The 2015 Professional Security Magazine – WiS Awards were hosted this year by IPSA and sponsored by Sodexo Security, writes our regular contributor Una Riley, the founder of those awards, now in their fourth year.
Pictured left to right are Emma Shaw (industry category winner), Una and Baroness Ruth Henig.
The individual flavour each year as the award travels around the industry via the industry lead bodies (ILB) is a pleasure in itself.
This year the awards were presented on board the ‘Harmony’ one of the Bateaux London fleet. The Harmony’s open air observation deck of over 250 square metres (the largest on the Thames) provides a unique viewing platform to enjoy the spectacle of London as viewed from the river. Although quite a chilly [mid-September] night everyone was still on deck taking in the breath-taking landmarks. Bateaux London has a sister operation in Paris, Bateaux Parisiens … so the next time you are in Paris and want to eat somewhere special, you know where to book.
It really was a great experience to be invited to the IPSA Chairman’s Dinner, an event usually only attended by members. On this occasion IPSA threw open their doors (or should I say portholes) to host the PSM – WiS Awards 2015. Although it was a black tie event the vibe was relaxed and laid back. We spent the next three hours dining, imbibing and experiencing this fantastic way to enjoy London and while gliding past the city’s famous landmarks on this memorable occasion I could not help but be a little bit proud of how far we have come. Having tried to get these awards off the ground in the early 1990s via the BSIA (there were just not enough WiS then) I once again thought the time was right. I approached John Cully, the chairman of Professional Security Magazine, in 2010 and proposed what I thought would be a unique platform for the PSM – WiS Awards. I wanted this award to be created by the industry for the industry and have everyone on board.
What makes this particular award unique is that it travels around the industry each year and each of the ILBs involved proffers a judge and a hosting event. We started with ASIS in 2012, then the BSIA and the Association of Security Consultants last year. The PSM – WiS Award 2016 will be hosted by the Security Institute; and in 2017 the SIA will be the hosts. That is what makes this award unique. It was 30 years ago this year that I started my company Euro Alarms, and believe me things were very different then. I wanted to stop the negative messages going out that this is a male-dominated industry. Thirty years ago it was … but so were other sectors. There were not a lot of businesswomen back then, but there are now. I have always worked to give a positive message to existing and potential ‘women in security’ that this is a great marketplace where you can succeed and contribute to the development of the sector. This is a dynamic industry where actions speak louder than words.
So when I approached John Cully with the concept he did not hesitate and simply said: “Let’s make it happen.” We subsequently launched and Baroness Ruth Henig the then Chairman of the SIA said: “This award should be regarded as the ‘Oscars” of the industry.” The rest is history as they say.
This year was the toughest of all to even shortlist; so much so that we ended up increasing the usual three finalists in each category to four! The results were so close on two of the categories that the last judge changed the outcome. Prior to the presentation I spoke to some of the finalists. I caught up with Lynn Watts-Plumpkin of IQ Verify (Industry Category); she was so genuinely happy to be part of the occasion and said: “I seriously feel that all the finalists here tonight are winners, irrespective of who actually picks up the awards on behalf of each category. I am just so proud to have come this far.”
Her sincerity was clear to see and her sentiment was absolutely right. All the finalists were indeed winners and it was a very close call … I am glad that I am not a judge! We normally present only to the winners in each category but this year it was so close that everyone deserved to be presented in recognition of their contribution, so each of the finalists received a framed certificate in recognition of their achievement. It was a great night and more photographs can be found on PSM’s website, which indicate how much fun everyone was having.
I asked the chairman of IPSA, Stuart Naisbett how he felt about the traditional chairman’s dinner being used as the vehicle for the 2015 awards. Naisbett replied: ‘It gave me great pleasure as the new Chairman of IPSA to host this year’s Women in Security Awards in association with Professional Security Magazine, at such a wonderful venue. It goes without saying that the nominees for this year’s awards were all deserving of the accolade, having made very valuable contributions to the security industry in the UK and internationally. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners and thank everyone for attending and contributing to an excellent event.”
It was indeed an excellent event, many of the other judges had been invited by IPSA and it was a good opportunity for everyone to meet at such a happy occasion. I then turned to the CEO of IPSA, Justin Bentley and asked him how he felt as host. He said: “It is always a pleasure to be able to meet with members and even more so when it is a social occasion. Whilst we have previously held events at a series of interesting venues, there is definitely something special about a cruise down the Thames and seeing a different landmark every time you look out. It was also fantastic to be able to use the dinner as the host event for this year’s PSM – Women in Security awards, and meet many of the nominees who contribute so much to the industry. I have also enjoyed catching up with my fellow judges.”
There is no doubt that a good time was had by all but the stars of the event were the winners on the night. Bonnie Butlin of the Canadian Security Partners Forum was unable to collect her award on the night and Elizabeth France, Chairman of the SIA collected it on her behalf. Elizabeth France took the opportunity to reinforce the importance of women in security and their recognition and contribution. After the event I caught up with Bonnie Butlin and asked her how she felt having won the 2015 PSM – WiS Award for the end user category. Butlin said: “I was absolutely delighted when I learned that I had been nominated by David Burrill, OBE, for Professional Security Magazine’s Women in Security Awards. These highly prestigious awards recognize the contributions of women within the international security community. The PSM – Women in Security Awards are widely renowned and highly coveted in light of the number of distinguished professional associations that are directly involved in the awards, and in light of the many highly esteemed women nominees who have contributed in exemplary and innovative ways to the security community and profession. It is an honour to be counted among them, and even more so to have been named a winner of the awards for 2015. I am deeply honoured to have been recognized among my peers and colleagues, and to have been provided this unique opportunity to highlight the innovation and growth of the Security Partners’ Forum (SPF) and of the Women in Security and Resilience Alliance (WISECRA); to be introduced to such outstanding contributors to security; and to encourage women to choose the security profession as a career path and to continue to move the security profession forward.”
The PSM-WiS Awards are indeed being recognised internationally and we are now getting more and more global nominations. I also asked the winner of the FRONT LINE Category, Dona Allan of G4S how she felt on winning. Dona Allan said: “I was surprised to have been nominated for the PSM – WIS awards, and staggered, but highly delighted, to win. Working to achieve the Trailblazer standard for apprenticeships will ensure we can invest in the next generation of security professionals. I believe security is seen as a male oriented industry and the WiS award, and what it represents, brings another career choice to women that they were previously unaware of. It’s important to address the male-female imbalance in security, thus creating more opportunities for individuals, organisations and customers alike.”
Finally I turned to the winner of the industry category, Emma Shaw of Esoteric. I asked exactly the same question. How did she feel winning the PSM – WiS Award 2015? She said: “I am delighted and privileged to have been awarded the WiS award for industry contribution, particularly given the talented shortlist for the award this year. The PSM – WiS awards have become highly coveted by the women who accomplish so much within the security sector. Adding to the growing number of awards and recognitions that Esoteric has received over recent years, I feel particularly honoured to receive this award as a personal recognition by my peers and I look forward to working alongside them to continue to shape and develop our profession.”
I can’t explain how proud I am to be patron of these awards. Thirty years ago it was very different for women in business and I believe that the women that were around then have helped contribute to what the industry is today. That is not to say that there is not still a lot of work to be done in some areas but I believe now, as I did then, in equality of opportunity and meritocracy as far as the workplace is concerned. Women in security might only stand at nine per cent nationally but there are organisations that are actively championing the message that WiS are highly regarded and recognised for their contribution and their percentage rate is already in double figures!
Finalists by category
End user: winner – Bonnie Butlin, Canadian Security Partners Forum. Finalists – Heather Norton, American Express; Bernadette Bashford-Payne, Canary Wharf Group Alison Parkinson, Next.
Front-line officer
Winner – Dona Allan, G4S. Finalists – Jackie Bridges, Sodexo Justice Services; Grainne Kelly, Securitas; Maria (Dee) Dyster, Sodexo
Industry
Winner – Emma Shaw, Esoteric. Finalists – Lynn Watts-Plumpkin, IQ Verify; Dr Alison Wakefield, University of Portsmouth; Christina Powell, Castle Alarm Securities.
Photo by Steve Jones – Totara Photography: www.totaraphotography.co.uk.
For more about the awards visit https://professionalsecurity.co.uk/wis/.
