Social enterprise security provider Corps Security has won a contract with The Langham Estate, a multi-site residential and commercial property management company in Fitzrovia, London. The contract began on the 1st of November 2024 and will bring together the two organisations that share community-based values and a focus on people.
The contract brings together Corps Security and its remote services division Corps Monitoring to deliver a truly integrated solution, combining physical security guarding with remote monitoring and response. This will be supported throughout the contract by Corps specialist consultancy team, Corps Consult.
Corps Security will provide services for 56 sites across the estate, with 18 new colleagues transferring to the company. Corps Monitoring will provide technologically advanced security systems and remote services. Corps Consult will also provide ongoing consultancy and routine security reviews, surveys and audits depending on the estates’ requirements.
The Langham Estate appointed Corps Security following a competitive tender process, where the security specialist demonstrated both its security expertise and extensive capabilities as well as social value credentials. The Estates’ own commitment to paying a living wage and advocacy for officer wellbeing and work-life balance is shared by Corps, creating the basis for a successful partnership.
Like Corps, The Langham Estate is steeped in a rich history, which began back in 1925. Over the years the estate has evolved, creating a vibrant and exciting neighbourhood in the heart of central London, that offers a diverse range of residences, commercial office space and leisure and retail offerings.
Andrew Topp, sales and marketing director at Corps Security, said: “We are delighted for our new relationship with The Langham Estate, exploring the best-in-class integrated security solutions to keep people and assets safe and secure. Our company values align and we are looking forward to forging a strong relationship grounded in trust, collaboration and innovation – the best recipe to drive success and create a lasting impact.”
Graeme Noot, head of FM at The Langham Estate, said: “From early in the tender process, Corps stood out as the leading candidate. They align closely with our people values, commitment to service excellence as well as shared our commitment to sustainability. Their ability to support us through our drive to a more innovative security solution across the estate which we believe will further enhance our customer experience. We are looking forward to working closely with Corps to further develop our security services and grow our partnership”.
Pictured, from top left to bottom right: Jonathan McBay, Simon Saddington, Robert Thomson, Gavin McCartney & Nasir Kassim
Security officers are often seen as a reassuring presence – a confirmation that someone is keeping you safe. While it’s easy to spot the guard at the door, it’s less obvious to see those who work tirelessly behind the scenes (and screens). For all hours of the day, these security officers work diligently at our NSI Gold Cat II accredited Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in Glasgow providing remote monitoring and surveillance, for customers all over the country.
Time and again, our Corps Monitoring team have been on hand to assist in times of need. Our officers have most recently halted an attempted theft of £175,000 of goods thanks to vigilant CCTV monitoring. Aside from stopping lawbreakers, our officers monitoring Somerset House in London sprang into action when a fire broke out in the West Wing. In both cases, no one was injured and any wrongdoing was immediately ceased.
As part of Security Officer Appreciation Week, we’re taking some time to recognise some of those who aren’t as visible but who are critical to our business.
Jonathan McBay
Jonathan, a shift supervisor at Corps Monitoring, joined the company two years ago after graduating from college during the COVID pandemic. Unable to attend university due to the lockdown, he decided to enter the workforce and found an opportunity with Corps Monitoring. His interest in security made the job a natural fit, and he quickly came to enjoy his role.
Jonathan works on a dayshift team that helps engineers set up systems and handles customer inquiries. With technological advancements like AI-integrated cameras and new alarm systems that help ensure that a security officer isn’t always needed on the floor, he believes remote monitoring is the future of security.
Over the past five years, Corps Monitoring has significantly advanced, incorporating automated systems like Umbo (which filters false alarms) and expanding its team. Jonathan is excited about the industry’s future, especially with the growing role of AI, machine learning, and 5G technology. This promises real-time monitoring improvements over larger areas.
Simon Saddington
Simon joined Corps Monitoring in 2023 after over 25 years in the security industry. Since joining, he’s gained deeper insights into how the ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) operates beyond simply monitoring cameras. He’s gained skills system programming, engineering processes, and assisting clients, as well as the daily tasks that ensure the smooth running of the monitored sites.
Simon emphasises that remote monitoring is crucial in today’s world, helping cover more premises with greater safety. Technology has made this process more efficient by reducing false alarms and improving overall service.
For him, the most rewarding part of the job is helping clients keep their premises secure and seeing the positive impact on their businesses.
Robert Thomson
Robert Thomson began his career at Corps Monitoring in 2013 as a temporary night shift operator. With no prior experience in security, he learned the trade from seasoned professionals. After starting a family, he transitioned to the dayshift, where he took on administrative responsibilities and gained expertise in security systems and networking. Today, as a shift supervisor, he leads a four-person team, ensuring the smooth operation of the Corps Monitoring Centre (CMC).
Robert was drawn to Corps for its stability and career opportunities. Over the years, he’s witnessed significant advancements in security technology, with more people adopting remote monitoring for personal and corporate use. For him, the most exciting aspect of the job is catching intruders and the thrill of seeing advancements in security technology. He’s particularly looking forward to AI’s potential to enhance crime prevention.
Gavin McCartney
Gavin began his career with Corps Monitoring in 2010 as a CCTV operator. Within two years, he was promoted to a Technical Administrator, a role that allowed him to delve into sales, customer service, and finance. His passion for these areas led to move through the ranks, eventually becoming Monitoring Solutions Director in 2022.
He was drawn to Corps Monitoring by its clear career progression and the company’s values, such as supporting charities like Combat Stress. Additionally, Corps Security’s rich past dating back to 1859 appealed to his love for history.
Gavin highlights the growing importance of remote monitoring, particularly as a cost-effective alternative to having physical security staff. COVID-19 accelerated its adoption as businesses realised the value of remote security solutions.
While Corps Monitoring has advanced technologically in the past five years, Gavin emphasises that the company’s core mission remains the same; protecting clients’ properties and people through reliable monitoring solutions.
Nasir Kassim
Nasir joined Corps Monitoring in 2023, right after completing university. Nasir was drawn to the company through friends who shared positive experiences about Corps’ inclusive and supportive environment.
As a CCTV Operator, his time at Corps Monitoring has been fulfilling, allowing him to train with and benefit from the company’s commitment to innovation and professional growth. The evolution of technologies like the internet of things (IoT), AI, and machine learning is making remote monitoring more proactive and predictive, helping reduce downtime and costs.
Although relatively new to the company, Nasir has observed the dynamic growth and innovation at Corps. He’s enthusiastic about the industry’s future, expecting advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and sustainability.
Mike Bullock, our chief executive officer, commends Corps Monitoring: “Our officers not only fulfil their duties but also consistently surpass expectations, ensuring our customers and the public are kept safe. I am incredibly proud of each officer, your work doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Thank you to all our hardworking officers who bring dedication and excellence to their roles.
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Behind-the-Screens-of-Security-Monitoring.jpg7001024Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2024-09-20 11:52:592024-09-20 12:20:21Behind the Screens of Security Monitoring
Today, on Saturday 15th of June, King Charles III celebrates his second official birthday, marked with a ceremony of Trooping the Colour and the King’s birthday parade. Today allows the whole country to gather to celebrate the birthday of our monarch.
Recently, we were able to share the incredibly exciting news that His Majesty King Charles III has agreed to become the Royal Patron of The Corps of Commissionaires, as our Chief Life Governor. We are honoured that His Majesty has chosen to continue a long line of Patronage with our organisation.
The royal patronage exemplifies the incredible bond between us and the Royal Family that spans over a century. In 1901, His Majesty King Edward VII consented to head our list of Governors. He was followed by George V, Edward VII, George VI and her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our longest serving patron from 1952 until 2022.
Her Majesty celebrated our Corps of Commissionaires’ 150th birthday with us in 2009, along with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. However, the Royal Family have supported Corps in other ways too – becoming part of our fabric over the last two centuries.
Here’s an overview of our history, including our first work with the Royal Family, up until the work we do today.
Our beginnings
1859: The Corps of Commissionaires is established by Captain Sir Edward Walter.
After the poor conditions experienced by soldiers during the Crimean War (1853-1856), Sir Edward Walter, a retired officer of the 8th Hussars, was determined to change the lives of veterans. Sir Walter became the founder and commanding officer of the Corps of Commissionaires.
He advocated for the abilities of ex-servicemen to transition into the vital role of protecting the financial houses of the City of London, once the world’s commercial capital. The Corps of Commissionaires was officially born, comprised of eight officers – one sailor and seven soldiers.
1865: With the support of HRH Duke of Cambridge, Captain Edward Walter secures the services of distinguished officers to become the managers, known as the Governors.
In 1865, the HRH Duke of Cambridge, Prince George was able to better our standing. He helped secure the service of distinguished officers to become managers. This helped our organisation expand rapidly in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
By 1880, Corps of Commissionaires was operating in London, Belfast and Liverpool, with over 1,000 members. In 1884, the Australian division was also founded.
1885: Captain Edward Walter is knighted.
Our founder Sir Edward Walter was awarded for his public service, receiving one of the highest honours for a British citizen. He was knighted under the sovereign Queen Victoria for his work.
1901: His Majesty King Edward VII consents to head the list of Governors.
When HRH Queen Victoria passed in 1901, His Majesty King Edward VII ascended the throne. He consented to head the list of Governors and became the first reigning sovereign to hold the office of Chief of Life Governors, a tradition continued by succeeding monarchs.
The original eight
Our more recent work
2009: The Corps of Commissionaires’ 150th birthday is hosted in the presence of the Chief Life Governor, Her Majesty The Queen, and The Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh joined our staff and customers from the Corps of Commissionaires’ offices all over the world. Together, we celebrated the Commissionaires – the members of Corps Security in traditional military style uniform first worn by operational staff at the organisation.
The Corps of Commissionaires remains a distinctive service employed at high-profile occasions, including Royal attendances. The military ‘Full Shout’ uniform demonstrates our origins and signifies our high quality, and readily identifiable, security services.
Our rich heritage leads us to today. Under CEO Mike Bullock, Corps Security continues our social mission, to provide a positive impact on society. We support and advocate for fair working practices and support veteran services.
2024: His Majesty King Charles III becomes the Royal Patron of The Corps of Commissionaires as the Chief Life Governor.
Our latest major update as a business – His Majesty King Charles III has agreed to keep tradition alive by becoming our Chief Life Governor. His Majesty’s Patronage was received after a thorough analysis of over 1000 organisations. We are honoured that His Majesty has chosen to uphold this centuries-long tradition, and warmly welcome his support and association with our organisation.
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Kings-Birthday-1.jpg482705Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2024-06-15 00:07:212024-06-15 00:17:37The King’s Birthday: Corps’ History With The Royal Family
Corps Security has won a contract with the National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (NFU Mutual), the UK insurance composite. The contract began in April, with Corps Security working on over 30 of NFU Mutual’s sites throughout the UK.
Corps provides a fully integrated security solution for NFU Mutual. This includes front of house security personnel with customer facing security guarding, remote monitoring services through Corps Monitoring, and security maintenance across NFU Mutual’s estate.
Following a competitive tender, NFU Mutual selected Corps Security due to both organisations’ focus on social value and the wellness of employees. NFU Mutual chose to work with Corps as part of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge, which helps large businesses work with innovative suppliers, to embed sustainability into its core operations.
As part of both organisations’ social value commitments, a portion of the revenue generated from the contract is going direct to veteran’s support charity Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health.
Andrew Malone, facilities technical service lead of NFU Mutual said “From the initial conversation we had with Corps it was clear that its approach to delivering excellence in security services through its people made them stand out from their peer group. They have conducted themselves in an exemplary manner since we made the decision to partner with them, resulting in one of our main objectives to retain the employment of the guards who work on our sites. We are looking forward to working with them to further enhance the service we offer the business.”
Andrew Topp, sales and marketing director at Corps Security said “Our work with NFU Mutual is incredibly exciting as it allows us to combine our expert services on one account. At Corps Security we are proud to deliver security solutions with social value. We are delighted to form a fulfilling partnership with NFU Mutual which not only protects its people and assets, but also empowers us to collectively “do the right thing” by supporting our social mission via a fully integrated security solution.”
To find out about the history of the UK longest service private security company, visit www.corpssecurity.co.uk
The journey to Net Zero is a challenge most of us face. At Corps Security, we take our responsibilities to the environment very seriously. But as many will understand, it is an ongoing challenge and requires a dedicated team to review many business areas.
We equally take the reporting of our goals, achievements, and areas of improvement very seriously. Our annual ESG report is a testament to our commitment to be open and transparent with our colleagues, customers, suppliers, and the wider community we serve.
This year has seen significant investment to understand our position on the road to Net Zero truly, and we wanted to provide an update on where we are now and what we have done to ensure we remain on target to be a Net Zero Emissions business by 2050.
Communicating with our colleagues
Our annual conference took place in July 2023. It is customary for us to discuss our achievements in ESG and our progress on the journey to Net Zero. This year, we took that communication further and used the conference to educate and enhance our colleagues’ understanding of the jargon they often see communicated. We explained what Carbon Neutral means as an alternative phrase to Net Zero. We explained the scopes of our plans in easy-to-understand terms to ensure our colleagues could grasp the magnitude of the challenge we face, including what it means to the future of our business and industry, whilst communicating our actions and further commitments to set ‘science-based’ targets as we advance.
Corps are delighted to say that our Annual Conference in Oxford was a certified Carbon Neutral Event. Our quality and compliance team engaged with industry specialists at Neutral Carbon Zone (NCZ) to offset the event’s emissions, attended by hundreds of colleagues from across the country.
It was an engaging session with the core of Corps Security’s critical operational staff, senior management, regional managers, the board, and trustees.
Accuracy of Reporting
One of the key elements we were keen to address in 2023 is the accuracy of our reporting, not just with the ESG report for public consumption but our internal reporting for the business and individual sites- to give us a much deeper understanding of our emissions and how to control them.
Corps Security retains its ongoing collaborative partnership with Carbon Footprint Limited. Corps remains committed to reducing our emissions and fully engages with the recommendations provided to us to achieve our goals. In addition, we continuously review our Carbon Offsetting Programme and, in the last twelve months, have begun to explore further opportunities in biodiversity as an alternative – or in addition to – tree planting and replenishment schemes.
Whilst we remain on target for our carbon-neutral goals, we are not complacent in our actions or our education on how best to get there efficiently, effectively, and openly. We therefore wanted to share some of our latest initiatives to help us achieve our aims. They may surprise you, impress you or, better still, inspire you.
Hybrid/Electric Vehicles and Charging: The company has replaced many of our fleet with hybrid or electric vehicles. Sadly, the charging infrastructure in the UK restricts our ability to replace all our vehicles due to the remote locations of many of our customers’ sites. To reduce the impact of the poor infrastructure, we have installed four EV charging points at the Corps Monitoring Office and Alarm Receiving Centre in Glasgow and two at our London head office in Farringdon. Doing so means we can charge six vehicles at any one time. Our regional offices are leased buildings, so we have begun discussing the possibility of investing and installing points with the landlords of these properties.
Car Allowance: Corps have increased the car allowance for those choosing hybrid or electric vehicles to incentivise take up. There is also consideration of a salary sacrifice scheme, to further encourage engagement from our colleagues in this area.
Neutral Carbon Zone (NCZ): Following our engagement with CNZ for our annual conference, we are delighted to announce we will be signing a contract this month (September 2023) with them to utilise their unique carbon management and certification platform to track our journey to Net Zero. Our partnership will provide us with all the tools we need to monitor, report, and reduce the emissions of our entire value chain – efficiently and effectively.
Uniforms: Corps Security is in talks with a uniform recycling company regarding old uniform supplies. The organisation has a 3-tier system whereby Tier 1 reuses the material for future garments; Tier 2 recycles the materials into different products that can be used again, or Tier 3 the uniform is zero landfill, so if the material is non-recyclable, it will be made into chips and melted or used to generate energy.
Similarly, our London Regional Team recently engaged with Suited and Booted, a charity providing clothing and accessories for the less fortunate for job interviews. Not only did the London team provide an array of blazers, trousers, and other valuable items, but they also offered to provide our electric security vehicle to collect donations from across the capital and deliver them to the charity HQ when business operations allow.
Stationery: Corps has signed a new, company-wide contract with a leading ethical stationery supplier and fellow Social Enterprise, Ethstat, responsible for all office supplies to all locations across the UK. With every purchase, we can be confident that we are supporting dementia care and ending homelessness with every purchase.
Collaborative Supply Chain
At Corps, we pride ourselves on our relationships with our customers. By collaborating around carbon neutrality with them, we can share best practices, set joint goals, and engage in various partnership relationships to ensure the supply chain works together to better our planet and protect its people.
Get in touch
If you would like to know more about the initiatives we have in place, are a customer and would like to engage with us to help you achieve your goals, or if you have any questions about the work that we have done, please get in touch here.
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Our-Ongoing-Journey-To-Net-Zero.jpg410600Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2023-09-28 10:49:182025-11-26 16:59:45Our Ongoing Journey To Net Zero
Day Five was the hardest day for weather, Wales didn’t disappoint with mist, fog, rain and so much more.
Sadly, Day Five was the first and hopefully last time that a stretch of the challenge had to be skipped. The weather created dangers as roads were waterlogged, and there was a real danger that the bikes could get damaged or more concerningly injuries could occur.
After a quick recovery from the support team van, the team arrived at the Cardiff office where the team had laid on a spread and more importantly hot tea and coffee too.
Well done to Andy Topp, Sales and Marketing Director who joined as a guest rider. More from Rob, below.
VLOG:
Here is Rob Hill about to set off on Day Six with an update on Day Five…
Day Four – Stafford to Ross-on-Wye
Bike issues meant Dale Johnson had to pull out….
Day Four threw a few challenges at the team, none more so that Dale Johnson, who after many issues with his bike has had to make the extremely tough decision to pull out of the challenge. We want to take this opportunity to praise the amazing effort Dale has put into this challenge and for pacing through hundreds of miles despite equipment issues. Thank you, Dale! We appreciate every mile and minute.
You may have noticed if you were watching live that the team struggled to get out of Stafford. After a few laps the team were on route to Birmingham – albeit hitting traffic and roadworks on the way.
The team were surprised to see Neil Shanks join them (in a vehicle, not on a bike), taking some amazing photos (some of these are below) and dropping off a hamper of amazing goodies for the team. The riders soon reached the Birmingham office where they were also greeted by the Corps team.
Sadly, we have had some tracking device issues so apologies that we cannot see the whole route today. But, Rob fills you in below.
VLOG:
Here is Rob Hill about to set off on Day Five with an update on Day Four…
Pictures courtesy of Neil Shanks
Day Three – Leeds to Stafford via Manchester
The weather gave the team a boost
Day Three took the team from Leeds in the heart of Yorkshire, via the Manchester office to the lovely town of Stafford.
Unlike Day Two, the team had less issues, in fact – the weather held up for the day and the team were able to pick up pace as they trekked down the west side of the UK. Rob – he was waiting for the hotel receptionist to dry his clothes. Don’t know how he smooth talked his way into that one!
The team are in good spirits. They are tired, but they know how important these vital funds are to Combat Stress and the UK veterans they support. So, if you can, please give generously. Thank you!
Day Three: Results
Climbing to an altitude of over 6,652ft, and averaging a speed of 38 mph, covering 93 miles the day three team smashed it.
You can now watch the journey with 3d landscape modelling, check out this link…
VLOG:
Here is Jon Cox, the team’s Support Driver with an update as the team set off on Day Four.
Here is Corps’ Chief Executive, Mike Bullock showing support for our amazing cyclists as they stop by the Manchester office:
Day Two – Carlisle to Leeds
Freezing falls and fords
Following an incredible feat on day one, the team set off at 8:30am on one of the hardest days of the 7-day challenge. Day two also saw the arrival of Carly Bedford from the Leeds office, fresh and unfazed by the challenge, Carly began to set the pace for the lads as they felt the pain of day two.
Day two threw some challenges at the team too. Riding at over 7,800ft, the team faces severely cold weather, battling snow at the high altitude, not quite what you expect in early April. The pace and pressure of the challenge began to show, as Scott misses a turn and when trying to correct himself on the winding back road, had a little tumble. After a couple of mins in the support van, he was once again off with the team.
If anyone has experienced a countryside Ford, you will know you do all you can to avoid it. As Rob and Carly make use of the foot bridge as they were now a few minutes ahead of the other two, the boys didn’t think so quickly on their feet and as such decided to have a little swim in the freezing cold water. Ouch! But again, once stripped (yes naked) and reclothed, off they went to the finish line.
The team would like to give a massive shout out to Andy Bedford, Carly’s husband, who joined Rob for the last 40km of the cycle as the team took on the cycle route made famous by the Tour de France. Thank you, Andy.
Day Two: Results
Climbing to an altitude of over 7,800ft, the team cycled over 119 miles in 8.5 hours. What an
VLOG:
Here is Scott with an update as the team set off on Day Three.
The Tour de Corps riders have set off on the 700-mile challenge for Combat Stress. The team set off from Glasgow at 8:30am on Sunday 23rd April 2023, on the 7-day challenge raising essential funds for Combat Stress.
We will keep you updated daily on the team’s progress, right here. If you would like to show your support, and fund essential mental health support for UK veterans, you can donate here: https://events.combatstress.org.uk/fundraisers/tourdecorps2023
Day One – Glasgow to Carlisle
On day one, Rob Hill, Scott Hudson and Dale Johnson set off from the Corps Monitoring office in Glasgow. Day one was not kind, as the team faced wind and rain as they faced the steep inclines of the Scottish landscape.
The team battled the elements to complete the 116 miles to Carlisle, passing Douglas, Lockerbie and Gretna Green before reaching Carlisle around 7pm.
Distance Covered on Day One:
Here’s is the team heading to the finish line of their first day, for a well-earned shower, dry clothes, hot meal, and rest.
Here is Rob Hill with his Day One Vlog:
And the team approaching the finish at the end of Day One:
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tour-de-Corps-LIVE-BLOG.jpg410600Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2023-04-24 09:17:262023-04-28 08:47:45Tour de Corps – LIVE BLOG
Corps Security has formally launched Corps Together, a comprehensive campaign to improve equality, diversity and inclusion engagement across our organisation. The programme, which began over a year ago, aims to create a culture where heritage and differences are valued and celebrated while building an organisation which treats inclusion as an expectation not an aspiration
A group of volunteers, known as guardians, were recruited from within the business to take personal responsibility for the six protected characteristics: age, sex, religion, disability, gender and race.
The initiative includes the introduction of an ED&I charter which sets out our company level commitment to each Corps colleague and underpins the Corps value Everyone Matters. The senior team reviewed all Corps policies, procedures and recruitment processes to ensure ED&I best practice, introduced a Corps Together website, a short video and a quarterly magazine to engage people with the initiative together with a dedicated helpline/ email line to deal with any issues and panel support for HR issues or grievances so people feel supported if they’re raising a ED&I issue. here is also annual mandatory E&DI training for everyone in the business which is now undertaken using MOONHUB’s innovative virtual reality training platform.
The guardians also created a calendar of key dates across the six protective characteristics including faith festivals, LGBTQ History Month, Pride month and Black History Month and organise celebratory events for some of these key dates as well as social media activity.
The campaign is already having an impact. Corps’ annual Your Voice Matters colleague survey in summer 2021 demonstrated a growing understanding of ED&I issues thanks to the Corps Together initiative but with clear room for improvement. More than 60 percent of people are aware of Corps Together, just over 40 percent are aware of their guardian team members, almost 70 percent feel Corps proactively promotes equality diversity and inclusion and a similar number feel they can approach Corps if they have an issue relating to equality, diversity and inclusion.
“These results show that even where people aren’t aware of Corps Together, the majority feel Corps actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion,” says Seetan Varsani, director of major accounts and strategic development at Corps Security, who leads the campaign. “We will measure and hope to see a year-on-year improvement in these scores.”
The guardians are also planning an annual ED&I awards scheme and want to use the official launch to get more engagement from site-based colleagues. “We want people to feel not just included but a sense of belonging,” adds Varsani.
Corps is also exploring the adoption of ISO 30415 – the new business quality standard in ED&I – with the aim to achieve this in 2022.
“As a social enterprise, people are at our very heart. Corps Together demonstrates that we value each and every one of our more than 3,000 people and want to celebrate our diversity,” says Paul Lotter, managing director of Corps Security.
Rob has worked for Corps for more than 10 years and has been MD of Corps Monitoring for the past 18 months.
There are often misconceptions about security monitoring. What does your team do?
Our team monitors devices such as CCTV intruder or fire alarms, personal attack alarms, or even the detection of water or gas leaks – anything with a sensor that transmits a signal over IP. We patrol sites remotely using cameras and even give answers to questions such as whether the site’s broadband is working. We also support organisations to grant remote access. The signals come over the internet to our Alarm Receiving Centre (Arc) in Glasgow and our officers receive an associated alarm. Their response depends on the site or type of event. Sometimes people think that it’s just officers staring at walls of screens and CCTV. But it’s not like that anymore. Now it’s more about sensors, video analytics and AI. Most cameras detect movement, and then communicate the signal to us. Some are now so sophisticated that they can tell the difference between an animal and a person setting off an alarm. Our customers are both the security installers (those installing camera and sensor equipment for an individual or organisation who need us to monitor them) and end-users (the individuals and organisations who wants us to monitor their existing cameras and sensors).
It sounds like monitoring is about protecting property and assets?
Much of the work is about physical assets such as plant and property but we also focus on keeping people safe too. In that way, we’re just like security officers patrolling a building. We monitor TV and sports personalities and high-profile businessmen who rely on us to protect their homes and keep their friends and family safe. We also support lone workers who use personal attack alarms through our Corps Guard app. Through that we’ve often helped people escape from dangerous situations such as attempted kidnap and robbery.
There must be some memorable moments along the way?
Yes, we’ve had almost everything you can imagine. On the amusing side, we’ve seen an intoxicated man falling over a wall into a site who then couldn’t get out because he was so drunk. We had to inform the keyholder who went to site to release him. Then there were some naked hippies who were dancing through protected areas blowing kisses at the camera operators as they were issued with warnings to leave the area. There was also the time when a man armed with a gun was seen on a customer’s site. We reported it to the Police, who attended site with armed colleagues. He turned out to be a pest control officer commissioned by the customer – they had forgotten to tell us! Sadly our officers also witness upsetting things and we provide counselling when this happens. Armed holdups are the most common incidence we come across and we work very closely with the Police across the country. It’s key for us to detect potential offenders before they have the opportunity to commit crime.
How have you and the team been affected by the pandemic?
We’ve found that customers’ working patterns have changed quite considerably. Many sites that were only monitored at night are now unoccupied during the day so they need monitoring 24 hours a day. This has meant a workload increase while also having to ensure everyone’s safety through social distancing and deep cleans.
What would you say to anyone looking to join the security monitoring industry?
Join us! It’s a fast-paced industry that is challenging but very rewarding. Visit our Alarm Receiving Centre so we can show you what’s possible – you’d be really amazed what happens there.
Looking ahead, what’s the future of security monitoring?
There are constant improvements in cameras and technology. This is a sector which never stands still. Thermal imaging cameras, which can detect people with high temperatures is an example of technology being introduced into many buildings in preparation for the post-Covid return to work. We’ve also started to see automated access control around whether people are wearing the correct PPE, such as hard hats in construction sites, with signals notifying us if someone is not complying with the rules. Analytics are also improving constantly. We used to get lots of false signals from animals, birds or tree branches swaying in the wind. That’s much less of a problem now. Our systems are becoming so intelligent and that’s where the future lies.
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Rob-Hill.jpg410600Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2021-01-29 17:39:172022-05-24 16:00:33Q&A: Rob Hill Is Managing Director Of Corps Monitoring
The end of a year is always a chance to look back on the previous 12 months and look forward to the following year. And 2020 has given us plenty to reflect on.
The pandemic has undeniably been devastating to many lives and livelihoods – particularly security officers who, through a combination of age, sex, ethnicity, location and lifestyle, turned out to be disproportionally more likely to be affected by the virus than other occupations. But it has also given us the opportunity to completely rethink how we support our people and our customers.
Our people served on the front line of the pandemic. While management and admin staff worked from home, our security officers went out to work keeping our customers’ buildings secure and supporting the skeleton teams working in those facilities. People started to appreciate their security teams a great deal more and we believe that change will be permanent.
Supporting our people’s wellbeing has always been our main priority but the pandemic has really brought this to the forefront and shone a spotlight on the extent of the challenges faced by our colleagues. We conducted a report in the early summer about the high death rate among security officers and we’ve increased our commitment to their wellbeing as a result. It’s essential our officers are safe and secure – it’s not just about them delivering security to others and keeping others safe. Our colleague portal has considerably ramped up and now has a separate colleague wellbeing section that offers support on mental wellbeing, exercise and nutrition.
One of our biggest challenges this year has been working effectively with customers and colleagues from afar. Our contract managers have been used to being out in the field carrying out audits and reviews and having valuable face-to-face contact with our people and customers. We’ve had to find new ways to achieve this remotely. Our online customer portal, Corps Secure, has been instrumental in making more remote practices a success. It has given us the ability to measure and manage our service delivery effectively even if our management team cannot always be physically present.
At the same time, we’ve had to keep up to speed with our customers’ constantly changing requirements as the pandemic changed to working practices and premises shut down or were partially occupied at different stages. It’s been essential to be adaptable and flexible and to think differently. Our officers have changed their shift patterns to adjust to these changing requirements, often becoming more mobile. We’ve also been increasingly using our Corps Monitoring capability with our alarm receiving centre in Glasgow, as many customers complemented physical security officers with security technology. Remaining agile and working even more closely with customers this year has been paramount.
The pandemic has taught us a great deal. It’s sparked a new level of compassion and made us more united, collaborative, resilient and innovative. It has also elevated the importance of our frontline security workers. We have always been an advocate of the Living Wage and we will only beat that drum louder now. Security is not just about security anymore. It’s about keeping people and places safe and secure. The role of the security officer has taken on a wellbeing responsibility and this is something that will become a permanent change and one that we expect to grow in the foreseeable future.
https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Corps-Security-Looking-Back-To-Look-Forward.jpg410600Corps Securityhttps://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/05/Corps-Security-Logo-Est-1859.svgCorps Security2020-12-17 07:20:102022-05-24 16:00:05Looking Back To Look Forward
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