The Register of Chartered Security Professionals – Seven years and growing

Mike Bluestone highlights how the Register of Chartered Security Professionals is gaining real traction, in both the public and private sectors, since its official launch in 2011.

In the world of security, ‘good news’ stories aren’t always in the public eye, so readers will be interested to hear about the significant progress of the Register of Chartered Security Professionals in 2018. The Register provides chartered certification of security professionals, who must undergo a formal and rigorous application, screening, and interview process, before being admitted as a Registrant of the Register of Chartered Security Professionals.

Competencies required to be a Chartered Security Professional in 2018

Qualifications and experience jointly reflect the competencies that an applicant to the Register must be able to demonstrate, together with their strategic impact. The competencies required are as follows:

A: Knowledge. Use a combination of specialist and generalist security knowledge and understanding to optimise the employment of existing and emerging methods and technologies.

B: Practical Skills. Apply appropriate techniques, methodologies and processes to resolve security and risk related issues.

C: Leadership. Provide technical and commercial leadership.

D: Communications. Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills.

E: Professional Commitment. Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional standards, recognising obligations to society, the profession and the environment.

Recognising the formal practice of security

The vast majority of readers will of course be aware that there have always been security professionals out there in the market place, providing expert security management, advice and support to companies and organisations in both the public and private sectors. The problem, however, was one of perception and recognition, in that unlike other long-established and recognised professions, such as law, accountancy, surveying, medicine, engineering and the like, the professional practice of security had never enjoyed similar formal recognition and public acknowledgement.

Growing appeal of Register of Chartered Security Professionals in 2018

A look at the list of current CSyPs (available on the CSyP page: www.csyp-register.org) is solid proof not only of the eclectic nature of CSyP Registrants as individuals, but also of the diverse locations of the organisations, businesses and sectors in which they operate.

A steadily increasing number of CSyPs are based overseas, including some foreign nationals, which provides welcome evidence of the growing global appeal of the Register.

Seven years of steady promotion of the Register has led to engagement, and ‘buy-in’ from a number of public and private organisations which include departments of Her Majesty’s Government, such as the Centre for the Protection of the National Infrastructure and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Manned Guarding companies; the Banking and Financial Services sector; the Transport sector; the Pharmaceutical industry; and the Energy and Utilities sectors.

Promoting the Register of Chartered Security Professionals

In the meantime, work continues to promote the Register, which has become known as the security sector’s ‘Gold Standard’,  through a number of different routes, including media feature articles, talks at industry events, through the licensees’ websites, and professional events. A major programme to raise awareness of the Register is currently underway and being driven by a number of Chartered Security Professionals including the writer of this feature.

The outreach programme is not limited to physical security professionals, but also encompasses cyber threat specialists, several of whom have already become CSyPs, and others who are in the process of applying. The objective is to spread the word about the benefits to businesses and organisations of employing the services of Chartered Security Professionals. This means getting the message out there right across the wider business community, to both the public and private sectors.

Of course, it is not enough that promotion of the Register is an item for discussion within the security sector alone. The message must be escalated throughout the UK business community, and indeed overseas.

The significance of security professionals possessing chartered status should also resonate with the insurers, particularly in relation to Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance, and the current campaign is also being focused in that direction. Equally, the campaign is targeting the major recruiters and largest employers of security professionals. Our objective must be to influence those who put together the job descriptions for senior (especially strategic) security positions to include possession of the CSyP certification as a fundamental requirement for such roles.  This means reaching out to HR personnel, and their own professional bodies.

This journey of promoting the Register, and ‘spreading the word’, has inevitably encountered a few hurdles along the way, but then has there ever been a time when efforts to professionalise the security sector haven’t hit a few obstacles?

Our determination, however, to achieve broader recognition of the Register remains solid and emboldened by the quality of applicants. It is reassuring that a number of CSyPs (who are busy enough in their own day jobs) have stepped forward to assist in the current campaign. They are rightly proud of their achievement in having become chartered, and are keen to share their enthusiasm with as many people as possible. The following testimonials provide a snapshot of what Chartered Security Professionals say about being chartered:

Bob Boote CSyP, Independent Consultant: “I found the application process to be very positive and very beneficial to my personal development. The process is very thorough and the award of CSyP is a prestigious accolade.”

Bill Stables CSyp, Foreign & Commonwealth Office: “The independent accreditation implied by attaining Chartered status in any profession is fundamental; when you add potential risk to life activity it becomes vital. I was keen to have this level of qualification as it provides an externally audited record of my experience. In addition it encourages CPD and prevents me becoming static.”

Mike Bluestone MA CSyP FSyI

Vice President, Security Institute, and Ambassador for the Register of Chartered Security Professionals.

For more information, please contact the RCSP Admin Manager at the Security Institute www.security-institute.org