Creating a security culture

Everyone in your organisation contributes to your security culture.

No amount of investment in physical security will be effective without the right security culture. It only takes one person being tailgated or an unsecured reception area to compromise your entire organisation. 

Inform and prepare your people

Make sure your people and partners:

• understand the security risks
• understand your physical security policies
• adopt the right security behaviours
• speak up about security issues or incidents. 

Provide security awareness communications, training, and support to help create a strong security culture. And make sure your physical security policies are communicated to your people and everyone you work with.

Encourage your people to report emerging concerns or near misses. Ensure they know they’ll be viewed as good corporate citizens rather than troublemakers.

Your chief security officer (CSO) is responsible for your organisation’s physical security in line with your overall protective security policy.

Publicise your emergency and security procedures

Physical security procedures should complement your organisation’s emergency procedures.

Provide everyone in your organisation with a summary of your emergency and security procedures — procedures designed to ensure their safety.

Give them contact details for your security and emergency response staff, and for emergency responders, such as:

• police, ambulance, and fire — dial 111
• poisons information centre — ph 0800 764 766. 

Publicise your evacuation procedures, so your people know what to do in the event of an earthquake, fire, bombing, or incident involving a chemical or biological hazard.

Make sure everyone knows about any specific security procedures you have. For example:

• reporting a bomb threat or suspicious mail
• handling aggressive people
• conducting interviews
• keeping vehicles safe.

They should also be aware of any lock-down procedures you have for securing information and physical assets. 

More information:

• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• New Zealand Building Code

Page last modified: 4/05/2022