The UK Security and Resilience sector is a crucial industry for the UK economy which provides the capabilities that are needed to enable the UK government to fulfil its national security objectives while driving economic growth. The turnover of £11.9 billion and strong growth in exports, currently valued at £4.6 billion, demonstrates that the security and resilience sector’s rapidly evolving and innovative companies continue to meet a domestic and global demand. The sector thus provides an important contribution to the prosperity of the UK, as well as ensuring safety and security of both the UK and allies.
The Security and Resilience sector effectively represents an industry that adapts, grows and evolves in order to meet both physical and digital security threats globally. As the severity and complexity of threats evolve, so too do the companies who provide solutions to counter them; the sector has experienced growth of 57% since 2012. A significant portion of this impressive growth comes from exports, which have steadily increased to £4.6 billion in 2017, largely driven by opportunities in Europe, the Middle East and North America, which represent a diverse range of challenges and thus require innovative solutions. The UK’s reputation for being a global leader at the forefront of countering security challenges and its readiness to engage and export further strengthens its diplomatic position on the world stage, which will only increase in importance as the UK leaves the EU.
The expanding Security and Resilience sector represented by ADS also contributes significantly to the national workforce, employing 107,000 people directly and with, in 2016, an average salary of 43% higher than the UK average the sector provides high-skilled, high-value workers utilising a broad range of skills and disciplines. As a result of this growth, the sector also supports the development of workers in the early stages of their careers by employing 3,000 apprentices. The sector also provides a uniquely diverse range of skills and innovative products and services, reflected in the fact that over 90% of ADS members in this sector are SMEs based throughout the UK.
There is currently a significant drive towards further strengthening public and private sector cooperation in the Security and Resilience sector; this is vital for both the prosperity of the sector, and for enabling the UK to meet its national security obligations as comprehensively as possible. This applies both domestically and internationally, with further cooperation and cohesion enabling even greater growth in export numbers as well as reinforcing the importance of the UK in strengthening allies’ security provisions. Through the medium of the Security and Resilience Growth Partnership (SRGP), which brings together Government, industry and academia in a collaborative alliance, this sector plays an active, positive role in driving the UK economy while keeping the UK, its citizens and allies safe from a broad spectrum of threats.
