Alan Clamp, Chief Executive of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) launched a new initiative yesterday at Security Twenty17 promoting responsible buying of security and the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme.
Alan Clamp told the audience at the Heathrow event that the SIA want to persuade purchasers to buy security on quality, not just on price. A new SIA leaflet, “Do You Buy Security: the regulator’s guide to buying private security” has been produced in support of the initiative.
Holding a copy of the leaflet, Alan Clamp told the audience: “Buying cut-price security can be appealing, but it is a false economy. I would say to buyers of security that the safety of the public, and the reputation of your business, are too important to trust to the lowest bidder without any other safeguards. Very cheap security can come at the expense of lower standards and a higher risk of harm to people and property.”
The leaflet is particularly intended for use by SIA Approved Contractors when tendering for work, and explains the benefits of the scheme. Alan Clamp continued: “One way that buyers – including the public sector – can support and recognise good quality security provision is to use businesses that have the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme accreditation. Buyers can be confident that these businesses have been quality assured to ensure that the services that they provide are compliant.”
The SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme, which is voluntary, measures private security suppliers against a set of independently assessed criteria. The Scheme currently covers more than 840 businesses throughout the UK. Approved Contractors range in size from multi-national companies to local small enterprises, and they all comply with the ACS standards.
Alan Clamp noted recent successful prosecutions of criminal and non-compliant security businesses through work by the SIA’s regional investigation teams. He held up the SIA’s enforcement activity as a crucial element of its strong commitment to achieving and maintaining high standards within the security industry. Using an Approved Contractor reduces the risk to buyers that their brand may be associated with non-compliant businesses.
The new leaflet can be downloaded from the SIA’s website.