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The tarnished reputation of the industry created the need for substantial reform to beget the return of consumer faith. By espousing the ethical culture detailed within the ACS framework, the Regulator has developed a system that, in time, will improve and enhance not only the service provision of security companies, but also their interaction with the local community and the environment (by adopting a sustainable development paradigm corresponding with the European Foundation of Quality Management).

Many of our existing clients were well aware of our progress towards the ACS, but if the scheme is to be truly successful the SIA must do all within its power to imbue a necessity within the sector that compliance with the model is essential. If not, one fears that many firms will continue their habit of unprofessional security provision based around minimal requirements.

As a company, we have been driven by our commitment to professional development, most notably for our staff. This afforded us a distinct advantage when applying for Approved Contractor status. In fact, within three months of submitting our application we had developed our existing BS EN ISO 9001:2000 procedures to allow for UKAS accreditation.

During the two-day audit undertaken by the National Security Inspectorate, our assessor indicated that he had noted pertinent factors within our operational practices that would be regarded as Best Practice (and, as such, would be above and beyond the SIA’s minimum criteria). An example of this is our subscription to an external customer satisfaction survey and report both conducted on a quarterly basis.

Feedback from the survey is coupled with the findings of our own internal quality assurance procedures (from which data is interpolated every quarter, and a report produced for discussion at our own quarterly review meetings).

Attendance at those meetings encompasses all senior and lower level management, plus a random selection of five security operatives who are invited to participate in the process. Each attendee is empowered with one vote to help determine new precedents or alterations to current procedures. This enables an holistic and practical approach to decision-making.

How many other security companies can indicate such bold client/employee-centred management processes? If truth be told, very few I believe.

From a practical standpoint, the process of adopting the ACS has let our employees see the viability of our business in adapting to the current legislative and economic climates pervading the industry. Larger client organisations will soon ensure that such accreditation is an ‘essential’ prior to acceptance on tendering lists. Considering the very stringent and ethical assessment criteria this scheme encapsulates, that can only be of benefit to the security sector.

There are those in the industry who would imply that there are two sorts of change within the security guarding sector. The first is passive change. In other words, what is happening to guarding whether we like it or not. Then there is active change. Changes that security companies can make for themselves. Applying for the ACS being one of them.

My advice to smaller security guarding companies hoping to survive in this tornado of legislative change is for them to recognise that there will soon be no recourse but to accept that the concept of active change is just a short-lived delusion.

It will be difficult to survive – and thereafter compete – in a progressively regulated industry where there are severe penalties for non-compliance. However, when you set in context the new client able to source preferred contractors via the SIA’s web site, it may soon be nigh on impossible for security companies to continue in business without having attained the appropriate standards – whether accredited or not – for their operational practices.

Wilson Chowdhry, Managing Director, AA Security