The S12 Leadership Group: its mission, explained

The UK private security industry protects people, property and public spaces every single day, yet for years it has lacked a single, unified voice at the highest levels of Government. The S12 Security Guarding Leadership Group was created to change that. Go Security is a proud supporter of the S12 and a regular participant in its work, and in this post we set out, plainly, what the group is and the full mission it has set itself.

What is the S12?

Set up at the request of Government, the S12 brings together senior leaders from across the security guarding sector to work as a collective with the Government and the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis. It is chaired by Paul Evans, CEO of Carlisle Support Services, and acts as the representational voice of the guarding industry, the people who actually deliver frontline security, in the rooms where policy and standards are decided.

Rather than each company lobbying alone, the S12 channels the experience of established operators into a shared agenda. Its purpose is straightforward: to address and elevate the critical issues facing the industry, raise standards and professionalism, improve public safety, and positively shape how the security guarding sector is perceived.

The full S12 mission

The S12 has set out a clear mandate. Collectively, the group has committed to:

• Work directly with the Government and the Security Minister. The S12 engages the Security Minister and the Home Office directly, meeting quarterly to put the industry's priorities in front of the people who shape policy, and acting as the representational voice of the security guarding sector.
• Champion higher standards and professionalism. A central aim is to lift the floor for the whole industry on vetting, training, supervision and conduct, so that "good" becomes the baseline rather than the exception.
• Strengthen public safety and the sector's reputation. Better-run security makes the public safer, and the S12 wants the professionalism of the guarding workforce to be recognised and respected accordingly.
• Help shape policy and legislation. The group leads and lobbies on issues where it wants to drive change, and supports, shapes and contributes to wider industry legislation where reform is already under way.
• Drive broader integration with policing. The S12 aims for closer, more joined-up working between the private security sector and the police, recognising the role guarding plays in the wider public safety landscape.
• Support the creation of a Security Skills Academy. Investing in structured training and clear career pathways is central to professionalising the workforce and attracting and retaining good people.
• Support professional development. Beyond entry-level licensing, the group wants ongoing development to become a normal part of a security career.
• Build greater trust through transparency. The S12 is committed to openness, measurable progress and accountability, so that change can be demonstrated rather than just claimed.
• Protect security workers. The S12 is supporting calls for legislative change so that assaulting a security worker becomes a standalone aggravated offence, aligned with the protections already given to other emergency workers.

The S12's mandate is to address and elevate critical industry issues, promote higher standards and professionalism, enhance public safety, and positively shape the perception of the security guarding sector.

How the S12 delivers its mission: the workstreams

A mission only matters if it turns into action. To make that happen, the S12 has established six primary workstreams, where the group aims to lead, lobby and drive change, and three secondary workstreams, where it supports, shapes and contributes to wider industry reform. Nearly 400 people from across the sector have already joined specific workstreams to carry the work forward, with regular meetings scheduled throughout the year.

Alongside the workstreams, the S12 meets the Security Minister quarterly and holds in-person sessions with the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the sector's regulator. This combination, a structured internal programme plus direct access to Government and the regulator, is what gives the group the ability to move from discussion to measurable change.

Why this matters to clients

For organisations buying security, the S12 agenda is good news. A sector with higher baseline standards, clearer training pathways and a stronger relationship with Government and the regulator is one where it is easier to find a provider you can trust. It also makes it harder for cut-corner operators to compete on price alone, which protects both buyers and the officers on the ground.

Go Security is a proud supporter of the S12 because its mission mirrors how we already run our business: SIA-licensed officers, BS 7858 vetting, proper training and full transparency. We attend the group's meetings regularly and back its work because when the whole industry rises, our clients benefit, and so does the public.

Go Security is a supporter of and regular participant in the S12 Security Guarding Leadership Group. This article summarises the group's publicly stated mission and structure; references to the SIA, the Security Minister and other bodies describe the S12's wider collaboration and are not endorsements of Go Security by those bodies.