RiskXtraJune2019

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RISKXtra
Surveillance Camera Commissioner unveils
detail of inaugural Surveillance Camera Day
As part of the National Surveillance Camera
Strategy for England and Wales, Tony Porter
QPM LLB – the Surveillance Camera
Commissioner – is holding the world’s first
Surveillance Camera Day as part of IFSEC
International in London on Thursday 20 June.
The purpose of the day is to raise public
awareness about the provision and operation of
surveillance cameras and to enhance public
debate. In doing so, the event will encourage
conversations that will help inform policymakers
and service providers regarding
acceptable surveillance practices and legitimacy
for surveillance camera systems that are
delivered in line with society’s needs.
There will be a number of different elements
to the day. The Commissioner is encouraging
surveillance camera Control Centres to ‘throw
their doors open’ so that the public can see,
first hand, how they operate. To complement
the ‘doors open’ initiative, a number of
surveillance camera operators will be
publishing a surveillance camera fact sheet
setting out the basic facts of their system(s),
including what they’re designed to do.
The Commissioner will also be launching a
‘secure by default’ standard for manufacturers
at the IFSEC International Conference at
London’s ExCeL. Where surveillance
manufacturers meet the new standard, it will
ensure that the default settings of a product are
the most secure settings possible. This means
that given cameras are much less likely to be
vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Tony Porter informed Risk Xtra: “Surveillance
Camera Day is a world-first. The UK is
sometimes referred to as ‘the most surveilled
country on the planet’. I want to start a
conversation about how surveillance cameras
are used, why they’re used and who’s using
them. Cameras are used to keep people safe,
but new and emerging technology can lead to
greater infringements on our civil liberties. Civil
engagement is a key strand of the National
Surveillance Camera Strategy and I want people
who use cameras to shine a light on what they
do and show how they’re using cameras to
protect communities, not spy on them.”
Porter added: “Overt surveillance is now
arguably becoming as intrusive as covert
surveillance techniques. As a society, it’s vitally
important that we talk about whether we want
to be surveilled in this way and, if we do, what
safeguards do we need to wrap around it?
Surveillance Camera Day is essentially all about
the start of that conversation.”
Interim Report for Q1 2019 shows 7% organic sales growth at Securitas
Securitas has issued its Interim Report detailing the company’s financial results for the period
January to March this year. Total sales stand at MSEK 26 744 with an organic sales growth of 7%.
Operating income before amortisation is MSEK 1 290. The operating margin is 4.8%. Earnings per
share are SEK 2.08, while free cash flow/net debt is 0.14.
Speaking about the results, Magnus Ahlqvist (president and CEO) stated: “We had a strong start
to the year. All business segments contributed to the improvement. Our comprehensive offer of
protective services in combination with strong commercial activities allows us to grow faster than
the security market in general. The operating conditions are similar to 2018 and we have good
momentum. Security solutions and electronic security sales also developed well and grew by 17%
compared with 2018. They now represent 21% of total Group sales.”
Adjusted for changes in exchange rates, the operating result grew by a figure of 11%. As stated,
the operating margin was 4.8% in the first quarter, with a solid performance in North America as
well as in Ibero-America where Spain continued to show strong performance. The operating margin
in Europe also improved and was supported by the cost savings programme initiated last year. “We
have a continuous focus on managing the price and wage balance and did so in the first quarter of
2019,” observed Ahlqvist.
Earnings per share, adjusted for changes in exchange rates and items affecting comparability,
improved by 3%. The earnings per share growth was negatively impacted by a higher effective tax
rate in the US and a negative net effect from IFRS 16. Operating and free cash flow has improved
when compared with the same quarter last year, but Ahlqvist is quick to point out that cash
management remains an area of keen focus across all business segments.
Ahlqvist (pictured) concluded: “We’re progressing according to plan with our programmes. The
business is very excited about the long-term impact they will have on our method of operation.”
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