AS LOCKDOWN rules begin to ease and managers and employees alike begin to return to work, Pete England examines the challenges this presents in terms of security and access control and pinpoints some of the key issues that organisations and building managers need to consider.

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MANY BUSINESSES have been able to make the transition from on-site to remote working, but the time will come when the focus is back on the office environment. Alistair Enser outlines why security companies need to help their customers address the changes in their risk profiles and assist them to navigate the potential shift from cyber security threats to civil disturbance, for example, and from commercial theft to on-premises abuse or even violence.

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THE COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to supply chains across the world and, indeed, served to reveal the fragility of the modern supply chain, as well as the importance of resilience planning and recovery in supply chain management. David Halford offers his views on planning for disruption and protecting the supply chain.

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FOCUSING ON minimising the cyber security threat posed to today’s IP network cameras, Uri Guterman and Elaine Moran have produced a jargon-busting explanation of video surveillance cyber security terminology, at the same time issuing a timely reminder that combating the activities of hackers needs to remain a top priority for businesses.

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THE TERM Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the professional security domain is controversial and views on it are polarised. Some hardware manufacturers dismiss it as a technology for the back office or deny its potential altogether. On the other hand, the cutting-edge developers are creating better and faster ways of helping humans to solve security risk problems using the maximum technology innovations. Pauline Norstrom offers some thought-provoking comment on this hugely topical subject.

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RESILIENCE AND efficiency became watchwords for public institutions before (and during) the ongoing health crisis and will remain so when it has passed. In delivering services fit for the modern world, these institutions need more than just innovation and accountability, though. As Stephanie Ordan explains, they require flexibility and agility as well, including in terms of how they approach security.

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JIM PREEN explores the implications of using WhatsApp in the workplace and, in tandem, the importance of data protection and data privacy for any business communication channel, particularly so at times like these when the majority of employees are working away from the office environment.

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AS THINGS slowly begin to normalise, while we have to keep one eye on the output of the pandemic and the associated changes, we also have a responsibility to ourselves and our organisations to not forget general good business practice and leadership. Here, Alistair Enser looks at some immediate goals for today’s companies operating in the security business sector.

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PARTICIPATING IN a mentoring relationship can be greatly beneficial for an individual’s professional development, whether that be as a mentor or mentee. There’s a good deal to be gained from having a trusted mentor at all stages of the professional journey. Equally so, mentors can also grow and learn through a mentoring relationship. Here, in this exclusive thought leadership article for Security Matters, Angela Vernon-Lawson examines her own mentoring journey involving The Security Institute.

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FEW BUSINESSES are prepared for multiple and concurrent crises. Most can survive a single disruption, but dealing with a second while already in a weakened state increases the impact exponentially. When the COVID-19 crisis began and the lockdown was implemented, the first action businesses should have taken (after actioning remote working) was to reassess their risks. Peter Groucutt explains why.

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WHILE THE Bribery Act didn’t actually come into force until July 2011, it became law (thanks to Royal Assent) on 8 April 2010 in the wake of cross-party support. A decade on, Aziz Rahman considers in some detail the Act’s impact to date and, indeed, its likely future.

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WITH LOCKDOWN now gradually being eased, organisations across many sectors are seeking ways in which to keep building occupants safe and avoid the spread of COVID-19. Here, Andy Schofield expresses his concern about the “misinformation” surrounding the use of thermal detection cameras as a way of identifying those individuals harbouring the Coronavirus.

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WHAT IF the CFO of a fire and security business was given the opportunity of turning a potential bad debt write-off into positive cashflow? Andrew Birkwood examines why, of late, businesses have been obliged to look in detail at their most important asset and understand the critical importance of cashflow.

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THE BRITISH Security Industry Association has been working tirelessly behind the scenes in a determined bid to underpin and embolden the private security industry in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, that work has involved lobbying Government in a bid to see security personnel recognised for what they are (and always have been): key workers. Mike Reddington offers a progress update.

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THE CORONAVIRUS crisis has done more than any other event in memory to demonstrate the multi-faceted nature of modern security services. As Darren Read explains, members of dedicated security teams are also performing a crucial customer-facing role as greeters or receptionists, often providing those vital first impressions in clients’ buildings.

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FABLIHA CHOWDHURY presents the key takeaways from a recent panel discussion in which representatives from Starbucks and Uber, as well as a former representative of Barclays, shared their personal take on embracing a cloud-first approach towards security and operations.

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URI GUTERMAN explains in some detail why he firmly believes that, by harnessing the power of deep learning video analytics, businesses and organisations of all types and sizes will have a powerful tool at their fingertips to help them remain one step ahead of would-be intruders.

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THE PRIME Minister recently announced the gradual relaxation of lockdown. Under what conditions do we ‘reboot’ the UK and move people back to work, while at the same time maintaining safety? How do we keep the Coronavirus infection rate under control, and what role can technology play in the fight against the virus? Alistair Enser offers his considered opinions.

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THE COVID-19 outbreak has dramatically altered the entire commercial landscape and changed the face of business as we know it due to action taken by the Government to contain the spread of the virus and safeguard individuals. Kevin Waterhouse examines how surveillance and analytics solutions can be used to nullify potential security issues in the retail space.

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IT HAS been a long-accepted belief that the true strength of an organisation can only genuinely be determined when it faces a real test. The social and economic challenges presented by COVID-19 make it arguably the sternest test that many individuals, businesses and organisations have ever faced. How has the Financial Conduct Authority dealt with the pandemic? Syedur Rahman offers his views.

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