Joe Connell, Intelligence and Risk Consultant, writes on a flight home from the Horn of Africa, a region that may seem remote to most, but nevertheless a region ripe for development, by no means least commercially.
For business leaders keen on developing opportunities in this age of uncertainty there are many such regions across the world where creating the right operating environment, that is one that is both safe and secure to operate in, is critical to commercial success. But the safe and secure operating environment doesn’t just apply to fragile states and the developing world; it applies here in our own back yard too. There are interdependencies in protecting our commercial activities, our personnel, indeed our own families by acknowledging that ‘security’ is all of our business both locally and globally. Globalisation brings with it its own security risks. For instance, information which is critical as a business tool can also be used against us as a weapon to undermine commercial success or cause real harm to business or individuals. In recent years we have seen innovative developments in the use of information to disrupt business often in the targeting of systems by sophisticated activists whose motivation is combating the globalisation phenomenon itself. Likewise, organised crime gangs have developed their own refined methods of corrupting commercial information to deprive businesses of their honestly earned gains.
Security incidents disrupt business activity: the time taken to investigate, assess damage, analyse cause, and devise recovery takes time – non-productive time. It has become ever more essential that the security elements of businesses work in close harmony with the business continuity specialists to ensure that safety and security risks are resolved and non-productivity minimised for businesses to remain buoyant.
The UK security landscape is changing. Police forces are struggling to reduce spending by 20 per cent in this age of uncertainty. We are all expected to take greater responsibility for our own safety and security and that of our business activities. The 2012 Olympic Games demonstrate that the UK enjoys a security legacy to be rightly proud of. There is no doubt that UK security professionals are highly prized all over the world. Regardless of media reporting on a few planning shortfalls the success of the 2012 Olympic Games was due to the unprecedented level of co-operation between public services, the private security industry, and most importantly to the fact that individuals and businesses of all types throughout the UK took a mature approach to protecting themselves and their business during this global event. We must capitalise on that legacy by embedding the same approach in our routine approach to keeping secure. Security is all our business!
For more visit www.pirconsultants.co.uk.
