Corporate Social Responsibility

At Advance we believe that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be a priority across the entire security industry and take a lead by considering the environmental, social and economic impact of all our business activities. 

CSR is key to the continued development of Advance Security and we work closely with our customers and suppliers to embrace and promote our commitments in four key areas:

• Community
• Environment
• Marketplace
• Workplace

As one of the first security organisations in the UK to be awarded ISO 14001 status as a result of our environmental policies, we don’t simply pay lip service to the CSR ideal. Shortlisted for the Orange National Business Awards for our commitment to CSR in 2008, we have created a sustainable environmental policy at the very heart of our business, which we continue to develop.

We have a fully fledged CSR Steering Group (CSRSG), headed by our Managing Director, with representation from key areas across our business. The CSRSG meets on a regular basis to discuss new initiatives and track their implementation across the organisation. 

At a corporate level we have made a conscious decision to move away from petrol powered vehicles and have introduced telephone and video conferencing to reduce the need to travel to meetings. Paper, mobile phones, PDAs and print cartridges are recycled as a matter of course, with money raised donated to our nominated charity, the Association for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Disorders (AMEND).

At an employee level we have introduced a detailed assessment and incentive programme to encourage all our staff to consider their own carbon footprints, minimise their personal environmental impact both at work and at home, and make suggestions for company-wide improvements.

And we don’t just look at our own processes. All suppliers are now assessed for their commitment to CSR; in particular their processes for improvement and willingness to transfer best practice, and we have an open procurement system to allow local suppliers the opportunity to work in synergy with more established national providers.

At Advance Security however, we are fully aware that there is more to CSR than preserving the environment and with this in mind we are equally committed to the professional development of our employees and our role in the wider community. With our customers increasingly embracing the principles of CSR, and looking to their suppliers to reflect those values, we believe that it is imperative that the security profession follows suit.