Guidance

Learn about the SIA's stakeholder forum

The SIA's stakeholder forum: what it is and who is in it.

Our stakeholder forum exists to encourage open and ongoing discussion between the SIA and representatives of the people and groups affected by SIA regulation.

The forum:

  • offers a way for us to hear different perspectives
  • provides a way for us to develop our plans with input from the people we regulate and other interested parties
  • keeps us informed of developments and trends within the private security industry, and helps us understand the challenges and opportunities the industry faces
  • helps us identify ways to improve standards within the private security industry

The stakeholder forum is not the only way that we engage with the private security industry. We also hold and participate in other industry-led forums and conferences, as well as hosting and attending our own open webinars on specific issues and areas of interest.

Membership of the forum

The stakeholder forum is chaired by Heather Baily, Chair of the SIA. Other members of the forum are:

  • Michelle Russell, our Chief Executive
  • representatives from the SIA’s special interest groups which are the:
    • Business Standards special interest group
    • Business Network – which is open to all private security businesses
    • private security industry-led Skills Board
  • representatives from the following industry membership bodies:
    • ASIS UK Chapter
    • British Security Industry Association (BSIA)
    • International Professional Security Association (IPSA)
    • The Security Commonwealth
    • The Security Institute
    • UK Crowd Management Association
    • UK Door Security Association

The senior leaders of the industry membership bodies are invited to nominate two representatives each to attend.

Other people may be invited to attend as participants or observers for specific matters. This will depend on the topics under discussion and must be agreed by the Chair.

We review membership of the forum on an annual basis.

How often the stakeholder forum meets

The SIA stakeholder forum meets 4 times a year.

Recent topics covered by the stakeholder forum

There are four strategic themes the stakeholder forum collaborates on. These are:

  • a private security industry supported by good terms and conditions, where both employers and buyers recognise and pay for good security work delivered to professional standards
  • a more inclusive private security industry
  • improved perception of the private security industry, including public trust and confidence
  • private security as a valued career with an emphasis on skills development, continuous professional development, and specialist training

Recent discussions have included:

  • how the industry has developed and changed over the last 3 to 5 years
  • current and evolving threats to the private security industry and the implications of these threats
  • the way the SIA stakeholder forum operates for members of the associations
  • industry priorities over the next 5 years and what role the associations can play in this
  • what the top 3 strategic priorities should be for the SIA to deliver in the next 3 to 5 years

Updates to this page

Published 20 July 2020
Last updated 25 July 2025 show all updates
  1. Updated to include more information about the stakeholder forum, namely the number of times it meets a year and topics it regularly discusses.

  2. Updated to reflect changes to the group's name, members and purpose.

  3. First published.

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