NSI Guarding Gold for Sodexo

Sodexo has achieved the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) Guarding Gold approval for its security control room services.

Sodexo's national security control room received accreditation following robust NSI assessment of its facilities and procedures against the relevant industry standards BS 7499:2013, BS 7858:2012, BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and NSI code of practice, NSI NCP 107.

Opened last year and based in Salford, the national security control room monitors 600 employees across Sodexo's 260 security contracts in the UK and Ireland 24 hours a day.

Many of Sodexo's officers provide security for its clients out of hours or in lone worker situations, and the NSI Guarding Gold approval provides reassurance to officers on duty they have appropriate backup from their control room any time of day or night should it be required.

The control room also provides support to non-security lone workers, such as maintenance technicians.

The national security control room hosted a handover of the accreditation from NSI chief executive Richard Jenkins to Sodexo global security director Simon Pears this morning (23 June).

Simon Pears, Sodexo global security director, said, "NSI Guarding Gold is one of the highest accreditations in the security sector signifying the standards to which we operate and how important people are to our business. Sodexo has been extremely successful in providing clients with the professional security services and is ranked in the top one per cent of security providers for quality delivery in the UK. Achieving this standard serves to consolidate this position and is tremendous recognition for the control room team."

Richard Jenkins, NSI chief executive, said, "Sodexo is a shining example of what can be achieved when an organisation puts people at the heart of its business. I am delighted Sodexo sought independent verification of the facilities and procedures of its national control room from NSI. NSI's Guarding Gold approval, demonstrates commitment to employee welfare through the adherence of sector Standards, and business excellence, through the sound operation of a Quality Management System to ISO 9001. Certification is a credit to all involved at Sodexo in the Control Room operation and the overseeing of their on-site services of security officers."