliance is a testament to Merkle RMG's commitment to delivering the highest level of security to our nonprofit clients and their donors," said Bill Sayre, president of Merkle RMG. "Merkle RMG is proud to have met the highest level of PCI Compliance continuously since near the beginning of the 1.0 standard, and most especially now with the new 3.0 standard." Regularly handling donors' financial information, security is a critical concern for nonprofits and the organizations that support them. There are four levels of rigor associated with PCI DSS compliance. The highest level, Level 1, requires organizations to go through quarterly and yearly scans, vulnerability and hacking attempts and yearly on-site audits by external organizations. Any business that hanles credit card information for other entities must be compliant at Level 1. Through these stringent security measures, nonprofits can be assured their donor information is properly handled. "Large corporations and government institutions are no longer the only targets for security incidents - nonprofits need to take additional steps to secure donor information as well. PCI DSS 3.0 Level 1 Compliance is a critical credential for any organization dealing with sensitive financial and credit card information," said Jim Stouffer, Director of Technology Services for Merkle RMG. "Further, Merkle RMG's commitment to security doesn't end at PCI DSS compliance. From end-to-end data encryption to 24/7 security cameras, a multi-faceted approach to security is essential in today's world." PCI Compliance is an essential baseline for security, but there are other best practices nonprofits and the organizations that support them should also maintain. To evaluate the security of an organization's donation processing, take Merkle RMG's security assessment: http://merklermg.com/security-assessment/ About Merkle Response Management Group Founded in 1983, Merkle's Response Management Group is dedicated to providing complete response processing and fulfillment solutions, including lockbox/caging, scanning, data capture and integration, imaging, inbound call center, email management, acknowledgment printing and mailing, and premium/product fulfillment services. RMG serves more than 200 clients in the nonprofit, government, healthcare, and retail markets. For more information about Merkle RMG, please visit www.merkleresponse.com, or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @MerkleRMG. About Merkle Merkle is a global data-driven, technology-enabled performance marketing agency. For more than 25 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle, the nation's largest privately-held agency, to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. By combining a complete range of marketing, technical, analytical and creative disciplines, Merkle works with clients to design, execute and evaluate connected CRM programs. With more than 2,600 employees, the privately held corporation is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland with 14 additional offices in the US and offices in London, Shanghai and Nanjing. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com. Supporting Resources:
Merkle RMG: http://www.merkleresponse.com
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