More than 3,000 – industry sector leaders, deputies and associates – are registered on the Cross-sector Safety and Communications (CSSC) information-sharing and cascading system.
The CSSC, a legacy of the 2012 London Olympics, was founded in June 2011 as a messaging platform to facilitate communications between public and private sectors on security and business resilience. From 112 participants at its start, the CSSC has developed. Some 240 new organisations have registered in the first six months of 2020. It relies on donations and subscriptions for its continuing monitoring and alert functions.
CSSC works as a partnership between law enforcement, central UK government departments and industry sectors in London and the regions. Once a security issue is raised or develops, such as a public order event, a traffic jam or environmental concern, an alert is generated and sent to those registered with the initiative. This enables a single voice delivering timely and accurate info to assist businesses and industry sectors to react.
Over the years CSSC has assisted companies in London to prepare for potential public disorder and disruptions, cyber-crime, transport disruptions, cyber and other fraud, and terrorism alerts. The CSSC idea was rolled out across the UK and has similar networks in Scotland, Wales and seven English regions.
Graham Tucker, CSSC Project Director, says: “When we started the scheme in 2011 we believed it would be an extremely useful tool in the organisation of the Olympics and help London cope with the obvious disruptions caused by such a large influx of visitors to the capital. Since then we have seen the true value of having a single voice issuing warnings about travel problems, security concerns and other matters that can disrupt and damage both business and social operations.
“Through the CSSC programme we can work effectively with the police and governmental departments to disseminate relevant and clearly expressed information on public security matters. This means we don’t have to rely on news and hearsay for general information but can tailor the specific content to assist industry sectors as required.
“We see the CSSC initiative growing across the country because with announcements at the earliest possible time, business leaders can make informed decisions based on a single and authoritative source of information relevant to their operational parameters.”
The CSSC initiative has registered the following in June 2020:
Perimeter Security Suppliers Association (PSSA); Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; The British Council; Specsavers; Ricoh Arena Coventry; Imperial London Hotels; Canterbury Cathedral; Live Nation; Kent County Cricket Club; Torbay Council; Abercrombie & Fitch; Alexandra Palace; Adidas; Selfridges; West Birmingham NHS; Frimley NHS; and University of Derby.
A CSSC Hub acts as the interface between those who have information and those who receive it. The Hub is in permanent direct contact with the police and other authorities and the industry sector groups and businesses. Bulletins and alerts from the authorities are shared with the relevant ‘Industry Sector Leads’ who, cascade it through to their own networks, within their respective industry; whether by email, a bridge call, or newsletter. In the case of larger firms, this may include nearby smaller businesses that may not have formal business continuity or security functions.
There are ten CSSC Hubs UK wide – London, Scotland, Eastern, South East, South West, Wales, East Midlands, West Midlands, North West and Yorkshire & North East.
Visit https://www.thecssc.com/.
