The 2020 British Security Awards winners are:
Best Newcomer: Harriet Giles – Mitie Global Security Operations Centre (GSOC)
Service to the Customer: Thomas Ibbetson – G4S
Outstanding Act: Adam Rich – Mitie
Security Manager of the Year: Babatunde (Babs) Lawal – G4S
Best Team: Templars Square, Cowley, Oxford, Security Team – Westgrove Group
Apprentice of the Year: Tessa Bruce – EFT Systems
National Partnership: M&S (Marks & Spencers) Connected Solution, Mitie
Installer of the Year: nmcn
Innovative Security Project: Ultraviolet Light Tray Disinfection, Smiths Detection
Business of the Year: STM Group
SME of the Year: Fenix Monitoring
Best Use of Technology: incident data analysis, B&Q Crime Centre, Mitie
Contribution to the Industry: Mike Cleary, Research Director, SmartWater.
The awards are part of the British Security Industry Association’s (BSIA) flagship annual midsummer event. It should have been as in previous years a lunch in central London; instead, due to Covid-19 lockdown it has gone ahead online.
As a way of recognising all the security officers working on the front-line during the pandemic, a special Chairman’s Recognition Award has gone to all the BSIA’s guarding company members. The award was announced by Chairman Simon Banks.
The awards, which were streamed live on the BSIA’s YouTube account, featured among guests, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Dame Cressida Dick DBE QPM; CEO of the Security Industry Authority, Ian Todd; CEO of the Security Institute, Rick Mounfield; and broadcaster and barrister, Chris Daw QC. All paid tribute to the work carried out under extreme circumstances by members of the association and the wider industry, as well as congratulating this year’s finalists.
For details of the winners and finalists visit www.britishsecurityawards.co.uk/winners-2020.
Simon Banks, Chairman, BSIA, said: “It is always the tradition to close with recognising an outstanding individual who has made a fantastic and life-long commitment to the industry.
“But this year is different in this changing world. I had only one nomination in mind and therefore only one winner that I felt deserved the recognition of this particular award, which is our frontline officers for the work they have carried out during COVID-19 – to recognise their resilience and the risks they have taken and continue to take, and to recognise their part as critical workers keeping the country running. This is our clap for the guarding sector.”
Mike Reddington, Chief Executive, BSIA, pictured, said: “Despite the most challenging issue of our lifetime, our members have still managed to present us with a large number of award nominees and eventual winners, and it was only right that we continued to honour both their commitment and the achievements of their employees in the most fitting way possible.
“We have an industry fit to burst with positive ambassadors from within our sector; from young officers starting out to seasoned professionals – every one of them recognised today for having gone above and beyond expectations, demonstrating courage, innovation, customer service and contribution to the industry. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you once again for everyone’s contribution to our industry over the last 12 months, particularly during COVID-19.”
The awards were sponsored by the specialist security industry underwriter Camberford Underwriting; SaferCash, Innovise, NSI, Texecom, Optex and Fenix Monitoring. The event was dedicated to all security personnel who lost their lives during the course of duty in 2020.
The full event can be viewed on the BSIA’s YouTube page, www.youtube.co.uk/theBSIA.
