Security Management – What is it and what are the key objectives?

Security management is a process in which businesses and property owners audit all of their assets, risk-assess the threats to security affecting people, buildings, inventory and equipment and take proactive steps to ensure their strategy is always sufficient and up to date.

Effective security management includes ongoing monitoring to determine where certain parts of your security provision may need amending, and introducing policies that will ensure you react whenever circumstances or changes impact your risk profile.

This approach acts as a way to create a solid foundation of security, with the right procedures to continually assess evolving risks and look for more advanced or reliable ways to detect emerging threats or refine the way you respond.

The two types of security management

Organisations can implement two types of security management – or use both to create a more comprehensive blanket of protection:

• Physical security management considers aspects such as entry points, access controls, surveillance systems, commercial intruder alarms and manned guarding.
• Digital security management looks at cybersecurity risks, connectivity, network access permissions and the security of stored data.

Professional security teams use security management to classify risks or potential vulnerabilities in much the same way as a risk assessment. This method means they can target their recommendations to the areas with the greatest exposure or modify the way they protect a site or property depending on those areas or assets deemed business-critical.

Key Objectives of Security Management

The primary goal of security management is to work proactively and preemptively rather than being reactive and responding to threats that have already occurred or implementing safeguards to prevent a security breach from recurring – when it may have been preventable.

Physical security management teams can offer a variety of services, such as:

• Assessing suspected security risks and advising on ways to protect against them.
• Determining when new types of digital surveillance or automated motion tracking may be beneficial to a client. For example, we may recommend anything from CCTV Camera towers or empty property management.
• Suggesting ways to reduce risks during ad hoc events such as planned civil demonstrations and disturbances or when taking delivery of very high-value materials or inventory.
• Adapting response plans to leverage the latest in cutting-edge security technology.
• Implementing ways to monitor your current security technology 
• Reviewing security protocols to identify whether there are areas for improvement or evaluate how effective controls have been during an attempted breach.

Comprehensive security management isn’t a one-off exercise or an administrative task completed once a year. Instead, it is an ongoing process where security experts keep a close eye on how well security programmes are functioning and develop a full understanding of how the organisation works and when it may be exposed to greater threats.

The Lifecycle of a Physical Security Management System

So how do we approach security management? During an initial consultation, we need to understand your objectives and priorities before we can carry out a risk assessment and begin compiling a strategy that will mitigate, eliminate or reduce the risk profile of the most serious threats.

Using this consultative methodology, the Clearway team designs a strategy and approach which will address those security issues that could be the most impactful. The specific security plan will depend on your site, business or premise, and multiple variables. For example, the number of site users, entry points, surrounding landscape and access permissions will all determine the most appropriate security solutions.

However, a common misconception is that security ends there. Companies adopting a security management policy will view this as the baseline of preparedness to reduce risks without assuming that their security will remain fit for purpose for the long term.

Best practice is to ensure security measures are functioning correctly and have been validated as suitable to prevent the types of crimes or intrusions that are deemed the most likely – be that vandalism, theft, vehicular intrusion, trespass, squatters or any other unauthorised or criminal activity.

Regular reviews and assessments can then identify where changes to the business, the property, its visitors, vehicular access or the surrounding area require attention or where new technologies or security services can reinforce those defences already in place.

When Do Security Strategies Need Updating?

Our advice is to consider security as a moving, evolving aspect of protecting a property or site since the types of risks that are the biggest threats can change quickly and considerably. Security management means a skilled team of security specialists take responsibility for system monitoring and tracking rather than waiting for an issue to emerge before taking action.

However, there are some scenarios when we’d recommend you review your security processes, whether or not you have an advanced level of security management:

• The security protections you have in place are no longer suited to the physical environment because of changes to the organisation, visitor traffic or other factors, such as a new building being constructed next door or a new entrance being built.
• Increased traffic, either due to expansion and a larger workforce or expecting a greater number of customers or associates to visit your site.
• Changes to regulations or legislation affecting your obligations to protect employees or site users. Differences in your operating processes may also require changes to security to ensure you are compliant with the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Great security management is scalable and agile, able to spot emerging problems or gaps in your security and increase the capacity of your guarding, surveillance, alarm coverage or access controls with minimal disruption. Thus ensuring you are prepared well in advance for any changes to your risk levels, both internal and external.

Physical Security vs Security Management

The contrast between security management and a general security plan is that your security team actively manages and analyses the security measures you have in place throughout your site or facility.

They assess risks routinely to see where these may have changed, develop robust security plans, implement reforms to procedures, response protocols or policies where appropriate and monitor your security across the organisation.

Although a security management team will often recommend physical security provisions, these are designed to protect specific parts of your business or property, whereas security management is a strategy and preemptive approach that ensures your physical security remains fit for purpose.

If you’re looking for a reputable security management company to review your current security protocols and make recommendations, get in touch with the experts at Clearway today on 0800 085 8695.