The coronavirus pandemic continues to be a substantial challenge in day-to-day operations, said the Securitas CEO Magnus Ahlqvist, pictured, in the multi-national security contractor’s interim report for the first quarter of 2021.
He said: “Our priorities remain the same since January 2020 and are to protect our people, to handle our clients’ changing needs in the most professional way possible, to control our costs and to carefully manage cash. While there is still significant uncertainty regarding the long-term consequences of the pandemic, we are coming out stronger thanks to having taken action early. Together with a clear focus and solid finances we have strength and leverage to tackle further challenges.”
Although he spoke of signs of commercial activity picking up throughout the Group, the pandemic continues to hamper organic sales growth, he said. Across the firm, organic sales growth in the first quarter was zero; and minus one per cent in the firm’s European arm. He singled out the company’s airport security business as ‘significantly negatively impacted, primarily in Security Services Europe’.
He summed up: “Securitas entered 2021 stronger and more focused, with a clear commitment to continue the transformation journey despite continued global uncertainty.”
The report did point to a higher operating margin for the quarter, of 4.9 per cent. As for Europe, where Securitas operates in 22 countries, it reported that a few countries had positive organic sales growth, including Sweden, Denmark and the guarding business in Turkey. The operating margin in Europe was 5.1 per cent; the company has taken up coronavirus-related government grants in several countries.
As featured in the May print edition of Professional Security magazine, Securitas is rolling out a new ‘global brand identity‘, that will see a new logo on its officer uniforms, vehicles and signage, and that according to the company ‘delivers an original tone of voice, visual identity and a positive and proactive storytelling agenda’.
