It was Churchill who once said of the Balkans: “Their problem is that they have too much history”. It was one of Churchill’s successors, namely Harold Macmillan who, when asked what the biggest challenge was in politics, replied: “Events, dear chap, events.” It seems each year that passes becomes increasingly full of both history and events. The question is no longer whether our world is changing, but whether we are being agile enough in identifying the challenges and adopting appropriate strategies to prepare ourselves for the high-level and potentially existential impacts that change will undoubtedly bring. This presentation looks at some of the major events of 2022 – among them the invasion of Ukraine, catastrophic weather events and the recent mini-budget – and examines the lessons each can offer practising security and risk managers. We will also highlight one of the most successful project management events of 2022 – the delivery of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, an event that had been years in the preparation, and one with multiple moving parts (each of which could have created total operational failure), but which had to be delivered in front of a global audience of billions.

Working on behalf of its Security Officer Services Section members and the wider industry, the British Security Industry Association has devised a major national campaign that aims to increase the profile and awareness of the crucial work that security officers transact on a 24/7/365 basis to protect people, property and places.

The new campaign is also about highlighting how a career in the industry – and the provision of professional security as a service – carries a diverse range of benefits. The prime objectives of the new ‘People, Property, Places: Professionally Protected’ campaign, which itself builds on the ‘Hidden Workforce – Perceptions’ campaign initiated in 2020 – are to raise awareness of security officers and their work, improve retention and recruitment by highlighting the myriad benefits of the sector and also to promote the benefits of purchasing professional security services among the end user community.

A perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) is a device or sensor that detects the presence of an intruder attempting to breach the physical perimeter of a property, building or other form of secured area. A PIDS is typically deployed as part of an overall security system and is often to be found in situ at high-security environments such as correctional facilities, airports, military bases and nuclear power plants. This session at conference will examine the current state of play in terms of perimeter protection and perimeter security regimes for the benefit of practising professionals.

An industry-led collaboration designed to promote the importance of good mental health and well-being in the private security industry has been launched under the ‘Security Minds Matter’ banner. The project is aimed at benefiting everyone currently working in the private security industry and very keenly focused on attracting the attentions of employers who have a Duty of Care to their staff. In essence, the Security Minds Matter project aims to share Best Practice advice on mental health and well-being, signpost additional support for individual employees and employers alike, provide resources such as toolkits and guidance and also stimulate conversation and debate on this hugely important issue.

ASIS International has put a great deal of effort into analysing the relationship between physical security, cyber security and business continuity in modern organisations with a view towards determining Best Practice for creating more effective and cost-efficient security and risk-focused operations. Despite years of predictions about the inevitability of security convergence, it remains the case that relatively few organisations have converged their physical and cyber security functions. This session at conference will examine trends and progress with converging environments. Results to date are positive, but there’s still much work to be done.

The scramble for ‘tech’ advancement and adoption is only quickening in the current global crisis fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest GDP figures for the UK point towards a sharp and deep recession and one that may take some time to ameliorate. The loss of jobs in the economy is going to take its toll on the Government’s spending and investment plans. In a similar vein, plans for companies in terms of new investment could take a hit.

Set against that backdrop, service delivery must lead from the front and adapt to what is now an ever-changing world and business environment. As this session at conference will evidence, it’s all about being ready to invest time and collateral in new technologies that will make a valuable difference to a client’s estate and/or benefit its overall productivity.

It’s no secret that the threat landscape is continually evolving, bringing with it new and more daunting challenges for public and private-sector security professionals alike. The core function of any security team is the protection of company assets. Of equal importance is the acknowledgement that security forms a business function, which helps organisations to achieve the bottom line. As the age-old saying goes: “Security is the responsibility of all within organisations”. In order to attain a culture of security, it can be argued that Board attention must be directed towards educating staff.

In further examining that contention, this presentation analyses how effective security can be achieved through the identification and implementation of appropriate training curricula. It considers the benefits of carving out attainable career pathways for individuals seeking to upskill and also looks at established CPD routes existing within the professional security arena. Through training and defined career pathways, the security arena has continued to professionalise itself. As such, this presentation pays tribute to the positive strides taken by the industry across the past decade and goes on to consider the future of modern training methodologies.

Terrorist groups use violence – and threats of violence – to publicise their causes and as a means to achieve their goals. They often aim to influence or exert pressure on Governments and Government policies, while in parallel rejecting democratic processes or even democracy itself. It’s challenging to understand the intentions and activities of secretive and sometimes highly organised groups. New and changing technologies make it increasingly difficult to obtain the information necessary to disrupt the attack planning of these groups. There are limits to what can be done to prevent attacks both planned and launched from abroad. This presentation will serve to highlight the techniques employed to keep pace with the terrorists’ capabilities.

The Business Continuity Institute recently launched the 2022 edition of its Business Continuity and Business Resilience Report. Sponsored by Riskonnect, this report looks at how business continuity and business resilience are perceived within organisations across different industry sectors, while also examining what challenges these disciplines are facing amid the rise of new working environments. The presentation at conference will focus on the key findings outlined in the report, while at the same time looking towards the roadmap for the next five years. Clearly, business resilience is now an unavoidable topic for Boardroom agendas.

The Government’s proposed Protect Duty legislation represents a significant development in public safety, rendering venue owners legally responsible for their patrons’ safety: a landmark step previously unseen here in the UK. The Government’s move will not only transform the way in which the UK protects its people at publicly accessible locations, but also introduce a legal Duty of Care to provide security regimes that combat potential terrorist attacks. What does all of this mean, though, for today’s security companies and their dedicated members of staff?

This session is set to examine the current state of play when it comes to security apprenticeships and training across the UK. As an organisation, Skills for Security works with employers to set National Occupational Standards and improve security skills and professionalism by providing access to training, apprenticeships and security qualifications for individuals employed in security roles across the UK. Learning programmes are exclusively tailored for apprentices in the security industry, and more specifically a niche part of that industry: fire and security emergency alarm systems.

Becoming a Chartered Security Professional is a means of being recognised and continuing to represent the highest standards of security practise as well as ongoing proficiency in the discipline. It’s ‘The Gold Standard’ of competence in security. Every Chartered Security Professional demonstrates competence in five areas: Security Knowledge, Practical Application, Communication, Leadership and Personal Commitment. This session at conference will examine why sector professionals should strive to attain CSyP status and how this benefits both the individual and the security business sector as a whole.