Arkirkland (CC0)John Fitzpatrick, managing director of Danhouse Security, says more still needs to be done to promote security as an industry for women especially in senior management roles.
While figures suggest that one in ten security officers are female, that figure hasn’t shifted meaningfully over the past six years.
Further, despite a six per cent increase in the number of licensed female security officers in the United Kingdom between 2022 and 2023, very few hold executive positions, which means businesses are missing out in building high performing teams.
Having a demonstrable DE&I strategy enables organisations and industries like ours not only to attract the best people, but also retain the talent they have.
A sector-wide DE&I initiative that better recognises the need for a more diverse workplace is desperately needed, as companies and industries with a more diverse workforce are proven to perform better than those that are less diverse.
The penalty for lagging on diversity is growing. Those organisations that employ women in security roles are benefiting from the intelligence, diversity of perspectives and capacity for innovation which comes from having gender-balanced and inclusive teams. Ten years ago, there were very few women in security, other than those providing front-of-house services. While times are changing, progress is woefully slow.
According to the Security Industry Association (SIA), applications for licences from women have risen marginally from 9.2 per cent in 2016 to 10.9 per cent in 2024 and show that women still only account for a small proportion of the workforce.
Security industry bodies should be taking the lead, and learn from other sectors such as aerospace.
Having a demonstrable DE&I strategy enables organisations and industries like ours not only to attract the best people, but also retain the talent they have. It makes the industry a more attractive place in which to work, as well as significantly increasing the talent pool for those looking to recruit. This in turn improves the overall quality of the security industry workforce.
Additionally, the diversity conversation needs to focus on more than gender by considering the ‘intersectionality’ of the workforce to represent age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation and working with a disability status. Although something we’re focusing on and benefiting from at Danhouse, transformation is not something that can happen overnight.
We need to build the trust of prospective applicants and we provide reassurance and evidence that a diverse workforce is welcomed and listened to.
Security industry bodies should be taking the lead, and learn from other sectors such as aerospace. Danhouse and other security contractors can play our part but need an industry-wide campaign, supported by research and insight, to demonstrate the true value that diverse and inclusive employees and leaders can bring.
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