A contract company’s skills development manager has won one of the Professional Security magazine awards for her work to bring more women into the security industry.
Jane Farrell, Sodexo Centre of Excellence development manager, took a Women in Security Industry award at the International Fire and Security Exhibition Conference (IFSEC) event in Birmingham on 13 May.
Jane, who is responsible for security training and compliance across the UK and Ireland, heads the Sodexo Women in Security Group and ensures that all reports, findings, recommendations and advice go to the Sodexo executive management team, remaining a priority for all her senior colleagues.
As part of Secure, Sodexo’s on-site security service, Jane has worked to increase the percentage of female security officers in the organisation from nine per cent to 14 per cent over the last three years.
Jane, who has worked for Sodexo for 30 years, said: “It’s great to be recognised for my contribution to the security industry. I’ve always found that some women have a fear about a career in security as it’s seen as a male-dominated industry. What we’ve tried to do is take that fear away and open up more opportunities for women. I’ve always seen my role as one of helping people, men and women, to develop their careers. It was never viewed like that before, but the security industry is about having a professional career path, and developing their skills.”
About Sodexo
Sodexo in the UK and Ireland employs over 35,000 people, and delivers on-site service solutions to clients at some 2,300 locations in the corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, justice and defence sectors. Services range from catering, cleaning, reception to asset management, security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling clients to focus on their core business.
Sodexo Motivation Solutions in the UK provides benefit and reward services such as SayShopping vouchers; public benefits; and employee benefits such as childcare vouchers and engagement surveys.
About Sodexo Group
Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is operating in 80 countries.
