SMT draws record response for 'A Contract of Substance'

Security Management Today's campaigning feature 'A Contract of Substance' (SMT, April 2002, pp20-23) really hit home with the readership – as evidenced by a record response to any article run by The Builder Group on its newly-revamped Web site.

Devised and consulted upon by a host of clients, contractors and industry organisations – including The Security Watchdog, Securiplan, Whitehall Security Services, CISCO Systems, Glaxo SmithKline, Bovis Lend Lease, Camberford Law and Security Management Today – the Contract proposes an industry standard whereby a given security company's performance can be measured against a clear, agreed set of industry benchmarks. These benchmarks take account of officer pay, benefits and welfare, working hours, training and levels of administrative support.

For clients, the Contract (which can be read in its entirety on SMT's web site at www.smtdirect.co.uk) means that it really is no longer an option to try to buy security on the cheap and hope to receive a consistent service.

Contractors CIS Security, Legion Security, Mison Security, Pilgrims Security, Securiplan, Shield Security Services, Trident Safeguards and Ultimate Security Services have all backed the initiative to date, while end users have also responded to our coverage.

One such is Nick Startup of banking group UBS Warburg, who has also agreed to sit on the Contract's Supervisory Panel ('Panel members support A Contract of Substance', News, SMT, May 2002, p7). Startup's initial comments mirror those of many readers. "As far as the proposals for the non-contributory pensions are concerned," he said, "a minimum 25% contribution by the employer might be difficult to achieve in the early years due to the average age of security officers, and the fact that many of them have come from other industries."

Continuing to look at Section 1 of the Contract (Officer Benefits), Startup added that – in terms of personal accident policies for officers – "minimum cover should relate to the individual's rate of pay, or an allowance agreed for London weighting".

Uniform entitlement is another key issue for Startup, who's own organisation is a major user of contract manned guarding services. "Uniform's should be issued annually, and include a minimum number of shirts," he suggested. "Unless managed closely, some manned guarding suppliers will be reluctant to issue uniforms. They actually increase their bottom line by charging their clients for uniforms that haven't been given out. It's my belief that the Contract audit should include checks to ensure that uniforms are issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Service Level Agreement."

Turning to officer welfare, Startup feels that the annual appraisal of each permanent officer is a good idea, but wouldn't always be practical on the larger sites. "We have 100-plus officers working for us," added Startup. "An agreed mechanism for measuring performance, possibly allied to a performance-related bonus scheme, should suffice."

A different perspective
Matthew Braybrook of Premier Security likes the idea of 'A Contract of Substance', but foresees a problem with some of the contract security companies. "Many of those firms regularly allow their staff to work in excess of 72 hours per week for something below a minimum wage, and with very little in the way of staff benefits," he stated. "It's their way of keeping the cost to clients at the bare minimum. They can't afford to compete with the major players when it comes to tendering."

Braybrook feels that 'A Contract of Substance' is aimed at the larger security companies who operate on a nationwide basis. "It's the smaller companies who want to take initiatives like this on board, but it's difficult."

Braybrook added: "While we currently have an induction period of ten days for each new employee, and regular training courses averaging three weeks in any 12-month period, we are still averaging 60-hour working weeks. That's because we simply can't afford to pay our officers more than £5 per hour maximum." He has spoken to some of Premier's clients about the Contract, but their only response has been: "How much is it going to cost me?"

Clients just don't want to spend money on something which their Board of Directors sees as a 'necessary evil'. That is no longer an acceptable response in the face of the Private Security Industry Act, and next year's lifting of the derogation on the Working Time Directive.

Improved standards for all
"There is no doubt that standards within the manned security industry need to be improved dramatically, and 'A Contract of Substance' appears to be going in the right direction," stated security manager Brian Smith, who works for Ernst & Young.

"That said, after some 13 years in the business I think it's going to be an uphill struggle. I have my doubts as to whether there is a genuine will to achieve the ultimate goal – a professional, quality service for the end user."

Smith suggests that there needs to be a sea change in attitudes. "The resident experts should come down from their ivory towers, go to site and actually measure the level of performance that the officers are achieving. Instead, they write politically-correct verbiage to publications like Security Management Today suggesting it's all the client's fault."

According to Smith, clients are indeed willing to be convinced that they should pay more for their security – but only if the standard of service from the supplier begins to meet what was agreed in the terms of the contract.

Where are we now?
The Supervisory Panel for 'A Contract of Substance' – now strengthened by the addition of Bill Wyllie, chairman of ASIS' UK Chapter 208 – held its first meeting on 9 July, at which many of the above comments (and more) were taken on board.

The Contract should begin in earnest on site "as soon as is practicable" (and after re-drafting of the main document) post-1 September.

Auditors are still being sought, and the Panel has expressed a desire to lay the initiative before Molly Meacher and John Saunders at the Security Industry Authority for their comments. SMT will keep you posted on developments.