By Ian Ellison, Workplace Geeks

Listen to episode three now: The science of protecting people, property and assets

What’s your reaction to the word ‘security’? Perhaps it triggers thoughts of guards outside shops and buildings. Or maybe the queue before you get to purchase duty free bargains in the airport. The truth is that these are just the commonly experienced tip of an interconnected security iceberg.

In fact, have you ever stopped to think what it really takes to keep our homes, buildings and organisations safe? And what about public services, towns and cities?

If you haven’t, try it now. Get a blank sheet of paper to map it out. Start in the middle, with the things you value the most – family, friends, home and car, for example. Now think about the different ways you, or others on your behalf, keep them secure. One thing is for sure – the detail and complexity of security in our lives is staggering.

A protective mindset

Which brings me to episode three of The Science of Service Podcast, hosted by the Workplace Geeks: Chris Moriarty and me, Ian Ellison. This time our focus is the tricky but essential business of protecting people, property and assets.

To set the scene, we turn first to an industry expert, namely Professor Alison Wakefield, Co-Director of the University of West London’s Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre. Alison thinks in terms of ‘protective security’, with physical, personnel, information and technical elements. This framework is also adopted by the UK, Australian and New Zealand governments and shows the scope of what must be taken into consideration when implementing an effective security strategy.

Securing cities in the sky

Protective security also sits at the forefront of Andy Donaldson’s mind as Head of Security for Real Estate Management UK Ltd. REM is responsible for a multi-billion pound property portfolio that includes iconic properties like The Shard in London. Andy describes it as a vertical, self-contained city in the sky. Not only is The Shard home to Mitie’s head office, but it also contains a multitude of business, healthcare, leisure and residential facilities. Chris is lucky enough to join Andy on a tour of The Shard, getting a firsthand glimpse into the secrets of the 95-storey building’s security.

Security transformation

We then turn to Mitie’s security experts. As a member of the Group Executive Leadership Team, Jason Towse is responsible for a broad range of services, including security; while Emma Shaw heads up the Intelligence Services team as Managing Director. Between them, they paint a rich picture of how Mitie is combining traditional security services with advanced intelligence and risk insights. A genuinely integrated security system requires careful consideration of threats to human, physical, digital and intangible assets, such as brand and reputation. And Mitie is leading the way.

Swimming pool-sized constraints

Imagine aviation grade security in a space the size of a swimming pool, with a constant throughput of customers and trains. This is the scenario facing Matt Rogers, Head of UK Security for Eurostar. Extreme constraints like this are often a driver for both product and service innovation. Once again Chris gets access all areas, joining Matt on a visit to the Eurostar hub to see how these unique challenges are tackled. Even with robust security checks in place, Mitie plays a crucial role in making sure the customer experience remains seamless. And we learn how risk and intelligence-based people, property and asset protection feature significantly in The Science of Service arsenal.

Delivering diversity

To round out the show, we return to Prof. Wakefield to consider employment opportunities within the profession. It’s well known that the increasing digital complexities of the FM sector require upskilled data science and tech capabilities. A refreshing upshot of this is the opportunity for more equality, diversity and inclusion in the security profession. And with a Mitie-backed partnership (through Linx International) to offer an MSc in International Security and Risk Management at the University of West London, both Alison and Mitie are walking the talk too. It’s another essential part of the modern security iceberg.