Private security is built around judgement, responsibility, vigilance, communication and trust. It protects people from every part of society, yet the workforce delivering that protection remains overwhelmingly male.
According to the SIA Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029, women represented only 11% of active SIA licence holders in February 2026. For an industry responsible for protecting such a diverse public, that imbalance raises an important question: are security organisations attracting talent from the widest possible pool of capable people?
For Security Risk Specialists Ltd (SRS), this is not simply about improving a statistic. It is about talent, opportunity and the future of the profession.
Women already work across different areas of SRS, from front-line security and Security-Concierge operations to supervision, operational coordination, recruitment and management. As SRS continues to grow across London, we want more women to see professional security as a career in which they can develop, progress and take on greater responsibility.
The Profession Has Changed
Perceptions of security have not always evolved as quickly as the profession itself.
Security can still be associated primarily with physical presence and deterrence. In reality, modern Security Officers work in environments that require judgement, situational awareness, communication and the ability to respond appropriately when circumstances change.
Current SIA training requirements reflect that evolution, with areas including searching, vulnerability awareness and terror threat awareness forming part of professional development.
Security today involves identifying risk, managing conflict, responding to incidents, supporting vulnerable people and knowing when and how a situation should be escalated.
That closely reflects our own operations across London. Within a corporate headquarters, a Security Officer may manage access, interact with employees and visitors, identify an attempted unauthorised entry and later respond to an emergency. Within a residential development, the same professional discipline needs to operate within an environment that is also somebody’s home.
Our SRS Security-Concierge service is built around this balance. Our Security-Concierge Officers combine professional security with adaptability, communication and high standards of front-of-house service.
Why Greater Female Representation Matters
The case for more women in security should not be built on stereotypes.
Women are not automatically better communicators or naturally suited to particular roles, and they should not be confined to customer service, welfare or positions perceived as less operational.
Women can contribute throughout professional security, from Security-Concierge, Security Guarding, CCTV and Close Protection to supervision, operational coordination, management and leadership.
The stronger argument is that an industry drawing disproportionately from one part of the population is working with a narrower talent pool than it needs to.
The SIA recognises the importance of a more inclusive profession through its approach to equality and diversity, while its CelebratingHerStory campaign challenged outdated perceptions of security as a traditionally male industry.
For SRS, this also has practical relevance. A corporate headquarters, a premium residential development and a private event may require different combinations of experience, communication, presentation, judgement and operational capability. A broader candidate pool gives our Recruitment and Management Teams greater opportunity to identify the right people for each client and environment.
Women Across Our SRS Teams
Female representation is already visible across different areas of SRS.
Elisabeth Aszalos, SRS Supervisor, provides one example of how women are contributing both operationally and through leadership.
Working within a high-end residential environment, Elisabeth describes effective security as a balance between protection and the experience of the people being protected, explaining that “safety and hospitality go hand in hand” and that residents should feel protected without feeling restricted.
As a Supervisor, Elisabeth also mentors colleagues, supports their professional development and helps maintain standards across her team.
Her message to women considering the profession is clear: “Don’t underestimate your strengths. Confidence, intuition, and professionalism are invaluable assets. Stay assertive, know your worth, and remember that capability isn’t defined by gender.”
Antonia Roberts Taylor, our SRS Security Coordinator represents another part of the operation. She works between our clients, Security Officers and the wider business, supporting officers, coordinating operational requirements and maintaining communication between our teams and clients.
Antonia works day to day with operational security teams that are predominantly male. Her position provides a practical example of a woman holding responsibility and influence within that environment.
In her SRS Management Spotlight, Antonia discusses the value of emotional intelligence, attention to detail and effective communication within operational and leadership roles. She also highlights how diverse teams can bring wider perspectives to decision-making and service delivery.
Greater female representation should not be presented as women succeeding in opposition to men. Professional security depends on people working together, respecting one another’s expertise and taking shared responsibility for the standards delivered to the client.
Within our SRS teams, professional respect is based on capability, responsibility and performance.
Recruitment and Progression
Long-term change begins before somebody works their first security shift. It starts with who looks at the profession and believes there is a place for them within it.
Ljudmilla Sarvilina, our SRS Recruitment Administrator, works directly at that point in the process.
In her SRS Management Spotlight, Ljudmilla explains that successful recruitment requires an understanding of both the client and the candidate.
The objective is not simply to fill a vacancy, but to identify people who are suited to the environment in which they will work.
That is particularly relevant within SRS. A Security-Concierge Officer working within a premium London residence may require a different combination of experience and personal qualities from an officer working within a corporate headquarters or event environment.
From her position within recruitment, Ljudmilla has also noticed an encouraging change over recent years, with more women sending their CVs to SRS and considering opportunities within professional security.
While this does not change the wider industry imbalance overnight, it is a meaningful indication from within our own recruitment activity that perceptions may be starting to evolve.
Ljudmilla’s perspective also extends beyond recruitment. She highlights the importance of a positive working environment, competitive salaries, professional development and continuing training in retaining talented people and giving them opportunities to grow.
Attracting women is therefore only the beginning. For representation to grow over time, women also need opportunities to develop experience, take on responsibility and progress.
The experiences of Elisabeth, Antonia and Ljudmilla show different routes within the profession, from front-line security and supervision to operational coordination and recruitment.
Those opportunities can also extend into client-facing, strategic, commercial and management roles. Understanding what happens on site, how Security Officers work and what clients expect can provide valuable experience for wider responsibilities within a security business.
Whatever direction that progression takes, professional knowledge and capability should remain central.
Developing the Role of Women at SRS
Women already occupy an important place within SRS, and we want that presence to continue developing as the company grows.
We want to see more women progressing within our SRS Security-Concierge teams and into supervision, operational coordination, strategic positions, management and leadership.
For SRS Director Yair Daren, supporting the continued development of women within the company forms part of the wider ambition to build strong teams and create genuine opportunities for talented people to progress across the organisation.
Seeing women working on the front line, leading teams, supporting clients and contributing to management can help others understand the range of careers available within professional security.
The standards remain the same. Professionalism, integrity, judgement and performance are expected from everyone who represents SRS.
Diversity as a Strength for SRS and London
The discussion about women also forms part of a wider principle that matters to SRS: understanding the clients, communities and environments we protect.
London is one of the world’s most diverse cities, and our SRS teams experience that reality every day.
We protect corporate offices bringing together international employees and visitors, residential developments occupied by people from different backgrounds and events where our Security Officers may interact with hundreds or thousands of individuals.
A professional security company operating across London therefore needs to understand people as well as procedures.
Training, technology and operational discipline remain fundamental, but security is ultimately delivered by people to other people. Different professional experiences and perspectives can strengthen communication and help teams understand the environments in which they operate.
This is particularly relevant within our SRS Security-Concierge teams, where officers are often among the most visible representatives of both SRS and the client.
During the same shift, they may interact with residents, employees, senior executives, international visitors, contractors and members of the public. Being able to communicate professionally with different people is an important part of providing security that works effectively within the environment.
For SRS, diversity is not an alternative to professional excellence. Our focus remains on recognising talent while maintaining the same high standards across our teams.
Women remain significantly underrepresented within the wider security industry. As SRS continues to grow across London, we want to see more women building long-term careers within our SRS teams, from front-line Security-Concierge roles and supervision to operational, strategic and management positions.
For women considering professional security, the industry offers different routes to build experience, take on responsibility and progress.
For our clients, attracting talent from a broader pool of professionals gives us greater opportunity to build the right SRS teams for the right property, client and operational environment while maintaining the standards they expect.
Our commitment to opportunity, diversity, mutual respect and professional excellence continues to support our wider mission of “Making London a better city, one welcoming and safe building at a time.”
For further information about our Security Services, please visit Security Risk Specialists Ltd or call us on 020 3004 4189.
If you are interested in joining our SRS teams in London and would like to find out more about opportunities with SRS, please contact our team.
