Page 9 - SyI-Annual-Report

In our 21st year of operations, peer validation remains a central pillar of
the Security Institute as an organisation. The Validation Board (VB)
facilitates our validation process, meeting on a monthly basis generally in
London. Although there is scope for at least one regular meeting to be
3,404 Responsible to the Board of Directors (BoD), quarterly reports are
held via teleconference, and similar technology has allowed Board
members to join the meetings remotely.

submitted by VB Chairman Tony Aston FSyI (Rtd) to each Director as part
of the Board pack prior to scheduled BoD meetings. Reports encompass
Tony Aston FSyI (Rtd)
graphical statistics, trends relating to membership enquiries and
increases as well as rates of attrition and reasons given for membership Chairman of the Validation Board
cessation. As the page to the left illustrates, at the end of 2019 the
Institute’s total membership stood at a little over 3,400, a healthy increase
of some 20% over the end of year figure for 2018. This has meant that the
VB has been assessing upwards of 60 application each meeting, enabling
the Institute substantial growth within the past year.

There are currently circa 40 active members of the VB, each VB meeting 40
will typically comprise between 10 and 14 members. All members are
professional security volunteers, and the group represents the diversity of
security backgrounds and careers within the industry. It is important that
the VB can collectively draw on their specialist knowledge, within the last Active VB Members
year serving members of the VB have represented a wide range of security
backgrounds including the Police Force, HM Forces, Government
agencies, Banking & Finance, Cyber Security, Nuclear, Defence,
Healthcare, Oil and Gas, Engineering, Retail, Insurance and
Pharmaceutical to name but a few.

Each application is reviewed anonymously with the name of each applicant withheld until a decision regarding a recommended
level of membership has been agreed. The VB will routinely challenge applications where there might be doubt about the
veracity of an individual or any information supplied. This could be a simple, but deliberate, enhancement of a CV which
requires clarification. At the other end of the scale, there have been instances where forged or fraudulent
“qualification” documents or other blatantly false information has been submitted. Being able to weed out this type of
application demonstrates one of the many strengths of the VB, as well as identifying those applicants where there might be
potential for future contributions of an applicant to the Institute.

The VB has developed through-out our history, drawing on the knowledge and experience of our Membership. One
of the key ways this is achieved is through our Validation Board Working Group (VBWG), a sub-committee within the
VB. The VBWG is currently chaired by VB Vice Chairman John Davies FSyI, and takes on projects and investigations to Validation Board
recommend, influence or enhance new or existing policies and processes. These have included topics such as the General Data
Protection Regulation, Retired Membership, Ethics/Disciplinary Processes and Enhanced Continued Professional Development.

By applying to join the Security Institute, applicants are assured that their applications will be considered fairly, professionally,
anonymously, impartially and against the agreed criterion. They can also be confident of the attention to detail that all
applications will receive. Once approved, members become part of the pre-eminent security membership organisation in the
UK, with access to all membership benefits available, an organisation which sets its standards, ethics and professionalism at the
highest levels.

If any existing members of the Institute wish to participate on the Validation Board, there contributions would be welcomed and
they are advised to contact our Membership Manager Paula Stanbridge: [email protected].

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