Adopting Standards for Private Security Companies: the countdown begins

Does the Private Security Industry need a Standard to improve their security service performance and demonstrate good management practices? If you, like us, think that the security industry should become more professional then who or what organization would develop such a Standard and how far would its tentacles reach?

For the last several years ASIS International and ANSI (American National Standard Institute) have been debating this issue with subject matter experts from all over the world based on numerous difficulties and complaints in the private security industry related to costs, poor management, and human rights and freedom violations.

The result – ANSI / ASIS PSC.1-2012  “Management System for Quality of Private Security Operations – Requirements with Guidance” was developed and approved by the American National Standard. Our Senior Associate, Peter Stewart, has combed through the draft standard documents for your benefit.

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When we start considering the issue, few nagging questions pop to mind right away: What value can a Standard provide to a Private Security Company (PSC)? Do we not have our own business model that got us to where we are today? And would it not cost too much money to follow some framework conjured up by some nongovernment organization (NGO) with limited field experience?

The standard, which may become ISO's standard in the 4th quarter of 2013, is the final product developed by a pool of 200 technical experts directly representing numerous security companies from 24 countries. This group of international security experts concluded that a Security Management System for PSCs providers was needed to provide Quality Assurance in all security related activities and functions while being accountable to the law and human rights.

This group concluded a standard such as this would (a) assure the Quality of Services, (b) ensure human rights and freedoms, (c) and provide a basis for small and medium size PSCs to bench mark and improve their security service performance and demonstrate good management practices.

In our analysis, the challenge for most serious-minded North American PSCs is to determine how to cost effectively manage risk while meeting the organization’s strategic and operational objectives within a framework that protects the safety, security and human rights of the client. For companies that recognize the need for higher standards in service delivery, a good look at this standard may provide the roadmap they have been looking for in achieving these goals.

For any and all PSCs that decide to adopt the standard they will:

1. Be able to establish and implement a Security Management System;
   
2. Be able to demonstrate the company’s ability to meet client needs to international laws, local laws, and human rights requirements;
   
3. Establish auditable processes for:

• Objectives;
  
• Culture;
  
• Structure;
  
• Resources;
  
• Processes; 
  
• Products and services;
  
• Performance;
  
• Corrective and preventive actions;
  

The values to any and all PSCs that choose to adopt this standard are numerous:

1. The ability to demonstrate the existence of a solid Quality Management system to clients;
   
2. The ability to demonstrate compliance to legal and regulatory requirements;
   
3. The ability to demonstrate commitment and compliance to the International Code of Conduct (ICoC);
   
4. Improve business performance, thus saving time and money;
   
5. Effective management commitments and reviews;
   
6. Manage all levels of risk to assure the Quality of security product and service, as well as attention to Privacy & Human Rights.
   

As with all new initiatives there is a cost of doing business. The costs involved in adopting this standard are minimal and are related to;

• Planning;
  
• Implementation;
  
• Employee training and;
  
• Reviews and audits; 
  

In a highly competitive environment of security and protection services, the adherence to this standard may just be the vantage point that positions a PSC ahead of its game. If your vision is one of quality, measurements-based improvement and desire to do things right, contact CHI Security to discuss  your options.