Javan Simpson, Senior Manager, Investigation Services at Scotiabank explores how to become a trustworthy partner in the security industry.

Credibility in security

Any individual or entity that has been operating in the security industry from 2019 to today can attest that there have been significant shifts in the last five years.

It could easily be considered a period of renaissance in its own right.

Regardless of where we are geographically located or what segment of the security industry we operate in, automation and digitization of processes, diversity in workplaces and target markets, geopolitical, regional, transnational and economic influences, global health conditions and even the evolution of social media has impacted how we do business.

The changes and impacts vary from person to person, place to place and business to business.

Despite the changes, a lot has also remained consistent in the industry and will continue to be for a considerable time to come.

Factors such as strong moral and ethical standards, consistency, dependability, technical competence and providing of the best solution for the client will forever remain relevant and are key indicators of credibility.

Credibility – that is my buzzword and North Star for 2025.

Every seasoned and respected security professional was once the newest, youngest or most inexperienced person in their field.

Similarly, every dominant brand in the security market was once just a vision or new startup with bold ambitions.

In most cases, it was what they did and how they did it that earned them the levels of respect and dominance they attained.

Simply put, it was the credibility they built over time that gave them their success.

As security professionals, we apply our skills and knowledge round the clock to safeguard the interests of our respective clients.

What that means to me and hopefully it does to you as well, is that we are providing way more than physical protection, electronic installations and services, consultations, assessments and project management.

It means we are in the business of providing peace of mind, confidence and trust.

It means we get up each day and sell credibility.

I encourage and challenge you all to invest in the maintenance of your credibility.

Remain current, develop yourself and your people, be honest and unbiased, act from a place of strong morals and ethics, say what you mean and mean what you say.

The return on your investment will be worth its weight in gold.

As the old Chinese proverb says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is now.”

If you haven’t been considering and taking the best care of your credibility all this time, now is the best time to start; someone out there is looking for a trustworthy and credible partner in 2025 and it could be you.

Javan Simpson

Javan has close to 20 years of management experience in the fields of security, investigations, operations and project management.

His experience includes military service, commercial guarding, aviation and maritime security, infrastructure development projects and financial sector investigations.

This article was originally published in the special February Influencers Edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.