Businesses of all sizes are being encouraged to act now to keep their workplaces safe as part of a pioneering campaign launched this week by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) with support from Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Safer Business, Stronger Scotland is backed by the Scottish Government and aims to create a strong economic base for Scotland by helping businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations to be more resilient to the threat of criminal activity and fire risk.
Throughout the campaign, SBRC will be delivering a range of advanced training, support and intelligence sharing for businesses to help mitigate threats ranging from online fraud to serious organised crime. The campaign has been officially launched at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters in Cambuslang.
Chief Operating Officer at SBRC, Lynsae Tulloch said: “Our message is that Scotland is a safe place to work and do business, whether online or in a physical setting, through taking very simple steps to understand and mitigate risks.
“This in turn supports a stronger and more robust economy for continued investment that, together, means we can build safer, stronger communities.”
As part of the campaign, Scottish businesses are being encouraged to sign up to the free #PadlockPledge to make a clear commitment to safety and resilience.
A #PadlockPledge could be anything from pledging to make online passwords more complex to keeping staff safe through lone worker training. By signing up, businesses will join a national network committed to making a difference by taking proactive measures against potential threats.
Assistant Chief Officer Ross Haggart said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are delighted to be supporting this campaign and we are working closely with our partners to help keep businesses safe.
“Alongside the SBRC we regularly provide advice and guidance to businesses across Scotland which helps to create a safe working environment.
“I would urge business to sign up to the #PadlockPledge scheme and make a clear commitment to safety and resilience.”
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Police Scotland is committed to improving the safety and wellbeing of our communities and this of course includes our business communities.
“We are delighted to have strong partnerships with the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and other agencies, working together to provide support to businesses and help them to protect themselves from criminals who are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods.
“Initiatives like this provide a strong message to would be criminals that Scottish businesses are not easy targets and will be well prepared for the threats they may pose.”
The Scottish Business Resilience Centre is a non-profit organisation which exists to support and help protect Scottish businesses. SBRC has a team of seconded police and fire officers working directly with businesses to provide advice, activity and training courses that support the campaign.
Lynsae added: “Research shows that 6 in 10 small to medium sized-businesses (SMEs) which are victims of cyber-attacks do not recover, and close within six months. Yet despite this, 75 per cent of SMEs in Scotland have spent nothing on cyber fraud prevention – the highest across the UK.
“Only by being aware of the possible risks, can businesses be prepared and bounce back should the worst happen. We are here to help reduce these risks and keep your doors open. This is one of the reasons why this campaign is so crucial and why we want to drive involvement to safeguard Scottish businesses and together help build safer, stronger communities.”
For more information on how to take the #PadlockPledge visit SaferBusinessStrongerScotland.com
