As mentioned in the January print edition of Professional Security Magazine, the supplier Carlisle Support Services is running its free to attend Innovation Lab day in Liverpool next month; we attended the 2023 one in Manchester (pictured) and featured it in our April edition.
Here we ask Carlisle’s CEO Paul Evans about what visitors can expect from the 2024 event at the ACC Liverpool venue (that is among Carlisle’s Merseyside clients). A black-tie dinner and company awards will follow.
- Why did you arrange the Lab?
Paul Evans: Innovation is often associated with uncertainty and capital-intensive commitments, therefore creates reluctance to change among both individuals and organisations and historically, companies that have failed to adapt have been replaced by new market entrants. Given the exponential rate of technology evolution in today’s world, it’s important that organisations are able to effectively evaluate new initiatives.
The Innovation Lab’s purpose has always been to provide stakeholders with an annual opportunity to interact with emerging cutting-edge innovations and assess their viability within day-to-day operations before committing to substantial capital investments. Therefore, enabling companies to adapt in a flexible and cost-effective manner to stay ahead of the curve and thrive within any given market conditions.
- Who is the day aimed at?
The event started with senior stakeholders across Carlisle Support Service’s client portfolio, but over the years it has grown in popularity to now welcome key decision makers and like-minded individuals from across the facilities management and security sectors. With an expected audience of over 500 people, the event promises to deliver a day of solution exploration, professional development, and peer-to-peer networking.
- What are the 2024 Lab’s discussion topics?
The event has something for everyone. The main stage will firstly welcome Liverpool’s very own John Barnes to talk about peak performance under pressure, followed by Allister Frost to talk about future-proofing and having a future ready mindset. Subsequently, Kat Thorne will step on the main stage to provide invaluable insight into how organisations can minimise stress amongst staff members. The stage will then welcome Nick Aldworth to address counter terrorism and risk challenges as well as to provide further insight into Martyn’s Law. Speaking sessions on the main stage will then conclude in a panel discussion with senior industry stakeholders addressing key challenges they are facing within their organisations.
Similarly, the lab stage will approach subjects such as ESG, Women in Security, developments within the rail industry, and a panel discussion on key issues within the security industry ranging from skills, gender imbalance, pay gaps and more.
- And more generally, what do you see as the key challenges for the industry?
Concerns around recruitment and retention, skills and employee engagement have been voiced within the sector for many years and continue to be increasingly pressing. Employee engagement should be high on every organisation’s agenda, apprenticeships should play a more vital role, and untapped pools of talent should be explored to offer new opportunities to both employers and prospective employees.
Technology adoption poses both challenges and opportunities. AI and machine learning technology in particular can serve a dual purpose. It can enable better decision-making on how to make workplaces more sustainable and energy efficient, and in parallel, it can secure and analyse data that provides insights into the creation of workplaces that reflect organisational culture and meet the functional needs of the people who use them.
Finally, sustainability has been an area of challenge and opportunity for FM [facilities management] for some time and can only get more so. The progress being made by FM companies in terms of understanding needs, setting targets, and defining action plans to achieve goals is mixed across the sector. More and faster progress is needed, despite the sometimes uncertain political and economic context within the UK and beyond.
Visit Eventbrite.com for details of how to attend.
