Corps Security is once again celebrating an award win, this time at the leading security industry awards, the Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) 2023.
Corps – alongside our partners Moonhub – were delighted to win the Outstanding Security Training Initiative Award which was sponsored by the BSIA. Training is vital in the security industry, with officers required to upskill regularly to maintain their knowledge of the threats that face businesses and individuals throughout the UK. Our partnership with Moonhub brings the training alive by integrating essential training with world-leading virtual reality solutions. Alongside initial training, Moonhub is also able to create site-specific programmes that allow new and existing colleagues to train a virtual world that exactly replicates the conditions of our customer’s sites.
We are delighted to win this award, especially at such a crucial juncture for our industry as we prepare new learning and development to comply with the upcoming counter-terrorism legislation, Martyn’s Law / Protect Duty which is due later this year. Real-life scenarios will play a vital role in ensuring our teams lead the industry in counter-terrorism training, and we lead the way in ensuring the public, our colleagues and customers are offered the highest level of protection.
Well done to the whole team involved in this project – from both Corps and Moonhub.
It’s not all about the winning!
Corps Security was shortlisted for six OSPAs, but you can’t win them all and we commend the winners for the fantastic work they are doing to deliver security excellence and protect our society.
I want to take the time to celebrate our colleagues. Whilst the company was shortlisted, so were our colleagues individually. Whilst they didn’t win in their categories, they were up against the best in the industry and should feel proud to have been shortlisted for the work that do for our customers.
Daniel Baquero – CBRE / Channel 4: Shortlisted for Outstanding Young Security Professional
We were delighted to see Daniel Baquero – who works at the CBRE managed, Channel 4 site – shortlisted for Young Security Professional. Daniel is responsible for the security of all Channel 4’s sites, nationally. Channel 4 is a 24 hour operation, including live broadcast locations. Daniel has a background in intelligence, which made him perfect for this role.
Daniel is incredible organised and runs a tight ship. His management style, training skills and understanding of the complex threats associated with the client are second to none.
Daniel is a credit to Corps Security, CBRE and Channel 4 and in our eyes is already a winner – he doesn’t need a trophy to prove it. Well done, Daniel.
Lifetime Achievement
One final person I would like to take the time to champion and celebrate is Mike Bluestone CSyP FSyl – Executive Director of Corps Consult.
Our team secretly nominated Mike for the Lifetime Achievement Award at the OSPAs – he attended the award ceremony without any idea that he was on the shortlist. It was a highly contested award, and with great humility, Mike said that he was delighted for the winner who he had known for some time.
I want to take this opportunity to share some information about Mike.
Mike joined the professional security sector in 2007, becoming Director of Security Consulting at Independent Consulting Group until 2010. April 2010 saw Mike’s first role within Corps Security, where he joined the company as Director of Security Consulting. Mike has since held the title of Executive Director of Security Consulting in a newly formed area of the business, Corps Consult. Mike remains the cornerstone of the Corps Consult team, using his military and defence experience, alongside his professional and academic qualifications, to enhance the security review and consultation process for the UK’s longest-running private security company.
Throughout his career, Mike has spent many years contributing to raising standards and professionalism in the private security industry. An early Member and Fellow of the Security Institute, Mike spent four years on the Institute’s Validation Board and a further eight years on the Main Board, of which four years were served as Institute Chairman. He is now Chair Emeritus.
During his tenure as Chairman of the Security Institute, Mike led the team which developed and implemented the ground-breaking Register of Chartered Security Professionals in 2011. Mike has since spent over ten years as the CSyP Ambassador.
Mike has subsequently been involved as the Panel Leader for BS16000:2015 ‘Security Management and Operational Guidelines’, a role which later saw him appointed as the Chair of the Technical Committee under BSI SSM1/2. Additionally, Mike is a member of the BSI Security Strategy Group.
Mike has also been an active member of the ‘Skills for Security’ Working Group, which in 2012 updated the National Occupational Standards for Security Search Operations.
In 2013, in his capacity as a member of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) Police and Public Services Section, Mike was invited to lead the development of the new BSIA Code of Practice for security Searches.
Mike’s community engagement goes beyond security into his other life passions, not least giving back to the Jewish Community.
I think it is safe to say that is a lifetime of massive achievement. Mike may not be holding a trophy, but he holds the respect of 3,500+ colleagues and Corps Security is all the better thanks to him. From all of us, thank you Mike!
Andy Topp
Sales and Marketing Director
