About MIE

Established in 1988 as the very first commercial background screening company in South Africa, MIE withstood turbulent political and commercial times to emerge as South Africa’s background screening market leader. Armed with a fax machine, a telephone line and massive determination, MIE embarked on a growing spree that continues unabated today. Interestingly, the force behind MIE in 1988 remains the Chief Executive in 2011, a full 23 years later. Add to that the fact that some of MIE’s clients have been with the company since its inception, and you start to get the measure of this powerhouse in the industry.

Key to MIE’s unbridled success has been the company’s uncompromising commitment to providing a focused and cost-effective background screening service of the highest quality and integrity. Along the way, MIE has amassed a wealth of experience, defined the way in which background screening processes happen in South Africa, and revolutionized the technology systems required to be the biggest and the fastest background screening company in South Africa.

Today MIE services literally thousands of clients, across the globe, all from a high-tech South African location. Coldly sophisticated technology and warm human relationships forge bonds with clients and suppliers alike that endure for years on end.

What does MIE do?

What does “background screening” mean? In a nutshell, background screening means that the things people say about themselves, or don’t say about themselves, are tested to determine their accuracy. For example, a person may lay claim to a Bachelors Degree in Commerce awarded by the London School of Economics. MIE checks whether the degree exists, and whether it was issued to the candidate by the school concerned.

Sometimes MIE checks the unclaimed records of individuals, for example criminal and credit records. There are many types of checks that can be performed, and they are described in more detail later on in this document.

Rest assured that MIE performs its specialized task by way of a variety of background screening techniques that ensure that the privacy of the individual is protected, that the laws of the land are respected, and that the entire process is legitimate, fast and accurate.

Who owns who?

MIE is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ideco Group, listed on the JSE-ALTX as IDC. Visit Ideco at http://www.ideco.co.za. In the past, before Ideco acquired 100% of its shares, MIE was partly owned by the international risk consulting group, Kroll. This relationship ended in 2008.

Before either Kroll or Ideco owned MIE, the company was privately owned by its founder, who manages the company today.

What are MIE’s Credentials?

Besides being the largest, oldest and most recognized background screening company in South Africa, MIE is also:

• A registered credit bureau that complies fully with the National Credit Act and its Regulations
• A registered supplier of South African Police Services criminal record information
• A registered supplier of AFISwitch biometric criminal record search information
• The owner and operator of the NQR®
• The owner and operator of SmartScreen™
• The custodian of the most background experience gathered under one roof anywhere in South Africa today
• A client list in excess of 6,000
• A supplier list in excess of 15,000
• A proven ability to easily verify in excess of 200,000 service requests every month