Rick Mounfield, CEO of the Security Institute, invites you to consider the Risk Bowtie – 5 critical questions as a straightforward and graphic way to represent your approach to managing a risk.

“A picture paints a thousand words” said Frederick R. Barnard in 1921 and it’s well worth considering when you need to demonstrate a risk and its associated impacts in a succinct way. There are many tools available to the modern security professional and I offer this method for your toolbox. I have seen it used by the Civil Aviation Authority and the British Army. I like its simplicity and visual articulation.

Many reading this will be well versed in risk and the common strategies that can be used to manage it. The manner in which we demonstrate each risk and present it will impact on the way it is read and understood by those that need to implement the control measures. Overly technical and it can become confusing. Too little information and it may not realistically reflect the true measure of the risk event or the controls required to respond.

As you can see, the model is shaped like a bow tie, creating a clear differentiation between proactive and reactive risk management.

Every business has hazardous events that will be listed on a risk register. Those risks can be individually assessed and then managed using the Risk Bowtie – 5 critical questions:

What is the hazard? And what is the top event that could occur?

It can be anything deemed as such, like crossing the road. The hazard is the act of crossing the road. The top event, (in the bowtie knot) is the top risk event, the thing we wish to mitigate – In this case, being struck by a moving vehicle, resulting in death or serious injury.

What is the threat?

These are the actions that will increase the chance of the risk event occurring. When crossing a road the following could be threats: not looking both ways, using a mobile device/ being distracted, being intoxicated, rushing or not using a pedestrian crossing. All will increase the likelihood of being struck by a vehicle.

What are the consequences?

Consequences need to be considered as far as possible to ensure all aspects are covered: death or serious injury to self; car swerves and crashes into other pedestrians; car crashes and injures driver resulting in legal action; multiple vehicle collision. The list is as exhaustive as you make it.

At this stage we have a clear understanding of the risk and what needs to be controlled. The hazard, top event, threats and consequences give us an overview of everything we don’t want around a certain hazard.

Every line through the bowtie represents a different potential incident. Besides containing incident scenarios that might already have occurred, part of the strength of the bowtie is that there is also room for scenarios which have not occurred yet. This makes it a very proactive approach.

What are Preventative and Recovery Barriers?

Barriers are also known as controls. Typically, they sit either side of the bowtie but as shown below, they can be grouped. To the left are the preventative controls implemented to prevent the top event occurring. This may include installing a pedestrian crossing or footbridge over a busy road. To the right we place the recovery controls, the things that will limit the impact if the top event does occur.

In our scenario this may include first aid actions, traffic control to secure the safety at the scene of the accident – things that prevent the death of the pedestrian. In most cases the barrier or control will have an escalation factor, e.g the pedestrian crossing is there but what if the pedestrian does not use it correctly or the driver fails to stop at the red light? How can we increase the safety in that event?

What is a response?

Once the controls are in place and escalations are considered, the response can be allocated. What aspects will be impacted by this event occurring?

People, the asset, the environment or event reputational damage. Responses could include:

• Treat the risk (physical implementation – what will that cost)
• Treat the risk (no cost-policy or procedure)
• Tolerate the risk
• Transfer the risk (insure it?)
• Terminate the risk (if possible)
• Take the opportunity (doesn’t work with our scenario but might when you use this in your place of work)

There are many risk management tools available, perhaps this one is new to you. It’s worth looking at a little closer.

Rick Mounfield

Security Institute

www.security-institute.org

For more articles on Risk Management, see related articles in our: Risk Management Category

The post The Risk Bowtie – 5 critical questions for managing risk appeared first on City Security Magazine.

The Security Institute (SyI)  launches a new initiative –  Next Generation –  to inspire and attract young people to consider a career within the security industry.

The“Next Generation” in Security programme is backed by an ambitious 10-year plan designed to change perceptions about the security industry and to showcase the career opportunities that exist to 13 to 17-years-olds who are considering their career options.

Backing from the Security Sector

Next Generation has already received extensive industry backing with 50 businesses and organisations stepping up to offer work experience programmes and lend their support to the initiative. Baroness Ruth Henig CSyI, President of the Security Institute, is also lending her support.

Changing perceptions

The Security Institute’s 10-year plan to improve perceptions of the industry will seek to address the long-term issues such as the gender pay gap, improving diversity in the profession and specifically look at promoting lifelong learning, professional development and security qualifications.

“We must promote to young people the key role security plays in our society,” says Rick Mounfield CSyP FSyI, Chief Executive of the Security Institute. “The security profession is one of the most ‘job secure’ lines of employment on offer to young people today, but unfortunately the perception of security is poor, often fixated on the image of a security officer in a retail setting. The reality is very different. Our industry offers a range of rewarding career paths beyond simple security guarding; it is a professional career of choice with a clear pathway to leadership.”

Paul Barnard MSyI, Board Member of the Security Institute, who has been a driving force behind the initiative, says, “There is a real need for the security industry to address the reasons why we are not attracting bright young people and to change perceptions that it does offer both an interesting and lifelong career choice.

“Having had a successful career both in the City of London Police and now in the security industry, I know first-hand how rewarding it can be as well as the importance of the convergence of the security industry with the national security strategy. The security industry is crucial for the ongoing defence and security of our nation and it is important we take action now to address the recruitment issues and to attract the calibre of people we need to help us protect our society over the long term.

“If you ask some young people, or for that matter adults, if they are interested in a career in security, they think the role is solely about door supervisors at night clubs or guards at supermarkets. These are important jobs and rewarding jobs, but of course, only a small part of the picture.

“They may not realise that there is a whole world of security roles out there, like those architects who shape the street scheme with unobtrusive security installations, or engineers who design and implement leading-edge technology solutions or analysts who gather and interpret intelligence.”

Next Generation scheme launched with Volunteer Police Cadets

The SyI began its roll out of the Next Generation initiative at the International Security Expo on 28th November at Olympia, where it hosted a group of 50 secondary school-age children, including Volunteer Police Cadets.

The scheme was opened by Lord Admiral West, with inspirational presentations and a tour of some of the exhibits, with the aim of demonstrating the huge range of different organisations, both public sector and commercial enterprises, and the varied things they do.

An App to support the scheme

To support the young people on this tour, the SyI has developed an App they can use to guide them and record their experiences. Paul says, “We will encourage them to think about whether they could see themselves working in any of these organisations and if this has triggered an interest, to look further into it. We really want to know: has this experience made you think differently about a career in security? We’ll also ask them to feedback on the tour – so we can improve next time.”

Following the tour, the SyI will match these children with three-day work experience placements hosted by its business partners in their local area.

The SyI will replicate this activity at the Security & Counter Terrorism Expo in March 2019 as well as IFSEC in June 2019.

Paul concluded, “Of course, how the programme develops over the next few years is key to long-term success, but our challenge to the first cohort will be: this is your scheme and we’d like to see one of you running it 5 –10 years from now!”

If you would like to know more about the scheme, or to get involved, please get in touch.

Rick Mounfield (CEO) and Paul Barnard (Board Member), The Security Institute www.security-institute.org

The post Security Institute launches Next Generation appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Rick Mounfield, CEO of the Security Institute, puts forward a plan for the pathway from army to civilian life and shares some hard-won advice for those about to embark on it.

On 11 November 2011, I received my last day’s pay after 22 years of service with the Royal Military Police. I was retiring as a Regimental Sergeant Major based in the south of England, though neither my wife nor I were from this region.

Once you decide to leave the forces family, you become very aware of all the benefits you are going to miss. Free medical, dental, gym membership even. You begin to think about where you might fit in a world that is not alien to you but certainly unfamiliar. The future workplace is an unknown and therefore daunting prospect.

I embarked on my career transition pathway, guided to the letter by a programme designed to ensure I received all the appropriate briefings, allowances and workshops that would set the foundation for my future. I feel, however, that I should have started to prepare much earlier than twelve months ahead. I was right, and if I could have gone back in time, this is what I would have done.

Four years from D Day – start getting qualified

At least four years from transition, I should have embarked on that MSc that I looked at, but decided that I did not have the time to undertake. Instead, I did it once I had left (when I was learning a new job and without the financial security I had in the Army).

Note 1. Whatever the level of academic achievement, use your enhanced learning credits and start to gather qualifications that civilian employers can quantify. Courses that augment your vocational skills and experience.

Three years from D Day – research where you want to live

Think about where you want to live. Many have settled where they grew up and found it very difficult to find a job that suits them and satisfies them. We often leave the Army due to separation from family. If you settle far from relevant jobs, you will end up living away from home through the week. We move around in the forces and we become adept at settling down and making friends wherever we go. Think hard about the priorities. Is it more important to live near family or where there is a good source of jobs with decent income? Secure your mortgage while you still have your forces income and before you sign off. You cannot get a mortgage if you are not working.

The remaining two years until D Day – network, network, network

I was once told that people buy people. Employers will select employees that they feel they can trust and that they like. A recommendation from a trusted source who knows you and the employer goes a very long way and this is the strength of the network. Start by connecting with friends that have left before you. Go to events and meetings where you can be introduced by your network to their network and swell your connections as a result.

Use your £175 Standard Learning Credit (SLC). This little-known allowance that every serviceman gets each year can be spent on a course or towards a learning event: a conference or workshop in your field. If your field will be security, you can spend your SLC on a professional membership. The Security Institute membership is applicable because we are a professional membership organisation. Annual fees with the Institute range from £120 to £170, so all levels are within range.

The Security Institute has Security Management courses at BTEC Level 3 certificate, Level 5 diploma and IQ Level 7 advanced diploma – an academic level for any ability. Our network is 2,600+ members, all of whom look out for each other. We have a job board, professional development platform and a mentoring scheme that are all provided at no extra cost for the sole aim of facilitating professional development and peer-to-peer networking. Once you leave your rank behind, our post nominals will let prospective employers know that you have been screened, peer- reviewed against your academic and vocational qualifications and most of all, it says that you have signed up to continuously professionally develop. You are not the one who will sit back on their past accolades.

In Summary

Don’t try and transition on your own. Seek help from those that have left before you. Every one of us has felt the anxiety and uncertainty of transitioning to civilian life. Prove to others that you are willing to be peer-reviewed and be proud of what you have achieved, without being arrogant about it. Whatever you are thinking of doing, start earlier than you think you need to. The years pass quickly, and you will have better results if your academic qualifications and network are established before your last pay day. The security industry is full of opportunity: don’t sell yourself short. Make yourself aware of opportunities in the periphery of your current skillset. Good luck!

Rick Mounfield

Chief Executive, Security Institute

www.security-institute.org

The post The transition to civvy street – a path well-trodden but not so well advertised appeared first on City Security Magazine.

In 2014, the Security Institute’s then President (now our Patron), Lord Carlile, CBE, QC, stated that “the security sector is not properly recognised or respected by government, management or the public”. Arguably, this is due to the fact that many of the people in our community are not professional.

The Oxford Review published an editorial in September 2017 that discussed what it means to be professional and how these factors change perceptions in the eyes of the members of public whom we aim to protect. They used the medical profession as the best example. A doctor practising in the UK, whether a GP or specialist, must continue to develop professionally or risk being struck off the register of medical practitioners, that is, the General Medical Council (GMC).

Professionalisation

Essentially, if you are not willing to be governed by a code of ethics and you are not willing to commit to a routine of continuing professional development (CPD), you should not be calling yourself a professional. Thankfully, in 2017 there are more security practitioners in senior roles who justifiably claim the ‘professional’ title than those who sit back on past merits without undertaking the CPD that is so necessary in such a fast-evolving field. Regretfully, the British public and often the police don’t always see the distinction. The security profession encompasses a vast array of roles from the chief security officer to the frontline operative, and the generalist to the specialist, along with multiple ancillary fields such as training, recruitment or regulation. Each of these plays a key contribution to the common mission of protecting organisations, communities and individuals. Each type of security practitioner benefits from the professional bodies that serve them, both in terms of the recognition provided by those bodies and the services they provide.

Today, a well-respected security profession could not be more needed, given the present threat environment. In 2018, the risk of marauding terror attacks is high. Cyber breaches are as certain as death and taxes, according to ex-head of the Security Service, Sir Jonathan Evans. Organised crime encompasses a range of security threats from cybercrime to people trafficking to jewellery heists, and every industry sector, government department or third-sector organisation faces its own distinct threats. The Security Institute seeks to be a collaborative organisation where lessons can be shared and professional development encouraged so that the public perception of security is elevated.

The Security Institute

The Institute is the UK’s largest member association and fulfils most of the functions of a professional body, while constantly striving to enhance its services and standing to the degree that more established professions, such as medicine, enjoy. Our biggest strength is our members, numbering close to 2500 men and women working day to day in roles that cover every area of security, across 40 countries. We promote and develop security careers from the level of the frontline officer, who typically joins us as a student member, through the stages of their experiential and educational journey, and recognise those who have reached the strategic or senior operational level of their field through the Chartered Security Professional qualification, as we manage the Register of Chartered Security Professionals on behalf of the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (WCoSP) livery company.

In 2018 we will continue to place a high emphasis on providing professional development opportunities to security practitioners at all levels. We are also engaging with universities and schools to promote careers in security, by highlighting the increasing diversity of roles that may encourage millennials and generation Z into our sector.

In November 2014 we responded to Lord Carlile’s concerns in our Manifesto For Professional Security, presenting a vision to make professional security more effective and respected, and outlining the role that the Security Institute would play. We called on security organisations large and small across the sector to come together and work collaboratively for the benefit of the security profession, security sector and wider society, and this saw the establishment of a joint platform in the form of the Security Commonwealth, chaired initially by the Institute, then by the ASIS UK Chapter, and now by the Association of Security Consultants.

Collaboration

We called for collaboration with education bodies to examine the future development of structured learning programmes to upskill the security workforce, and with commercial organisations to support such initiatives. I am now leading an initiative looking at career development pathways, and specifically to promote a career in the security industry that starts with frontline security staff, with the support of senior stakeholders in commercial security, corporate security, training and education. If you would like to be involved in this, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

Finally, we called upon government and its many agencies to establish an enabling, meaningful and ongoing dialogue with the profession, in order to ensure that it develops in a way that is consistent with the needs of government and society. The continuing development of the CSSC (Cross-Sector Safety and Security Communications) and the establishment of the Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers Community (RISC), the Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC) and the Policing and Security (PaS) Group have all contributed to a much greater level of ongoing dialogue, and the Step Change Summit in July marked the beginning of a new conversation with the aim of improving the national response to the terrorism threat. The Institute is an active supporter and participant in these major initiatives and others.

In summary, any security professional will agree that one of their greatest tools is influence. The ability to convince others that their actions make them or their organisation vulnerable to crime is paramount in promoting a culture where security is accepted as everyone’s responsibility. In order to be taken seriously, the security officer, manager, director or consultant must be able to claim professional competence, soundly reinforced by their peers and a professional body. The Institute offers individuals the opportunity to develop and have their experience and qualifications recognised, while collaborating with the wider security community to address wider societal needs.

Rick Mounfield

Chief Executive, Security Institute

www.security-institute.org

The post The professionalisation of the security sector – where next? appeared first on City Security Magazine.