The guarding industry needs to live the People Matter Charter, says Simon Alderson, pictured, CEO, First Response Group.
In the demanding and often unpredictable world of security services, where teams operate 24-7 under intense pressure and scrutiny, it’s vital to remember who makes it all possible: the people on the front line. Simon Alderson, CEO of First Response Group (FRG) – an Ethnic Minority-owned, Inclusive Employers-accredited business, reflects on how the security sector has evolved in recent years, and why it’s time to move beyond good intentions and fully embed integrity, inclusion, and care in how we lead our organisations.
People are the foundation of the security industry. Every shift, every site, every contract depends on the reliability and professionalism of teams working around the clock. Yet across the sector, many still experience low pay, limited recognition, and few opportunities to progress. That mindset needs to change. The People Matter Charter was developed by the Supply Chain Sustainability School to raise workforce standards across the built environment, with clear commitments to fair pay, respect, inclusion and development. The framework is there. The real test is whether we’re prepared to apply it consistently – not just in principle, but in practice.
Values are only real when they show up in action
There’s no shortage of good intentions in our industry. I speak to leaders who want to build better workplaces. But values are only meaningful when they shape day-to-day decisions: how people are paid, trained, supported, and treated.
At FRG, signing the People Matter Charter in 2020 wasn’t a PR exercise. We took the principles seriously and used them to shape our internal commitments. Today, 86 per cent of our workforce is paid the Real Living Wage, with a target of 100pc by 2030. Our gender pay gap is 0.7 per cent, well below the national average. And we were the first UK security company accredited by the Inclusive Employers Standard. None of this is about looking good on paper. It’s about doing the right thing, consistently and seeing the results in trust, retention and performance.
Culture is built at ground level
Social value and ESG now feature in every tender. But ticking a box is easy. Living your values is harder and more important. If there’s a gap between what’s written in a policy and how people feel on the ground, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Culture isn’t what’s said in a boardroom. It’s how someone feels at 6am when they start their shift. It’s whether they feel respected by their line manager, whether they feel safe reporting a concern, and whether they believe the business cares if they stay or go.
We’ve learned that you can’t fake care. And you can’t outsource culture. The organisations that will lead this industry forward are the ones that recognise that, and act on it.
Inclusion as strength
Diversity and inclusion get talked about a lot. But this isn’t about ticking boxes or meeting quotas. It’s about making the organisation stronger.
At FRG, we’ve brought in apprentices from underrepresented backgrounds. We’ve invested in our mental health first aider network. We’ve created employee resource groups that feed directly into our strategy. We did it not because we had to, but because we know it improves how we operate. When people feel heard and valued, they work harder, stay longer, and deliver better. Inclusion isn’t a favour; it’s a smarter way to run a business.
The standard is shifting. Are we keeping up?
The next generation of the workforce expects more. They want to be part of organisations that treat them fairly and take their development seriously. Meeting those expectations isn’t a ‘nice to have’. It’s now business-critical.
This industry has made progress. But we need to go further. Signing a charter is a start. Living it is the real test. At FRG, we’re not claiming to have everything figured out. But we are serious about what we stand for, and we back it up with action. That’s how we build trust. That’s how we grow. And that’s how we’ll help raise standards across the sector. Because in our line of work, people don’t just make the difference. They are the difference.
About the firm
First Response Group (FRG) is based in Leeds and is a member of the ACS Pacesetters group of highest-scoring SIA (Security Industry Authority) approved contractors. Visit https://www.acspacesetters.co.uk/members/first-response-group-limited/.
