During the mobilisation of a new site and at select periods beyond, a key activity for any business is the identification and assessment of potential and present security risks and threats, supported by recommendations that will result in their mitigation to an acceptable level. Today on ConsortioSecurity.com, we’re taking a deeper look at the thorough and comprehensive process enacted by our Operations team when a risk assessment is necessitated.
Background
Security is a function of risk management. It concentrates on the protection of assets and resources through the control of exposure to potential harm and minimisation of actual loss. The primary vehicle used in the security assessment is the survey, a process whereby data is gathered that reflects the who, what, why, where and when of the client’s existing operation (Charles A Sennewald).
A security survey is an examination of an organisation, operation, area, building(s), department(s), or office(s) to determine security strengths and weaknesses, leading to the production of recommended measures to reduce vulnerability and risk (Deter: Detect: Delay) (Ken Livingstone MSC & Charles Swanson MSC).
The Consortio Security Approach
Initial meetings are used to provide context as to the present business, thereby highlighting the organisational priorities that will form the basis of the resulting security solution. Relevant points of interest may include:
- Environment
- Perimeters
- Lighting
- Security systems
- IT security
- Security policies
- Staffing levels
- Access / egress methods and controls
- Operational procedures
- Security responsibilities, policies, plans and procedures
- Historical security incidents
Next, our experienced Operations team will undertake the survey of the site and its operation. For many manufacturing or distribution operations, for instance, the focus will be upon the control of access, and particularly the prevention of illegal access, as it is that illegal access that can most significantly result in financial and reputational loss.
This then allows our management to make recommendations as to potential solutions and preventative measures that should be implemented in the future.
While access control is one of the key elements relevant to imminent threats, our team will evaluate every factor that they deem pivotal in the overall security and safety of the site.
Finally, we produce the assessment, inclusive of a summary review of the vulnerable areas identified in the report and condensed into succinct bullet points for ease of overview. The aim of the report is to provide a concise and clear account of the security survey that others can easily understand and act upon.
Our formal recommendations for the site are then laid out in full, including identified current risks, proposed mitigation strategies and the rationale for their proposed implementation. Understanding the rationale behind the need to enact a measure, such as application of the Broken Window Theory, allows our team to conceptualise a potential security breach from an external perspective, reverse engineering our preventative approach.
Summary
The Turnbull Report[1], first published in 1999, set out best practice on internal control for UK listed companies. The report stated that risk management is the collective responsibility of the whole board, that PLCs should have a sound system of internal control in order to safeguard the shareholders’ investments and company assets, that management needs to review these controls at least annually, and that risks should be regularly assessed.
Other reasons for carrying out a survey can include insurance demands following an incident, new or changed markets or threats or a change in personnel.
Consortio Security will help you to fulfil these requirements. For further information, please call 08700 123 999 or email [email protected]
[1] In October 2005 the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issued an updated version of the guidance with the title ‘Internal Control: Guidance for Directors on the Combined Code’. In September 2014, this was superseded by the FRC’s Risk Guidance. This was in turn superseded by the Financial Reporting Committee’s Guidance on Board Effectiveness (2018). The recommendations on risk remain within each subsequent guide.