Due to seriously busy diaries on both sides of the Outlook calendar it has taken some time for me to interview (in any kind of serious depth) Simon Pears, who took up residency as head of security for the UK and Ireland with Sodexo back in the summer of 2007.
On the morning in late September that we did eventually meet for a chat relating to ‘all matters security’ there just had to be further obstacles in the way… and there were!
First of all, as I emerged from Holborn London Underground station and reconnected with my BlackBerry, it became apparent that G4S had issued its much-discussed Olympic Games security review and that David Taylor-Smith and Ian Horseman-Sewell had resigned from the company. Fairly major news to deal with, then, before entering One Southampton Row.
Then, when I did meet up with Simon once inside Sodexo’s fabulous London headquarters, something else became apparent. He could barely talk. Sadly, Simon had become another victim of the dreaded flu bug that seems to be doing the annual rounds just now (and, indeed, debilitated my wife Annora pretty badly for a week and more).
On that basis there was no chance of conducting the planned video interview on this occasion (something we’ll look to remedy in due course), but we were nevertheless both determined to address the key security-related issues of the day as best we could.
Secure by Sodexo: the key facts
First, though, a little background to set the scene in terms of what Secure by Sodexo – the brand name under which Sodexo delivers its security offerings – is all about.
In a nutshell, Pears’ operation delivers – and delivers very well – client-centric services that extend from the traditional security guarding assignments through to biometric access control and specialist requirements, among them close protection details.
The company is a member of the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) and holds Security Industry Authority Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status for the provision of security guarding and Public Space Surveillance CCTV monitoring. Indeed, its latest ACS audit score (of 164) ranks the business in the Top 5% of Regulator-registered UK security companies.
On top of that, Sodexo operates a quality management system that’s accredited to the ISO9001:2008 standard and, impressively, boasts an industry-leading staff retention rate in excess of 95% (thanks largely to a bespoke training and development programme, more of which anon).
“It’s fair to say the security solutions market is buoyant just now,” said Pears when asked how he feels the current economic climate is shaping up. “It’s important we show customers how we’re adding value to their business through security, and we’re very much looking forward to a busy 12-24 months ahead.”
Customers reviewing their security regimes
Many customers are now reviewing how they run their security regimes and, pretty much, if they’re outsourcing that service then there’s a straight choice to be made under tough economic scrutinies from the Board – do they go with a single source, specialist security provider or a company that can offer the ‘Total FM’ approach?
“There are benefits to be had from integration and the ‘total solutions’ approach,” opined Pears. “For a start, it fosters a team ethic. There may only be, say, eight to ten officers on a given site, but their influence will spread by dint of the fact they’re part of a larger onsite network.”
You certainly can’t argue with the 95% officer retention rate cited earlier which, in Sodexo’s case, means that industry knowledge and skills are both developed and retained on site for the long haul.
“We’ve invested in officers’ development by way of NVQ Level 2 and 3 training, which has been consistent for the five years I’ve been in post,” asserted Pears.
At this point it seemed opportune to mention a point that’s often overlooked but remains hugely important. Surely security officers across the board might feel more valued if they were salaried as opposed to being paid by way of a Dickensian-style hourly rate?
“From my own point of view I don’t see any reason why security officers shouldn’t be salaried members of staff,” insisted Pears, who admitted that several members of the customer-facing security team at Secure by Sodexo are indeed remunerated in such a fashion. “Reward and recognition are very much part of our development programme.”
Addressing the diversity agenda
Further, the officer cohort at Secure by Sodexo is deliberately inclusive of a comprehensive diversity agenda. Under the leadership of CEO Debbie White (who joined Sodexo in January), the parent company is firmly committed to equal opportunities for all individuals and to “creating a working environment based on mutual respect for everyone”.
White first joined Sodexo UK and Ireland in January 2004 as chief finance officer. In February 2007, she was appointed as Sodexo Group’s projects director, reporting to the global CEO Michel Landel. Shortly after, in 2008, White became the senior vice-president and chief financial officer of Sodexo Inc (North America).
White reported to CEO, George Chavel, and served on Sodexo Inc’s Executive Committee as well as on the President’s Council. In January 2012, she returned home to take up the position of CEO for Sodexo UK and Ireland and to lead the business into a new era of change and growth.
At Sodexo, ‘diversity’ really means the many identities that define each employee as a unique individual. The company fosters inclusion by actively promoting an open culture that embraces differences and wherein all employees feel respected and valued.
“We have a strong desire to recruit more female officers,” suggested Pears. “At present, we have something in the region of 130 female members of staff in the Secure business. That figure represents 13.4% of the workforce. Our target for next year,” he said boldly, “is to see that statistic rise above the 15% mark. Female officers are excellent at dealing with difficult situations and calming people down. It would be great if there were more females in the sector. This is a largely untapped talent pool.”
These aren’t just words, either. One look at Sodexo’s Corporate Citizenship Report for 2012 will tell you that – women make up 59% of Sodexo’s overall workforce.
Launching the Women in Security Group
As if to cement this point, Sodexo launched its first Women in Security Group on Thursday 11 October at the Holborn hq. The objective of the new group will be to promote personal and professional development opportunities for current female security officers, helping to increase their confidence, awareness and skills while at the same time inspiring others to consider a career in the security sector.
Jane Farell, the development manager for Secure by Sodexo, has stated: “We’re moving in the right direction and, so far, we’ve made very positive strides. We wish to reach out to as many female employees within our security business as possible, and also inspire those who may be considering a career within the industry. We hope that, by enabling employees to network and share ideas and Best Practice in a dedicated forum, we’ll increase interest and encourage many more women to start a career in security services.”
To be fair, the company’s stance on the whole diversity issue really is hugely impressive. Managers, for example, are fully supported in their role by way of training which includes factsheets on different cultural and religious celebrations and festivals.
This is driven by the senior leadership team of the main business. The Diversity and Inclusion Council comprises Board level executives, directors and senior managers from right across Sodexo. They meet at least three times every year to ensure that diversity and inclusion is ingrained within the parent business, and that strategies and measurable goals might be identified and actioned.
Private sector security regulation: where next?
Next, we turned to the subject of private security sector regulation and the question of: ‘Where next?’ Pears ventured that the Approved Contractor Scheme has been valuable. “It judges on the background quality of the security company’s offering,” he stated, “and has certainly raised standards for those who believe in it.”
Pears stated that companies on the ACS registered list can use the audit process to improve, and move year-on-year towards better quality of service delivery for the customer. What about the buying customers, though? What are their views on the ACS these days?
“Customers should look at the audits in full and strike a balanced judgement that’s not solely based on the overall score,” insisted Pears.
“I would also say that there has been much positive engagement from the Regulator with businesses in the private security sector. There’s no doubt that the SIA has taken on board the views of the business world.”
Will business licensing represent a fundamental turning point? “We’ll just have to wait and see,” replied Pears.
Future of law enforcement in the UK
Of course, a crucial debate feeding from the whole future of regulation discussions is that which focuses on the future of law enforcement in the UK and, in microcosm, the part that private sector security companies might have to play in policing duties.
Pears is no doubt that “the quality solutions providers” will have such a role in the wake of Government cutbacks.
“You only need refer to the successes of great initiatives like Project Griffin,” urged Pears. “Security officers have been trained and put on their luminous bibs and assisted in times of need. There have been many other positive experiences of engagement by the police service of their cousins in the private sector. These can only continue.”
In terms of Secure by Sodexo’s management, there’s a concerted effort always to promote from within. “This way, the relationships with our customers I’ve already mentioned remain as stable as possible,” said Pears.
Spreading the corporate security message
At the tail end of our thoroughly enjoyable discussion, Pears told me: “We retain a group of hugely passionate people in the company, and we keep them motivated. Colleagues are always given the instruction they need to progress.”
During the last couple of years, Pears and his security team leaders have put 250 colleagues from across the entire Sodexo business through basic security awareness training. It’s exactly this kind of ‘outreach’ project that will benefit both host organisations and their customers in the years to come.
It must be said that spreading the security gospel as far and wide as possible is never, ever a bad move.
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