The Security Institute

What is the Security Research Initiative?

The Initiative is a three year programme of research to develop new insights into security practice. It is sponsored by 17 companies and supported by The Security Institute, the BSIA and ASIS. Each year a separate study is undertaken, but the topics are inter-related. So far there have been six which are listed below.

The resulting combined findings successfully build a strong, clear, holistic perspective of the key challenges of the sector, equipping sponsors with powerful insights and practical guidance as to how they might get the best out of the security function. Absorption of this intelligence into the development of solutions, tender responses and marketing strategies has the ability to provide considerable competitive advantage by getting to the nub of the issues that lie at the very heart of the industry.

All the research is undertaken by Perpetuity. Their network is vast, providing unrivalled access to scholars, academics, leading security professionals, customers, procurers, providers, industry associations and government departments. Such networks provide a diversity and range of perspectives that cover every conceivable security permutation. Sponsors of the Initiative have privileged access to this vast bank of knowledge and insight. 

What are the benefits of membership?

Anyone who is serious about security is committed to raising its profile as both a valued profession and a service capable of contributing to the success of a business and increasing competitive advantage.

The Security Research Initiative provides new knowledge about the security market, about the environment within which it operates and about those who would seek to threaten it. The independent status of the initiative provides the freedom to ask questions about the needs of the market place and its challenges, uncovering factual information and identifying trends around which sponsors can then build informed, intelligent responses.

The research helps to establish how people are buying; what they are buying today and predicting what and how they will buy in the future enabling you to proactively influence those who make the decisions about security purchasing or security management

Sponsorship allows companies to realise the following key benefits:

• First sight of findings that offer commercial advantage
• Support for an initiative designed to develop good practice
• Real and demonstrable advantage over competitor companies
• True differentiation
• Insight into how businesses might define their solution to gain greater customer interest
• Intelligence to inform the development of future products and processes that meet explicit customer needs
• Ability to direct marketing strategies towards known market requirements
• Positive Media Exposure
• Corporate association with cutting edge innovation and thought leadership
• Ability to truly understand what innovation and added value is in Security Management
• Ability to demonstrate to customers your investment in continuous improvement

What does it cost and what do you get?

Membership in the form of sponsorship costs £5,000 per annum, plus VAT. There are no added extras. For this companies receive:

• Copies of the report six months ahead of publication to share with colleagues and clients as they wish. This provides them with the opportunity to exploit commercial advantages.
• After six months the report is made available for others to benefit to help raise standards in the industry. Companies are named as a supporter of an initiative to raise standards.
• A personal feedback session (to staff or clients during the three year period of sponsorship. This can be provided by Professor Martin Gill).
• Association on the SRI website which contains up-to-date details of the SRI and who is involved.
• Recognition in all feedback sessions including to industry leaders in the UK and abroad provided by the Perpetuity team.
• Recognition in the end of study report of your company's association with the Security Research Initiative.

What does membership involve?

As much or as little as is wished, although best value comes from the contribution and sharing of thoughts and ideas. There are two meetings a year at which the Perpetuity team give feedback. Sponsors are invited to these. Some members attend these and interact in between, others take a more back seat role. Perpetuity provide regular updates on progress.

What projects are planned for 2011-13?

The members help choose topics.

The first year project will be a definitive study on understanding excellence. The question being asked is what makes the best the best? What do the best do well that the less good don't do? What makes the best excel?

This project will be approached in a variety of ways. Perpetuity will review the evidence on the characteristics of the best organisations to identify the characteristics that make them excel. They will supplement this with interviews with the best companies and generate some case studies. They will interview clients, experts around the industry, representative associations and special interest groups to identify the best ways of excelling in Britain by learning from those who do it best.

What sort of work has been done before?

Much is said in the industry about the perceived value that security provides to an organisation. Yet it remains the case that many companies do not see security as strategic or even important, more of an unwelcome burden or ‘grudge purpose'. The SRI generates insights that provide a more informed environment in which the professionalization of security can take place.

Further information about previous studies is available on the SRI website. They include:

• A survey of procurers on why they change security providers and a security a briefing guide for procurers
• A study on how companies can and do demonstrate the value of security
• A survey of company directors on what they perceive the value of security to be
• A toolkit on how to develop a security strategy and including templates and examples
• Interviews with senior police officers and a survey of Superintendents on the barriers and opportunities to working with the security sector
• A toolkit to develop good security procurement (in process)

How to join

For more information on how you may become involved with this leading industry venture, please contact Charlotte Lawson via prci@perpetuitygroup.com or 0116 222 5555, or Professor Martin Gill on 0774 028 4286.