The New Zealand Government has certified Microsoft’s New Zealand North data centre under its Public Cloud Data Centre Certification (PCDCC) scheme.
It is the first time a global Cloud Service Provider has received this certification locally. The Government Chief Digital Office issued the approval after confirming the facility meets Protective Security Requirements.
Standardised Cloud Assessment Model Reduces Compliance Burden
The PCDCC framework is part of the government’s Cloud First strategy and is intended to reduce redundancy in cloud risk evaluation. The Government Chief Digital Office oversees the programme and confirmed that the certification “covers Microsoft’s NZ based data centres.”
The scheme is designed to “provide New Zealand’s government agencies with confidence that Microsoft meets robust governance processes and physical and personnel security requirements.”
Certification Enables Easier Public Sector Cloud Adoption
Microsoft’s New Zealand North region data centre is now officially cleared for use across government, allowing departments to bypass additional verification processes. “We’re proud to be one of the first organisations to receive a public cloud data centre certification from the GCDO,” said Emma Bessey, Public Sector Director at Microsoft New Zealand.
“In line with New Zealand’s Cloud First policy, any government agency can now leverage our local data centre more efficiently without the need to conduct its own detailed security verification, significantly reducing the complexity and effort typically required.
We are excited to be empowering more joined-up, innovative and modern citizen services to all New Zealanders.”
The announcement is expected to accelerate digital transformation efforts across the public sector by providing a pre-cleared infrastructure base that complies with national security standards.
Cloud Oversight Programme Supports Efficient Public ICT Systems
The certification process is positioned as evidence of the government’s intention to modernise public IT systems.
The GCDO has issued three certifications under the PCDCC scheme, each verifying conformance with Protective Security Requirements in key areas such as data security and governance. The standardised framework’s main goal is to cut costs and increase efficiency across agencies. Certifications like this are cementing cloud-first policies as the foundation of secure, modern public services.