Key Qualities of Software Escrow Providers

Independence and neutrality

The escrow agent should be independent of both supplier and beneficiary:

• No financial interest in either party.
• No operational reliance on the software vendor.
• A neutral custodial role, exercised without conflict.

Why this matters:

When a release event occurs, the agent must be able to act without hesitation or divided interests.

Experience

A credible escrow provider demonstrates operational experience beyond agreement setup.

• Supplier insolvency and support withdrawal
• Disputed release events
• Cross border execution
• Urgent release scenarios
• Disaster recovery testing and rebuild simulations
• Step in validation and multi vendor environments

Why this matters:


Escrow is tested under failure conditions, not during implementation.

Legal and contractual

depth

A credible provider should demonstrate:

• Experienced legal capability in software escrow
• Established contract frameworks
• Cross jurisdiction understanding
• Clear release conditions
• Defined intellectual property and usage rights on release

Why this matters:


Poorly structured agreements fail at the point continuity depends on them.

Technical maturity

Escrowing IP must extend beyond storage to usability.

A credible provider should demonstrate:

• Structured verification and testing processes
• Capability across SaaS, cloud, and modern environments
• Ability to capture full system dependencies, not only source code
• Secure storage, encryption, and access control
• Clear audit trails for all deposits and updates

Why this matters:


The gap between possession and usability is where escrow arrangements fail.

Verification determines whether continuity is achievable, not assumed

Alignment with standards and best practice

A credible provider should align with recognised frameworks and practices, including:

• Industry bodies such as the International Software Escrow Association
• Information security and quality standards with certifications for ISO 27001 and ISO 9001
• Operational resilience expectations
• Third party risk management practices

They should also demonstrate:



• International operational capability
• Experience managing jurisdictional differences
• Ability to support multi country agreements

Why this matters:

Organisations are required to manage IT risk and business continuity, including third party dependencies

"Many people consider SES Secure the Number 1 Software Escrow Provider in the UK as it is proven to display all the above qualities which is substantiated by it's "Exceptional" rating on Feefo."

Contact one of our Software Escrow Specialist to discuss how we many be able to help you...

About SES Secure

For over two decades, SES has been offering innovative Software Escrow and SaaS Escrow solutions to protect our customers and their IT assets. We believe that effective business continuity planning should be tailored, targeted and tested. At the heart of everything we do is our team of dedicated experts, whose knowledge and commitment drive the protection and resilience our clients rely on.

Trusted by:

SES Secure clients include: Airbus, Barclays, Boots, Bond, E-On, Datamere, Canon, NHS, Tesco Bank, Network Rail and many more national and international companies.