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A Buyers Special Interest Group (SIG) of the regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) has brought out a Security Buyer’s Charter. The aim; to benchmark the responsible and effective procurement of private security services. Organisers describe it as a structured framework for buyers and informed, transparent and responsible security purchasing.
Commissioned by the SIA, the charter has been developed by buyers of private security services. It has received input from people with purchasing influence, experience of procurement, insurance and security. The charter has also been developed by representatives from purchasing sectors and reflects the realities faced by those responsible for buying and contracting security. The SIA is running ‘informal’ consultation on the document until August 7; to take part and to request a copy of the document visit https://eepurl.com/pKAx4wHIhv.
Sarah Cork (whose guarding sector experience includes being ops director for Bidvest Noonan) and Jayne King (long-time healthcare security manager, and a past chair of the umbrella body the Security Commonwealth) are co-chairs of the SIA’s Buyers group. They said: “The creation of a security buyer’s charter represents a pivotal moment. For too long, the gap between what buyers need and what the private security industry delivers has been bridged by individual effort and expertise rather than collective good practice standards. By bringing together the SIA and security buyers in this collaboration, we have created something genuinely transformative – a practical toolkit that doesn’t just set expectations but makes compliance accessible and actionable.
“Buyers who contributed to the charter’s development emphasised the importance of wide sector and sub-sector buy-in. This charter is built on partnership, not prescription. Buyers benefit from a clear framework for compliance and quality assurance, and clarity on expectations and standards. The charter is also intended to be practical and support the design of tender questions, evaluation criteria, and contract management approaches, and to enable informed conversations.
“When buyers sign up to the charter, they’re not just ticking a box – they’re committing to supporting responsible buying of security and are actively driving the professional standards that protect people, premises, and reputations. Buyers and the security industry both gain. We are really keen to hear feedback from other buyers of private security, security companies, security industry membership bodies and of course the public.”
Michelle Russell, Chief Executive of the SIA said: “Buyers of private security services should be assured of the competence and quality of the companies they procure and rely on to deliver. How security is purchased, chosen and contracted matters. Good purchasing and procurement decisions require due diligence, curiosity and investment. There are many good buyers out there who take time and care with their purchasing decisions and promote ethical practices; contracts awarded simply on lowest cost with little or no due diligence carried out rarely work out well.
“We are encouraging responsible buyers to make choices prioritising service, delivery and quality over cost and this charter helps provide a framework for that. Buyers who support high standards of security provision help keep safe and secure their own people and premises. The new charter will be their commitment to supporting those high standards and public safety outcomes. We are delighted to support this new initiative led by, and working in partnership with, security buyers. I would like to thank the members of the SIA’s Buyers Special Interest Group for their time, commitment and expertise they have put into developing the draft, and look forward to seeing the launch of the new charter later this year.”
To ask about membership of this and other SIA SIGs email stakeholder@sia.gov.uk.
