IT-related topics came to the fore in this month’s Letters to the Editor, with Paul Whitlock commenting on the proliferation of mobile communication devices. First, though, Doug Hewitson takes issue with Boards of Directors who stubbornly refuse to back their organisation’s security operation in spite of the fact that threats to the UK’s major corporates are increasing.

Sir – I’m sure that a hall full of delegates at the recent Confederation of British Industries (CBI) Conference nodded sagely in agreement with MI5 director general Eliza Manningham-Buller’s warnings on corporate security. I for one wholeheartedly welcome the MI5 leader’s message that business needs to broaden its thinking on corporate protection, and make security a Boardroom issue.

However, at present the reality is that there remains a yawning gap between thought and deed. Many businesses still think of security as a cost-based commodity rather than an investment. Buying men on doors at the lowest possible cost is a far cry from investing time and resources in a strategy aimed at protecting assets, employees and customers, not to mention maintaining the integrity of a brand.

We should be alarmed rather than reassured by the CBI’s findings that less than one-in-five businesses expect to increase their spend on corporate security over the next five years. Just as disconcerting is our own research, which shows that 63% of businesses haven’t increased security budgets in line with a perceived increase in threats to the organisation.

Businesses owe it to their people, customers and shareholders to move from rhetoric to action. It’s only too easy to swerve between alarmism and complacency – neither of which is conducive to an intelligent, measured, long term approach to corporate security.

The threats are real. And I would urge Boards of Directors to do more than merely nod in recognition of that fact.

Doug Hewitson, National Operations Director Group 4 Securicor

Source

SMT

Postscript

An excellent point to make, Doug. Until such time as Boards of Directors wake up to the fact that not everything in life is geared towards a return on investment, the reactionary mentality towards security will always remain in situ. That’s a parlous state of affairs.

Reacting to a security breach that has already caused untold reputational damage smacks of what it is – a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. One of the many reasons why UK plc needs professional security managers armed with the right economic backing to do their job to the very best of their ability.