SBRC Autumn Newsletter 2013

Published on December 2016 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 36 | Comments: 0 | Views: 308
of 24
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Latest newsletter from SBRC featuring @TSScot

Comments

Content

Featured in this edition
Serious and organised crime Scottish Anti Illicit Trade Group Trading Standards Scotland Human Trafficking reading the signs
3

AU TU M N N EW S LET TER | AU G U S T

2013

11

14

16

Working together to make businesses safer online
A new collaboration between the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) and IT security specialists Sophos will help businesses and their customers become safer online.
This new collaboration is an example of both public and private sectors working together – which is key to making progress on cyber crime nationwide. Mandy Haeburn-Little, Director of the SBRC said: “One in three people in the UK was a victim of e-Crime in 2012 and one of the most common risks faced by businesses is poor IT security which potentially allows criminals to raid servers, steal identities and infiltrate bank accounts. “Whether you are a small business, a café, B&B, guest house, gym or a larger corporate operating an insecure wi-fi network, you leave yourself open to all kinds of criminality. “Businesses are being encouraged to adopt the 80:20 rule - putting in a basic 20% improvement in anti-virus software and firewalls, could reduce the risk of online crime by 80%.”

Edinburgh Warbike
This summer edition arrives with a real torrent of activity. We have been in the public eye for our cyber activity on behalf of members and SMEs across Scotland.

What is a warbike? Well it’s a state of the art bike which our cyber partners SOPHOS kitted out with detection equipment. Driving through the central streets of Edinburgh James Lyne was able to pinpoint all the business and domestic wifi sites. From that James was able to quantify how any businesses are continuing to trade with insecure wifi. What’s the answer? 1 in 5 businesses are insecure in terms of their wifi. What does that mean? Well interestingly it shows that business in the Capital city is not doing all it could to be secure.

The steps are simple - it’s about passwords and checking the security of your router. The good news is that Edinburgh fared slightly better than London in a similar exercise. The message that I have taken from this is that much more needs to be done to provide advice, support and guidance to SMEs. We are also due very grateful thanks to the Police Scotland outriders pictured here who accompanied James on his journey. Police Scotland are of course key partners in the delivery of our cyber security strategy.

The Scottish Business Resilience Centre Unit 10, Alpha Centre | Stirling University Innovation Park Stirling | FK9 4NF T: 01786 447441 | F: 01786 447775 | [email protected]

www. sbrcentre .co.uk
WELLB EIN G AC R OSS SCOT LAND

SAF EGU ARNumber: D IN G EC OMIC A company limited by guarantee & registered in Scotland No. SC170241VAT Registration 717ON 2746 27

7

SBRC

Cyber Security Audits

This summer three interns from Abertay University have been running Cyber Security Audits providing a unique service to SMEs. Cyber security is an ever growing threat to business which Government figures estimate to cost the UK £27 billion pounds a year.
During their time at the SBRC they performed a number of audits for SMEs in a wide range of sectors from banking to estate agents. The three most common issues they found were: term savings greatly outweigh the short term cost. During the audits they had seen that no matter the size of the business it is important to ensure that your business is secure from cyber threats. Getting a cyber-security audit is a great way to discover if you are vulnerable to attacks from hackers without the financial damage that is associated with malicious attacks. Coupled with the Safer e-Trader accreditation means that you can proudly advertise the fact that you are secure from the common attack vectors and ensuring the safety of your customers data and your own. SME’s are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks than large companies these days as companies with large infrastructures often invest in cyber security leading to attackers targeting SME’s as they are less likely to be protected. Damage from Cyber-Attacks can often not be obvious as criminals monitor your systems trying to gain as much info as possible before becoming overt and causing havoc.

Poor passwords
Ensuring that passwords are of a sufficient length to withstand brute force attacks. A password with 8 characters with lowercase and capital letters as well as numbers and special characters is sufficient to resist most attacks.

Software updates missing
Ensuring that company computers and servers are running the latest versions of software prevents hackers from easily breaking in.

Hardware security
The physical security of computer hardware is essential to prevent data loss which could lead to fines and busin ess disruption. All of these issues are reasonably easy to fix and do not require a large outlay of money and the long

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
U P D AT E We have 4 new courses coming on SABRE and are delighted by the take-up that we have had so far. In the next edition we will be producing a synopsis of the new courses which include stress management in the workplace as well as some of the feedback that we have had on which courses business has found most effective and insightful. We will also have an update on the new developing Best Bar None training which is aimed to provide in depth guidance for door and security staff on protecting the most vulnerable.

Managing business continuity is essential for any company in order to prevent disruption of operation, customer service and profitability in the event of an incident. Having an effective business continuity plan can also be a contributory factor in securing suitable business insurance or lower premiums, or eligibility for customer tendering processes. The first stage is to identify your critical business functions using a process known as ‘Business Impact Analysis’ and the risks associated with their operation, and developing appropriate risk reduction measures to ensure continuity of operations in the event of an incident which disrupts those operations. Key considerations when developing a business continuity plan should include: Denial of access Loss of key staff Loss of key supplier Loss of key systems be restored after a disruption, in order to avoid unacceptable consequences. IT systems must be designed to be resilient and need to be available to match the needs of the business and the Recovery Time Objective. So if a function is required to be available 24 x 7, the system supporting that function must reflect that need. For example, a company website where customers can place orders needs to be available 24 x 7 and needs the appropriate resilience. Other systems, however, could tolerate non-availability of some hours before this started to affect the bottom line or legal or financial responsibilities. Some systems will be critical at certain times and not others (for example a payroll system).

AGM
Later within this edition you will find details of our parliamentary reception on the 26th of September. The same afternoon we will be holding our AGM and a notice with full details of the AGM which will be in Edinburgh will be circulated to all our members shortly. we very much hope that you will find time to join us See page 12 for more details

The Business Impact Analysis will identify how long and to what level a business process must

There are many ways to plan for the ‘worst case’ scenario, it just needs some prior thought and planning. There is support available from the trained Resilience Advisors at the Centre, all you need to do is ask. Contact - [email protected]

2

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

What is Serious and Organised Crime?
When the subject of organised crime is mentioned, what springs to mind?
Does your mind immediately go to scenes from the Sopranos, the Godfather and Reservoir Dogs to name but a few? We are all fascinated by crime and the perceived glamour of the gangs, but there is so much more to organised criminal activity, so I will give you an awareness snap shot in this article, but I intend to keep regular updates coming so please feel free to make contact with me at the Centre and your comments will be gratefully received....

For the purposes of this article, Serious and Organised Crime is defined as:
Involving more than 1 person Is organised, meaning that it involves control, planning and the use of specialist resources Causes, or has the potential to cause significant harm There is benefit to the individual concerned, particularly financial gain There are clear objectives to tackle SOC through 4 areas of work in Scotland, known as the ‘4 Ds’: Divert: Individuals (particularly young people) from engaging in using the products of serious and organised crime Disrupt: The activities of Serious and Organised Crime Groups Deter: SOC by implementing measures to protect communities, businesses and the public sector Detect: boost capacity and improve coordination

How Serious and Organised Crime affects your business?
Businesses are constantly being targeted and exploited by professional criminals. The potential loss from fraud and moneylaundering runs into billions of pounds each year. While some organised criminals may specialise in a particular criminal trade, many are entrepreneurial and opportunistic by nature. Significant numbers of crime groups, especially the larger, more established ones, are involved in two or more profit-making criminal activities. The analysis carried out by the agency Europol regarding the threats of SOC globally shows clear significant crime areas. This analysis has included consideration of the impact on society. Some examples of the crimes identified include: Involvement in facilitating illegal immigration Trafficking in human beings Counterfeit goods with an impact on public health and safety Synthetic drugs production and poly-drug trafficking Cybercrime Money laundering The economic crisis has caused a change in what the public are buying, and their subsequent pursuit for a bargain, means that counterfeiters are expanding their product lines. As a result, there is an increase in the ranges of counterfeit products to include, not just the ‘traditional’ luxury goods but all types of product, such as food items, phone chargers, suntan lotions, and even medication. This means that there is significant threat to public health and safety. This information will help with analysis of the true picture of how SOC affects Scottish business and as a direct result will give clear direction for future prevention and enforcement activities.

What can we do to help?
Don’t Panic! There are so many ways that you can protect yourselves and your businesses by reducing these vulnerabilities. The SBRC can offer advice on resilience for all business from the SME community to large Organisations. The way we will help is through Partnership, multi Agency engagement, consultation and will certainly utilise the expertise that exists in Enforcement Agencies Nationally and Globally. The old saying, if we don’t know the answer, then we will certainly know someone who does! We can offer a range of awareness activities, including seminars/events, all social media awareness capabilities to get information in and out of the Centre and our Business

Resilience Advisors can provide surveys and subsequent crime prevention advice. In addition to all this we have the Scottish Academy for Business Resilience Excellence (SABRE) that has been created to provide bespoke training according to your needs.

What can you do to help?
We need feedback and engagement from you as individuals in business. This two way communication is something that we encourage and it is your knowledge and participation that will help us to address what is affecting business in Scotland. We want to know your views and suggestions; after all you are the experts!

Let’s work together to make communities safer, and to help business to flourish in Scotland.
Contact The Scottish Business Resilience Centre at the following email address: [email protected] Or alternatively if you know any information relating to this article, contact your local Police Scotland Office or alternatively anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

3

The Picture of Organised Crime
According to HM Government , the overall cost to the UK from organised crime is estimated at between £20 billion to £40 billion a year. It involves around 38,000 individuals operating as part of around 6,000 criminal gangs, who have a global and local presence.

As the sophistication of criminal activity inevitably develops, professional services that were not traditionally used for money laundering are now more widely utilised – mortgage brokers, for example, are increasingly approached by people who endeavour to conceal and launder the proceeds of their illegal activities.
Money laundering is the term used to describe the techniques, procedures and processes used to convert the proceeds of crime into other assets to conceal their true origin, making it appear they originate from a legitimate source. It is well known that serious organised criminals like to exploit legitimate businesses. There is concern that professionals may be unaware of the criminal activity they are supporting, leaving themselves exposed to being investigated and prosecuted for money laundering offences for failing to effectively disclose to the authorities. Part of the role of the UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU), which sits within the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), is to improve communication between the UKFIU and stakeholders in the Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) Regime, and to assist in helping make participants aware of their obligations under the current UK legislation which criminalises money laundering: Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) [sections 327 - 340]. The 2007 Money Laundering Regulations also define and impose requirements on those conducting ‘relevant business’ to have systems in place to obtain evidence of the identity of their clients, keep records, train staff and to make internal reports.

Sections 330 and 331 of POCA require those institutions in the regulated sectors (those subject to the Money Laundering Regulations) to disclose information (in the form of a SAR) when they have information or suspect or have reasonable grounds to know or suspect money laundering is taking place. The Act also allows individuals and businesses generally – and not just those in the regulated sectors – to avail themselves of a defence against money laundering charges by making an authorised disclosure to SOCA. POCA states a disclosure should be made before an act of money laundering takes place and that consent should be sought from the authorities to undertake an activity, including completing a transaction (a ‘prohibited act’) about which they have concerns. A disclosure can be made after the prohibited act, but provided there was good reason for the failure to disclose before the act took place, and that the disclosure was made on the reporter’s own initiative as soon as possible.

4

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

SAR Online
Disclosures – SARs – are made to SOCA through the UKFIU and the preferred method of reporting is via SAR Online, SOCA’s free web-based reporting mechanism which provides a secure method of reporting suspicious activity, accessible through the SOCA website (www.soca.gov.uk).
In order to register for SAR Online, new users require an active email account as this is used as their user identification. The registration is unique to the user so the email address needs to be designated to the appropriate person. It is recommended that the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), Nominated Officer or designated officer responsible for the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance within the organisation is the registered user. Use of SAR Online is recommended as: it provides an automated acknowledgement of receipt it helps to structure the SAR in the most helpful way, thereby improving processing time in SOCA it gives reporters the opportunity to flag the SAR as a consent issue. Reporters that submit SARs via SAR Online will also receive an acknowledgement email containing a unique reference once the report has been submitted. The submission of consent SARs is particularly valuable to ensure a prompt response. There is a dedicated support team available during office hours to deal with any SAR Online enquiries (020 7238 8282, option 3) and further support is available on the SOCA website or through your supervisor or professional body. Guidance on how to best fill in a SAR is available on the SOCA website.

SARs and confidentiality
All users of SARs adhere to specific guidelines to protect the confidentiality of SARs. Once a SAR is received by the UKFIU it is held on a secure database with strictly limited access to appropriate law enforcement and government agency staff. The information is always held in the strictest confidence. There is a dedicated telephone line for reporters to raise any concerns about the inappropriate use of SARs by end users (including SOCA) or breaches of SAR confidentiality. The freephone number (0800 234 6657) operates 0900 -1700 Monday to Friday. Please note: this number is for reporting breaches of confidentiality only. All other SAR enquiries or consent issues should be directed to 0207 238 8282. The UKFIU adheres to and promotes the provisions of the Home Office circular regarding the confidentiality of SARs No. 53/2005 (Money Laundering: The Confidentiality and Sensitivity of SARs and the Identity of Those Who Make Them). For the reporting period of October 2011 to September 2012, there were no confirmed breaches.

Do SARs make a difference?
SARs have a wide range of significant benefits. They provide information and intelligence to law enforcement agencies which help to prevent, detect and investigate crimes and prosecute criminals. The information is predominantly used in relation to money laundering investigations and asset recovery, but can also be helpful in relation to other criminal activity. SARs may also help establish a geographical picture or pattern of the vulnerability of a particular sector or product and can be used in the analysis of suspicious activity before and after a specific event, e.g. a terrorist incident.

What can businesses do to protect themselves?
The techniques used by money launderers are constantly evolving and becoming ever more sophisticated. Criminals will usually try to exploit businesses by opportunism. Businesses can adopt a number of measures to identify and prevent money laundering, including: asking questions of their clients and spotting the warning signs, e.g. if the client is located a long distance away, why did they choose your firm? ensuring the identities you have been given correspond with information on relevant documents ensuring staff understand and are aware of money laundering and the risks of committing a criminal offence training staff to recognise suspicious activity having procedures in place to record suspicious activity and report it to SOCA. Businesses can find further information on the techniques used by criminals, as well as case studies and typologies, at the following sources: Serious Organised Crime Agency www. soca.gov.uk Joint Money Laundering Steering Group www.jmlsg.org.uk Financial Action Task Force www.fatf-gafi. org Home Office www.homeoffice.gov.uk HM Treasury www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

For information/assistance with submitting SARs, SAR Online and consent issues, the UKFIU can be contacted on 020 7238 8282: i. Press '2' - SAR Management enquiries ii. Press '3' - SAR Online enquiries iii. Press '4' - Consent iv. General UKFIU matters may be emailed to [email protected]. gov.uk

5

Top 5 Challenges Implementing the Data Protection Act
It’s the law. All businesses registered in the United Kingdom must meet or exceed the Principles established in the U.K Data Protection Act (DPA). Businesses of all sizes however, frequently have a difficult time implementing the controls required to comply with this legislation. The law is comprised of 8 Privacy Principles which lack precise definition, are subject to interpretation and can be costly to implement. You need to get it right the first time.

The following 5 requirements present the biggest challenges but if you get them right – they form the foundation of your compliance program and significantly reduce the risk of a breach.

Classification Scheme:
It all starts here. How does your business differentiate between “Personal” and “Personal Sensitive” data? You must establish a business-specific classification guide providing specific definitions for data classifications, so it can be identified, marked and protected accordingly.

Privacy Impact Assessments:
A key document in your program. By creating a simple checklist to use when assessing whether current operations or a new project will impact the privacy of subjects whose data you’re processing. The process also serves as an effective security awareness tool reinforcing the importance of privacy to stakeholders. Templates are available from the Information Commissioner’s Office website: www.ico.org.uk.

Cloud Deployments:
The DPA specifies that Personal data must not be transferred outside of the European Union without adequate protection. How do you ensure this if you are using a cloud platform or a business application deployed in the cloud (such as Sales Force)? Before committing to cloud computing, you must address this problem. Cloud service providers are aware of this requirement and you should work with them specifying required controls and liability in service level agreements.

Data Retention Policy:
Data subject to the DPA must not be kept for longer than is necessary. How long is this? Your business needs to define what period is “necessary”. You must create a formal policy stating what specific data is kept for what specific reason and for what specific period. A formal policy will also highlight the liability issues associated with your business storing sensitive data.

Subject Access Requests:
All data subjects have the right to access information you hold about them. Can you provide this? The challenge is not creating the form, its establishing the business process associated with providing this data in a timely and cost effective manner. The bigger the business, the harder the challenge.

Data protection is not only the law it’s the right thing to do.
Never forget that the data your business, processes, stores and transmits every day is information about someone’s life. Ensure that your business protects this data to a standard that you would want a business to protect your personal information.
Julian Aslin is a Senior Risk & Compliance Management Consultant at Risk Factory. For advice and assistance for implementing the DPA contact Risk Factory at +44 (0) 203 586 1025 or go to www.riskfactory.com.

6

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Safer E-Trader
Following on from our Summer Newsletter update regarding the Safer E-Trader accreditation of Scotmid, the first company in Scotland to be assessed, we are pleased to announce that on Monday 19 August 2013, Clyde Shopping Centre underwent the same accreditation process and successfully passed.
The formal presentation of this award is yet to take place, however this update will feature in the next edition. The Safer E-Trader Award has been developed as an entry level accreditation scheme for the SME market to assist in making sure that they achieve a meaningful set of standards around their data security and online processes without any technical jargon in a way that is easily understood. For more information on the areas covered by the assessment, visit www.ecrimescotland.org.uk

Scottish Fire & Rescue Strategic Plan
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has published its draft Strategic Plan for 2013-2016 and is now embarking on a period of consultation to ensure that its strategic aims and activities reflect the needs of key stakeholders and local communities. This is a critical milestone in the development of the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, which became operational on 1 April 2013. The strategic plan sets out the proposed direction of travel for the Service over the next three years. The SFRS want to hear what you think about the Strategic Plan. You can read the document and summary below and provide your comments using the Strategic Plan Consultation Questions document. Once you have completed the consultation questions document, please email your comments to [email protected].
Copies of the Strategic Plan, a Summary of the Strategic Plan, and the Consultation Questions can be located at the below web addresses; www.firescotland.gov.uk/media/388032/ strategic_plan_2013_2016_final.pdf www.firescotland.gov.uk/media/388028/ strategic_plan_summary_final.pdf www.firescotland.gov.uk/media/390884/ strategic_plan_consultation_questions_ interactive.pdf

For Businesses
Fire safety legislation aims to ensure the safety of employees, residents, visitors or customers; it sets out rights and responsibilities in respect of fire safety. Anyone who has control, to any extent, of any premises will have some responsibilities for ensuring that those occupying the premises are safe from harm caused by fire. The legislation places a duty on those responsible for fire safety within relevant premises to carry out a fire risk assessment. These people are defined in the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 as Duty Holders. For the majority of premises, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is the authority responsible

for enforcing this legislation. The Service may visit certain premises to ascertain whether the fire precautions are being maintained to a satisfactory standard and that the requirements of the legislation are being met.

Tents and marquees Hotels and hostels Factories and warehouses This is not an exhaustive list, however purely domestic premises occupied by a single family group are excluded. The Scottish Government has undertaken a public awareness campaign to educate the business community and other relevant organisations about the legislative requirements. To find out more, visit the dedicated Scottish Government website (below), which contains a wide range of information regarding fire legislation. www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/publicsafety/Fire-Rescue

Does fire safety legislation apply to you?
Fire safety legislation applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building and structure. For example: Offices and shops Premises that provide care Community halls and other public buildings Houses in multiple occupation Pubs, clubs and restaurants Schools

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

7

Advice to end users re ongoing changes to UK telephone system
As part of the ongoing migration by BT and other telecommunication providers in upgrading their analogue telephone network to a digital telephone network called the “next generation networks” (NGN), the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) are reminding end users to ensure they inform their alarm company if they are changing their telecommunications supplier ( e.g. BT to Talk Talk etc )
This is because the new telecommunication networks do not work the same way as the old analogue communication network and your alarm company needs to ensure that the communication device, which sends your intruder or PA alarm signals to the alarm receiving centre, will still work on your new supplier’s communication network. If your current communication device is not compatible with your new network, your alarm company will discuss with you the options available for your alarm system to continue to send alarm signals to your alarm receiving centre. The changes to the communications networks are being driven by the government to roll out a National fibre telephone network to enable broadband services to be available to all. This has meant changes to communication devices that work on telephone networks. The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has worked closely with the Office Of Communication (OFCOM) and the telephone network providers to carry out testing to produce products that are compatible with the new networks. This is why it is important that you discuss any telephone provider changes with your alarm system installer. The British Security Industry Association is the trade association covering all aspects of the professional security industry in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of the UK Security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards.

Over the next few years, the regulatory landscape of the private security industry will change dramatically, and the legal responsibilities of both security companies and their customers will be affected.
While it may take some time for these changes to become apparent to the end-user, the BSIA (British Security Industry Association) is keen to stress that early preparation is essential to ensure that companies procuring security personnel understand what’s changing, and what they need to do to ensure that they continue to operate within the law. The advent of licensing within the private security sector was signaled by the passing of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, facilitating the creation of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the Government organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry. However, as a result of the Public Bodies Review of 2010, the security industry has been working with the government towards a gradual reform which will reflect the needs of the industry and more importantly its customers. This year is set to usher in the first of these gradual changes which will see the current system of individual licensing of security officers change to a scheme of business regulation. Regulatory control will move from the licensing of individual security operatives to the regulation of private security businesses, and these businesses will be responsible for ensuring the required checks on individuals are carried out, although the regulator will continue to undertake individual criminality checks. Business regulation will identify those organisations that have undergone the relevant checks and due diligence required under the proposed regime, and that they are able to demonstrate that they meet the regulation criteria and comply with certain terms and conditions, which will include conformance of the relevant British Standards. While responsibility for issuing individual licences will be transferred to businesses there will be no compromises in terms of the quality and professionalism required from personnel working in the security industry. While business regulation itself is not expected to commence until April 2014 – with failure to comply becoming a criminal offence from April 2015 – there is still an urgent need for buyers of security services to understand what their own responsibilities will be under the new regime. Helping buyers and users of security services to understand and prepare for the gradual change in the way private security companies – and individual officers – operating in the UK are licensed and regulated is a key function of the BSIA, which has recently published an endusers guide to regulatory change on its website. For security buyers already mid-contract with a supplier, it will be reassuring to discover that there should be little impact upon the service they currently receive while the transition process continues to progress. It is expected that all security providers that currently comply with the SIA’s Approved. Contractor Scheme (ACS) will automatically qualify for a business licence under the new regime, therefore the impact of the changeover on end-users will be minimal. As yet, it appears that the ACS scheme will continue to function, as changes can only be made through primary legislation, and at this time there is no current legislative timetable to establish this. Despite this, it is intended that the private security industry will ultimately take responsibility for the quality elements of the current scheme, details which have yet to be finalised. BSIA members meet strict quality criteria and the BSIA’s rigorous membership process mean that when you choose a BSIA member as your security supplier, you can have the confidence that you are entrusting the security of your organization into safe hands. Download the BSIA’s Guide to Regulatory Change from the BSIA’s website www.bsia. co.uk/publications or follow @thebsia on Twitter to keep updated with the latest developments in the transition process.
Submitted by Willie Clark, Scottish Regional Representative, BSIA

For more information on the above see www.bsia.co.uk, email [email protected] or telephone 0845 389 3889. Alternatively contact BSIA Scottish Regional Representative Willie Clark on [email protected]

8

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Why a unified police force could be good news for local crime reduction partnerships
Greater efficiencies and lower costs will be ‘easy wins’ for Police Scotland, says Dave Platten of Littoralis Limited. The real challenge” he says, “will be to deliver these benefits while ensuring the same if not even higher levels of local support for the police, and community involvement in crime reduction”.
The good news, according to Platten, is that many of the same tools that will deliver improvements in cost-effectiveness can also deliver higher levels of community engagement and, ultimately, greater satisfaction with policing services. “I believe that the most important benefit of Police Scotland will be seen to be its enhanced ability to harness the ‘digital revolution’ to reduce low level crime and anti-social behaviour at the community level”, says Platten. And to show what he means he (naturally?) turns to Littoralis’s secure information sharing system for crime reduction partnerships, DISC. Community policing is easily the most expensive component of modern policing yet it’s often the least rewarding in terms of building confidence in the police at the grass roots. Usually self-funding (and made up of members such as town- and city-centre retailers, licensees etc with a financial stake in their success) ‘business crime reduction partnerships’ are therefore more and more seen as essential parts of local crime reduction and policing strategies. Increasingly, these partnerships are turning to DISC (Database and Intranet for Safer Communities) not only to reduce admin and costs, and not only to ensure strict compliance with legal obligations, but to vastly enhance their effectiveness in identifying and addressing low-level crime and ASB in their own neighbourhoods. “We believe passionately that DISC is the right system, at the right time and in the right place - here in Scotland. And that’s because it has been designed from the very first to enable each individual DISC-equipped partnership to efficiently and communicate and coordinate with neighbouring DISC-equipped partnerships to manage and monitor travelling offenders. So DISC is not only a local system for local communities, it represents a regional and ultimately a Scotland-wide solution.” Already DISC is delivering low-level crime and ASB intelligence at a regional level. In London, where DISC is implemented in 18 different crime reduction partnerships, police are using DISC to support the roll-out of new business crime reduction partnership. In the north-west of England, with 15 DISC implementations, partnerships are linking up to manage and monitor travelling offenders, and the police are benefiting from higher levels of better-quality local intelligence. County constabularies, too, such as Sussex where five DISC implementations are already linking and supporting police with intelligence, are supporting the adoption of DISC by their local partnerships.

For more on DISC visit the Littoralis website at www.littoralis.com

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

9

metal theft
S C O T L A N D

Plans are currently underway at the Scottish Business Resilience Centre in the organisation of Scotland’s first Metal Theft Summit.
The Summit will look to draw on a number of industry experts to help in raising awareness of the metal theft issue in Scotland, how it affects us all and how in partnership a real impact can be made in assisting to aid Scotland’s economic recovery, providing a hostile environment for those involved in criminal activity. The Centre continues to support British Transport Police (BTP) in training local Police across the geographical regions of Scotland. Presently, there is a focus on awareness training in particular regions experiencing metal theft within the rail network. Inputs are also being delivered at the Police training centre at Tulliallan. Additionally, joint days of action with the Police and various partners have been a success over the last few months and the Centre continue to assist in these days of action throughout Scotland. It has been noted recently that there has been an increase in cable burning / stripping sites. The Centre is liaising with the Fire Service within these areas with the aim being to reduce incidents of this nature. Finally, the Metal Theft Toolkit for Business has been distributed to businesses and various partners throughout Scotland and the feedback received has been very positive. Should you have any queries relating to Metal Theft, please contact Jim Scott, Business Resilience Lead, SBRC on Tel: 01786 447 441 or e-mail [email protected].

Forthcoming Event - SBRC Parliamentary Reception
Scottish Business Resilience Centre Parliamentary Reception, sponsored by Graeme Pearson MSP, on Thursday 26 September 2013 within the Garden Lobby of Scottish Parliament.
The 5th Parliamentary Reception of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, kindly supported by SecuriGroup, is confirmed to take place on Thursday 26 September 2013 in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament. The reception is an opportunity for the Centre to thank it’s members and partners for the support given during the past year. It is a timely juncture, following the name change from Crime to Resilience, to provide an overview of the workstreams being progressed by the Centre at present and into the coming year. Updates will be given on the nine core workstreams, including: Leisure Economy and Best Bar None Scotland, Protecting Your Assets, E-Crime and Cyber Crime, Financial Sector Resilience, Intellectual Property/ ID Theft, Adults at Risk of Financial Harm, Secure Transport and Haulage, Distribution Industry Partnership Scotland (DIPS) and Retail and Tourism. Updates will also be provided on the evening surrounding the Scottish Academy for Business Resilience Excellence and the Commonwealth Games 2014. Representation at the Reception will largely comprise of individuals from the Business Community, Law Enforcement, Fire Service and Government with involvement in the core workstreams, as well as members and partners of the Centre. The Centre is delighted that Graeme Pearson MSP has agreed to sponsor this evening and are grateful to SecuriGroup for the continued support. On the evening, speeches will be provided by both supporters as well as Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick, Police Scotland and Mandy Haeburn Little, Director of the SBRC. A full update from this prestigious event will be provided in the next edition of the SBRC Newsletter.
SBRC Parliamentary Reception 2013 Kindly Supported by:

Tackling Sectarianism Small Grant Programme Now Open
The Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) is now accepting applications for its Tackling Sectarianism Small Grant Programme.
The grant is aimed at small community based organisations and faith-based groups with an income of less than £100,000 per year. Groups can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that will increase understanding of how sectarianism impacts on the lives of people in their community and make a positive impact on tackling the sectarianism experienced. The programme will run from July 2013 – March 2015. The Scottish Government is interested in gathering evidence from the funded projects that will help to build its understanding of: The problems caused by sectarianism in different communities and ways in which these problems impact on the lives of the people living in those communities; The impact that the projects and activities delivered have on individual communities and the lives of the people living in those communities; and What communities want to do to tackle the sectarian problems they are experiencing and how they can work together to deliver the change that they themselves want to see in their community.

 

The project must also encourage volunteers and support the development of volunteering activities. Full details, an Eligibility Checklist, Guidance Notes and Application Form can be found on VAF’s website at http://www. voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/funding-andsupport/tackling-sectarianism-smallgrants-programme/. If you have any additional queries about the fund or wish to discuss a project proposal with a member of our Tackling Sectarianism Small Grant Programme Team, please phone 01383 620780.

10

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

I

N

GENUI N • E E
ENUINE • G •G

U

G • EN E N U I

ade including counterfeiting within Scotlan , intellectual p d, nationally an roperty crime d internationa and piracy rem multi agency p ll y. ains a tangible Through develo artnership app threat p ro ing a recognis ach, a hostile e responsible fo ed and structu nvironment ha r generating sig red s to be created nificant crimin , tackling those al profit from il Greater cohes licit trade. ion and coordin ation will ensu in a valuable c re appropriate ontribution tow investigation a ards supportin 'Wealthier & Fa nd prosecution g the Scottish irer' plus 'Safe results Government str r & Stronger' S a tegic objective cotland. s of a

Scottish Anti Illi cit Trade Group Illicit tr

The Scottish Anti Illicit Trade Group, (SAITG) has a pivotal role in bringing together public and private sectors with a clear focus and strategic aim of reducing the scale, impact and cost of illicit trade throughout Scotland. This is underpinned by the objectives which are to:
strengthen collaborative approaches to prevention strengthen collaborative approaches to information and intelligence gathering and dissemination strengthen collaborative approaches to investigating and prosecuting those involved in illicit trade in Scotland

It is only by working collectively that a tangible difference will be achieved which is why membership is diverse and includes representatives from commerce, industry and law enforcement such as the Anti Counterfeiting Group (ACG), British Recorded Music Industry (BPI), Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), HM Revenue & Customs, Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Police Scotland, Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards Scotland (SCOTSS), Trading Standards Scotland and UK Border Agency (UKBA) to name but a few. Keen to ensure the group is action focused there have already been numerous positive developments and successes which stands the Scottish Anti Illicit Trade Group on a sound footing plus sends a clear message that the fight to reduce illicit trade in Scotland is being taken seriously. For example, SBRC Director, Mandy Haeburn-Little delivered a presentation on the current and future work of the SAITG to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, which received unanimous support and full endorsement to proceed as outlined. This was further strengthened when when the Anti Illicit Trade Strategy was produced

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

EN

UINE •

G E N

11

Scottish Anti Illicit
Operationally, in June the SAITG was able to facilitate enforcement action directed by MHRA and involving Police Scotland as part of Operation Pangea VI - an annual focusing to target the illegal internet trade of medicines including internet infrastructure, electronic payment system and mail delivery service.
One case was identified for Scotland so it was good news all round when action taken resulted in some seizures. Importantly it ensured Scotland was involved in an event coordinated by INTERPOL and carried out by 99 countries across the globe, from which MHRA announced that it seized a record £12.2 million of counterfeit and unlicensed medicines in the UK alone. Over £26.8 million was seized globally. As the year progresses, many of the identified goals such as developing legally compliant protocols for the effective sharing of information and intelligence, forming an 'Anti Illicit Trade Hub' and delivering messages through cohesive and regular marketing campaigns will be achieved.

One of these goals was to introduce the 'Real Deal' to Scotland. Underpinned by the National Markets Group, a cross sector, multi agency forum which focuses on the prevention of sales of counterfeit and other illicit products at UK markets and car boot sales, the 'Real Deal' campaign brings together Trading Standards, other law enforcement agencies, market owners, operators and traders to provide them with the tools and information to help create markets free of fake goods and illicit traders.

As a result of excellent work carried out by key members of the SAITG, 'Real Deal' campaign director Patricia Lennon and Blochairn Sunday Market (the largest car boot fair in Scotland), in June 2013, Glasgow City Council became the first local authority in Scotland to introduce the 'Real Deal'. This has already generated numerous enquiries from other local authorities and further successes will be communicated via the SBRC newsletter in due course.

Trading Standards Institute, Joint Lead Office for IP.

By Gavin Terry,

HOW TO STAY

L IP LEGA

ADVICE FOR MARKETS

Intellectual property (IP) includes trade marks, copyright, designs and patents, which are the legally protected property of their owner. Market traders and operators can face serious legal penalties if you allow the sale of counterfeit or pirate goods. The following information will help you to stay on the right side of the law. It is not intended to be a comprehensive summary of all aspects of the law and, as always, you should take specific legal advice where necessary. Your local trading standards office will be happy to help free of charge. To find your nearest trading standards office, visit www.tsi.org.uk.

Here are some very simple steps that will help you stay within the law. . .
If you are involved in any aspect of the sale of trade • Place - Certain items, for example high value, marked goods, designer brands or copyright luxury goods, are unlikely to be sold legitimately materials (such as music, films, computer games and on market stalls. They are generally only sold at software) you should have a basic knowledge of exclusive, authorised outlets. If you are offered trade mark and copyright law before you start selling these to sell on a market – or see them on sale at them or allow them to be sold by others at your a market or car boot fair that you are operating – location. The summary overleaf will assist. You don't then be suspicious. have to be a legal expert but it will help if you know the laws that apply and the penalties•if you break • Price - If the price of goods seems too good to be Trade Mark s act 1994 them. – true, If you then have in your theto goods may well be fake. sell, offer possessio sell

Know the Law

remember the 4 Ps

The Law

National Markets Group newsletter featuring Real Deal being launched at Blochairn Market, Glasgow, 02 June 2013.

• Product l safety regu latio Counterfeit • The Proc goods are rarel ns eeds of crim safety regu y tested to e act enables the Produced by the Real Deal campaign for comply with fake-freelation courts to recov 2002 – This Act markets. s and may, www.realdealmarke haza ts.co.uk therefore, crime rdous to cons er the proce . If you are be eds of umers. Anyo involved in goods, may counterfeit ne selling the sale or be or copyright supply of Safety Regu in breach of General Prod unsafe infrin face ging having your goods, you lations 2005 uct assets taken may ; Toys (Safe Regulations Courts can away from ty) 1995; Cosm order the confi etics Products Regulations vehicles and scation of cash you. 2008; Nigh (Safety) property. , savings, twea Regulations 1985; The Furn r (Safety) (Fire) (Safe • Money Laun ty) Regulation iture and Furnishings dering – The s 1988. Brea regulations laundering offence of mone could resul ching can these inclu y t in substantia de receiving imprisonment. payment for l fines and money in counterfeit goods and include acce can also pting some • Video reco of the proce sale of coun rdings act eds of the terfeit good 2010 – Vide that you sell s as payment of a stall at os or or a market or for the rent labelled with offer to sell must be class DVDs car boot sale. selling coun an appropria Any traders terfeit good te classificat ified and unless spec s shou mark ld et be and no rent ifically exem ion mark, told to leave or payment pt. The sale unclassified, a accepted in should be of or falsely class orde r to avoid any in a fine of ified films, could potential liabil up to £20,0 result 00. ity.
This leaflet is produced by the Real cross-sector Deal camp , partnership aign, a initiati supports local authority tradin ve, which unites and and market g standards, traders in the market opera fight to keep of UK marke tors ts and car boot counterfeit goods out sales.

taken is wher ent. Act to Traders should make sure that you keep receipts and counterfeit e a person If in doubt . . . goods, mis-d is selling The consume escribed or a court orde invoices for all the stock you are •selling. faulty Genuine r Protectio If you suspect that products is breached you may ber counterfeit, regulations n from Unfa , then the perso goods. If whom the order has goods are unlikely to be sold ‘cash-in-hand’. ir Trading 2008 – Thes should n against been remove traders from e Regulation them from sale and/or conte sought will raise your mpt using unfai s ban of court be in and can be r tradin consumers, concerns up with g trading pract to standards. fined They two will ices towards using unfai years' impribe able to and/or recei r or misleading Ignorance Is no defence sonment. ve practices, leavi with the brand owner or busin ng out impo check ess aggressive rtant inform • aiding and Some counterfeit goods can be very sales ation and to confirm good copies, copyright abetting – include a gene techniques. The Regu holder Any market operator who making it difficult to know whether lations trader or ral ban on cond they are genuine know whether a level uct that the goods are counterfeit good ingly allows the sale expected or not. But remember, you are responsible below of s at a mark genuine falls sale of coun for by the avera or fake et or car boot terfeit of pirate ge consumer. The and the also be liable for aidin sale taking reasonable precautions toaconfirm may g and abett d prod prosecutio that legitimacy those coun the oflead the wholesaler ucts could ing the sale n unde terfeit good r these to of could s and may items you are selling, or which are an offence lations, whic resulsold being supplying at and/o regu t in a fine them. be charg along with the h r imprisonm seller of those ed with goods. your market, are genuine. ent. illega

Have a Paper Trail

a criminal offen 'Man in a Van' items have Packaging – If aifvariety of different brands are ce regis• tered to them witho trade marks As a trader, you should carry out checks to prove ut the consent appli offered in the ed packaging – e.g. a standard same trade mark that of the regis your stock is being supplied by legitimate owner. You tered suppliers. must cellophane you are check that wrapper – that should set alarm bells sellin the goods You should be able to confirm the identity of could the g are not coun this Act terfeit. A Also, ringing. look out for spelling mistakes on the brea resul ch of t in an unlim person from whom you bought the goods ten years – it 'will ited fine and do packaging. impri sonment. You up to a trade you no favours if, when challenged about can check to mark is the see if web site www registered by using the legitimacy of your stock, your only answer follow is that.ipo.g you ov.uk• Product – ingquality of a product is dubious, If the bought it from 'a man in a van'. • copyright you should beware. Likewise, • The ente if a batch of , desi rpris e act 2002 This Act creat gns and Pate standard, to tackl – This Act is nts act 1988 low-value items, such as basic t-shirts, e those es criminal designed – Market operators should ensure thatmaki offences in protection laws traders who breach cons young record the or deali relation been over-printed with a range of ng with articl has simply umer copie es which have to identity, including vehicle registration, standards can . Under the Enterprise d witho of all traders, ut the perm different brand Act, trading been logos, they are likely apply to beto cheap ission owner. The the county enfor of the copy including casual traders. cement orde Act court for an right copies that r. This mean have been churned relation to illicit also creates crimi out in an a person to nal s the court offen ces in stop acting will order unauthorised this Act could recordings of musi in a way that c. A brea factory. to consumer resul is ten years' impri ch of t in an unlim ited fine and sonm up action could s. Examples detrimental where Ente rprise be

Beware the

or n, any then you will be committing counterfeit goods, those

www.realdeal mar

for IP Protec tion

kets.co.uk

Any one wishing further information on the Real Deal please check out www.realdealmarkets.co.uk or contact Linda Gray, Assistant Manager, Trading Standards, Glasgow at [email protected] 12
S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

UI

Trade Group
Working towards a fake free Scotland
Intellectual Property Office
Key to ensuring the co-coordinated approach to tackling illicit trade in Scotland is proportionate and reflective of the approach taken in other parts of the UK has been the building of strong partnership working with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) located in Newport, Wales.
The UK-IPO is an Executive Agency for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and is the official government body responsible for Intellectual Property (IP) rights in the United Kingdom. Importantly they also have responsibility for the Intellectual Property Intelligence Database (IPID) which the IPO Intelligence Hub provides a valuable resource for the enforcement community and enables a coordinated response to tackling IP Crime. In recent months, the IPO have demonstrated considerable commitment to Scotland by providing a representative to attend quarterly meetings of the SAITG, have committed to develop a problem profile on the scale of illicit trade across Scotland plus in response to the newly formed Trading Standards Scotland creating a secure and specific e-mail address for any information/intelligence relating to illicit trade in Scotland ([email protected]. uk), the IPO have done likewise (ipintelscots@ ipo.gov.uk) ensuring anything received for Scotland can be analysed, packaged then actioned.

I

N

E•

GENUI N

E
ENUINE • G •G

NE • GENU

On Monday 29th July, the Intellectual Property Office launched their annual report for 2012/2013. Highlighting current and emerging threats To view the IPO Annual surrounding Report - www.ipo.gov. counterfeiting uk/ipcreport12.pdf and piracy, especially those conducted via the internet, the report also raises awareness around the diverse nature of fake goods especially those with a direct effect on consumer harm, the report contains statistical data and enforcement activities from enforcement agencies such as trading standards, police and HM Revenue & Customs along with industry bodies.
IP CRIME GROUP

FACT seizure made from house located in north of Scotland

Representatives from Estee Lauder, SCDEA Interventions, MHRA and IPO at the 2012 'Girls Day Out' event, Glw SECC.

Encouragingly this year the report contains numerous references to work driven by the SAITG in Scotland. For example the success of the Real Deal is highlighted as is the impact of coordinated working, the development of an Anti Illicit Trade Hub and various references to marketing and media campaigns carried out by the former Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement (SCDEA) Interventions team.

G

UINE • GE N N E

NUINE •

In the coming months the group is progressing some exciting areas of work such as launching the Anti illicit Trade Hub - a first of its type in the UK, further markets signing up to the Real Deal plus various multi agency enforcement activity occurring throughout Scotland.
This and other strands of activity will help change perceptions around illicit trade this is a serious problem and people need to be aware that there is no such thing as a victimless crime within illicit trade. Those who are involved in this illegal activity are often linked to a bigger and more insidious picture - purchasing many of the products offered for sale are potentially dangerous to the health and well being of the people who buy them, what may seem like a bargain damages not only the economy but could also cost you your life!

E •G

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

EN
ANNUA

U INE • GE

N

L REP

13 12 - 20 ORT 20

UI
N E • G E NU
I

NE

• G E N UI NE

13

Trading Standards Scotland
and a new consumer protection landscape for Scotland
This month the Scottish Business Resilience Centre are delighted to highlight the work of another of our close partners. Following the UK Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Consumer Landscape Review, COSLA (the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) has agreed to establish a national Trading Standards team to address crossboundary and national consumer detriment issues.

Trading Standards Scotland is the new national coordinating body for Trading Standards and consumer protection issues across Scotland. It has been operational since the 1st of April 2013 and is part of UK wide efforts to streamline the consumer protection landscape. It also manages the three national enforcement projects consisting of the Scottish Scambusters Team, the E Crime Unit and the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit. Trading Standards is a function of local government. The service protects consumers from illegal trading practices and supports the business community to comply with consumer protection legislation.

Intelligence Led Trading Standards
To ensure strong national coordination Audit Scotland has recommended the use of a national intelligence database and MEMEX has been selected to fulfil this function. Licenses for all local authorities have been purchased and over two hundred Trading Standards Officers across the country have been trained by the Intelligence Development Officer. The development of an intelligence led approach to Trading Standards will allow the national team to identify national priorities. Target profiles will then be referred to the specialist teams, who together with partners including Police Scotland will take enforcement action. Importantly intelligence will be logged by local authorities and will directly influence the priorities and identified sources of consumer detriment.

Challenges for Trading Standards
In January 2013 Audit Scotland published the report Protecting Consumers. The report warned that the service is under threat and needs radical overhaul to address increasingly problematic consumer issues, heightened by economic crisis. The report makes a series of recommendations intended to bolster the capacity of local Trading Standards services. These are (1) ensure strong national coordination (2) explore service redesign options (3) work with the Scottish Government in service or organisational matters for which it has responsibility (4) develop a workforce strategy and (5) work with Citizens Advice Scotland to increase consumer awareness and empowerment. Trading Standards Scotland is currently working to implement these recommendations. It is also working to establish an intelligence unit and amalgamate the work of the specialist operational teams detailed above.

14

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Business And Trading Standards
An environment in which business advice and support is freely available is conducive to economic growth. Local authorities currently offer support to business through general compliance advice and through the Primary Authority Partnerships which provide a tailored advice package. Trading Standards Scotland will be working closely with Business Gateway to develop online resources and assist local authorities in providing support to businesses operating in their area. Online security is increasingly pivotal to Scotlandís ecommerce industries, giving confidence to the market and attracting investment. The E-crime unit will look at e-crime related consumer issues with an aim to shut down counterfeit sites. This will complement the work of Scottish Business Resilience Centre, protecting consumers while they shop online and supporting legitimate traders.

Enforcement And Trading Standards
The Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit works in partnership with local Trading Standards authorities across Scotland. The unit consists of specialist officers who investigate allegations of illegal money lending and related activity, submitting reports to the Procurator Fiscal as appropriate. The Unit also provide support for victims of illegal money lending and raise awareness of the dangers of borrowing from such lenders. Scambusters protect consumers and businesses that are trading legitimately. The team deal with referrals made by local authority Trading Standards or individuals or traders identified by Intelligence Officers. The team support local authority led investigations and tackle criminal activity which crosses over local authority boundaries ensuring there are no enforcement gaps.

Prevention And Trading Standards
Trading Standards Scotland is in the process of developing a comprehensive prevention strategy which will promote partnership working to achieve positive outcomes for the people and communities of Scotland. The Stop Loan Sharks campaign has been running since March 2013 and encourages the reporting of illegal money lenders by calling 0800 740 878, texting 60003 or visiting the website www.stoploansharks.org.uk

The Future For Trading Standards
The consumer protection landscape in Scotland is currently being transformed through efforts to amalgamate the specialist Trading Standards teams and establish an intelligence led Trading Standards culture.
Trading Standards services are best placed locally where they can react to specific local problems. However national coordination is needed to address regional disparities and ensure that consumers across Scotland receive the right support and protection. This is a local authority led initiative and shows positive signs for collaborative working without harming the locality of council services. Trading Standards Scotland will be working closely with local authorities, the Scottish Government, SCOTSS (the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland), Citizens Advice Scotland and Business Gateway to implement the recommendations in the Audit Scotland report and improve protection for consumers and legitimate business across Scotland.

C r ea ti ng a secur e Scotl a nd f or b usi ness to f l o urish in

15

Human Trafficking
READING THE SIGNS

General Trafficking Indicators
Passport or documents held by someone else. Others speaking for people you are talking to. Expression of fear or anxiety. Excessive working hours. Highly distrustful of law enforcement or authorities. Person has false documents. Found in/connected to a location likely to be used for exploitation. Not knowing address of where they work or live. Poor or sub-standard living accommodation. Injuries apparently as a result of an assault. Injuries apparently from restraint measures. Lack of access to earnings. Any evidence of control over movement either as an individual or a group. The person acts as if instructed by another. Afraid of saying what their immigration status is.

No Time Off
Bonded to a debt Passports, Documents Taken/Held A985 Don’t know (M876) address (M9) A985

What is Human Trafficking ?
The offence has 3 constituent parts:

Further Subjective Indicators
No or very little payment. No time off. Limited contact with family. Lack of access to medical care. ‘Discipline’ through punishment. Very limited social contact. Threat to be handed over to the authorities. Threats against the person / family members. Lack of ability to quit work environment. Being placed in a dependency situation. Perception of being bonded to a debt.

Human trafficking is about the illegal trade and exploitation of humanbeings.
The Act (what is done) recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people. The Means (how it is done) threats or violence, coercion, abduction, fraud or deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, giving payment or benefits. The Purpose (why it is done) - exploitation – including prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude/slavery, removal of organs or for the purposes of committing criminal acts such as benefit fraud or cannabis cultivation or any combination of the above.

All three combined constitute trafficking. These acts do not have to be carried out by one person and can be carried out by a number of different individuals however the final purpose must be for exploitation or intended exploitation. For the purposes of trafficking a child is any person under 18 years of age. Also the “means” section is not required for children and therefore the trafficking of children can be defined as the movement of children for the purpose of exploitation. A trafficking victim does not have to cross international boundaries but merely being moved from one place to another within Scotland or the UK for the purpose of exploitation is sufficient.

Exploitation types: Labour Exploitation Sexual Exploitation Domestic Servitude Organ Harvesting

The safety and welfare of any victim should always remain a priority.

Trafficking in human beings is a hidden crime
Trafficking Victims are likely to be discovered when dealing with other matters as they are often reluctant to engage with Police and support services to declare what has happened to them. They are often coerced into committing crime on behalf of their controllers therefore it is essential that you maintain an awareness to assist in identifying indicators to establish if a person is a potential victim of trafficking.

16

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Assisting Victims of Trafficking – Do’s and Don’ts
Take the victim to a place of safety where they feel comfortable to disclose. Separate potential suspects from victims and speak to victims individually. Keep multiple victims separate. Assess and provide any medical / mental health needs. Dispel any fears of law enforcement agencies and try to establish trust / rapport. Look out for signs of non- verbal communication and body language between victims and suspects. Be aware that the victim may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or may have other trauma induced mental health issues. Make a note of any communications between victims and suspects. Think forensic opportunities and make Law enforcement agencies aware of identity documents, travel documents, financial information and communication devices if possible. Always maintain a victim

Useful Contacts
mobile phone and support services. Use unofficial interpreters - they DONT may have a hidden agenda. Treat victims as suspects or immigration offenders. Expect victims to have access to their identity or travel documents. Assume all documents are legitimate – check! Expect victims to disclose immediately. Some victims may not know they have been trafficked, some may have been told to lie and some victims may not disclose as they are still in fear of their traffickers. Judge a victim if they have been working or have been complicit in part of their circumstances.
Police Scotland: Telephone: 101 and in emergency call 999 National Human Trafficking Unit: Telephone: 0141 532 2723 UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC): provides 24/7 Tactical and Operational advice. www.soca.gov.uk/about-soca/ about-the-ukhtc Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0844 778 2406 Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has a dedicated child trafficking unit. Visit: www.ceop.gov.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0870 000 3344 UK Border Agency (UKBA): Intelligence and Immigration matters www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ aboutus/contact/report-crime/ Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) – oversee labour in the agricultural, horticultural, forestry, shellfish and related processing industries. Visit: www.gla.defra.gov.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0845 602 5020 Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) – provides support, including help to access and pay for accommodation, to women, over 18 years old, who have been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation recovered from across Scotland. Telephone: 0141-276-7724. Migrant Help - Migrant Help provides victim support services to adults who have been trafficked for the purposes of labour exploitation (male and female), domestic servitude (male and female) and sexual exploitation (male only). They cover all of Scotland. Telephone: 07766 668781 (staffed 24/7) National Referral Mechanism (NRM) This process is used to identify potential victims of trafficking (PVoT) and ensure they receive the appropriate protection and support. A form requires to be completed within 48 hours by the first responder (please note requirement for signature of adult victims), for further details the form can be found at: www.soca. gov.uk/about-s oca/about-theukhtc/national-referralmechanism Crimestoppers – for anonymous reporting. Telephone: 0800 555 111

DO

centred approach when dealing with these often vulnerable individuals. Take account of cultural or religious issues the victim may have. Give the victim as much information as you can. If you are a first responder make sure the NATIONAL REFFERAL MECHANISM form is completed within 48 hours of encountering a potential victim of trafficking. Please note consent is required for Adult victims. No consent is required for children and all child victims should be entered into the NRM process. Take steps to prevent further contact between the trafficker andtheir victim(s) by offering support/assistance including alternative accommodation,

Pass On Information !

The following details may assist law enforcement agencies in Investigations:

• Best details / descriptions of those involved • Locations • Nationalities • Details of any transport used • Travel routes / methods

• Documents used • Any financial information • Method of recruitment • Methods used to control / manipulate victim Remember child trafficking is child abuse

Further Indicators
Additional General Trafficking Indicators
Their appearance suggests general physical neglect They appear to be moving location frequently They are not registered with a G.P, nursery or school They have old or serious injuries left untreated or treated late and are vague and reluctant to explain how the injury occurred They give a vague and inconsistent explanation of where they live, their work or schooling Poor nutrition The person is withdrawn and submissive

Labour Exploitation Indicators
Individuals or groups of people living on industrial properties etc and leaving only infrequently or never at all / No proper sleeping place degraded conditions or overcrowding – i.e. 12 people in a 2 bed house. Any evidence workers are required to pay for equipment, clothing food or accommodation or that deductions have been made for such reasons. Subjected to insults, abuse, threats or violence. Never or rarely leaving premises for social reasons. Working excessive hours Fines used as discipline. Dependence on employer for a number of services i.e. work, transport, accommodation, etc Lack of suitable clothing for the work they are doing. Security measures designed to keep people inside premises

Sexual Exploitation Indicators
Women escorted from where they live to where they work and back and appear never to go out socially. Women working long hours or having no or few days off. Women with very limited amounts of clothing of which a large proportion is ‘sexual’. Never going to the shop, doctors, bank etc without an escort. Not having cash or seen handing cash over to others. Food etc paid for by others. No ID when asked for it

Domestic Servitude Indicators
Living with a family but not eating with the rest of the family No proper sleeping place Only given left over food to eat. Subjected to insults, abuse, threats or violence.

C r ea ti ng aO secur eD Scotl a nd or usi to fURI l o urish C RE AT IN G A S EC U RE SC T LA N FOR BUf S INb ES S ness TO F LO SH I in N

17

Beware the fraudster youknow

Accountants KPMG report an increase in fraud against employers in Scotland of over 60% in the past year. While these figures may be skewed because of some high profile criminal cases, there is no doubt that all employers are potentially at risk. While everyone is alive to the dangers of internet and identity frauds, the sad truth is that you are more likely to be defrauded by someone you know and whom you may well trust.
Some of these frauds are minimal. How worried are you about the odd pen from the stationery cupboard? But many major frauds started small. Do you keep an eye on your petty cash? The first “borrowing” of that ten pounds may have been accompanied by a genuine intent to repay, but when it went unnoticed did it become £10 a week? Then £20, until it snowballed into thousands. Do you deliver? If so, how tight are your stock controls? Can you be sure that the delivery driver doesn’t have a little side business of his own, using your materials? More difficult to control is the fuel being used. We often talk about profits being “siphoned off”. Is the same thing happening to the petrol or diesel in the tank of your vehicles? Keep a close eye on mileage and fuel use, and investigate any anomalies. The fact that you are seen to be paying attention to such matters will, of itself, provide a certain deterrent. The licensed trade is home to so many potential scams that you could write a book about it. With computerised tills, the drink side of a business is easier to monitor; however, kitchens are much harder to police. Compare the number of steaks you buy with the number you sell. Cookery programmes show only the glamorous side of the business. Remember that successful chefs know to the penny how much each dish costs to produce, what their margins should be and what is a reasonable allowance for wastage. Can you say the same? Of course the potential for the biggest frauds of all lies with people who are controlling the business’s money. A good book keeper is worth his weight in gold, but beware of one who never takes a holiday. What doesn’t he or she want anyone else to see? If you lack the skills or time yourself, make sure you have some independent checks and balances in place. Your accountant will be able to advise. Remember that some of the biggest frauds are often the simplest. When did you last check your payroll? Does the number of salaries on it equate to the number of staff? Far -fetched? Not a bit of it. Many a business has discovered that it is still paying out in the name of a former employee – except the bank details have been changed to someone else.

Sadly, so many people who are the victims of fraud or embezzlement say that they had 100% trust in the perpetrator. The purpose of this article is not to induce paranoia, nor to spoil good employee relations The motto is, simply put, be careful. Any honest employee will have no problems in accepting some simple checks, especially if you explain that these are required by your co-directors, your accountant, your bank or whatever. Better a little care now, than the unpleasantness of mopping up the mess – and being substantially out of pocket.

18

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

How to keep a business secret
The question is not whether or not you can keep your mouth shut. Of course you can. Rather, the question is whether or not you have procedures and security systems in place that makes sure information does not walk out the building.
This is a real risk for anyone involved in the supply chain – i.e. anyone buying or selling things, which hopefully is anyone reading this article! Too often in a contract, buyers and sellers focus on what is being sold. The buyer wants the highest specification delivered as quickly as possible for the lowest price, and the seller wants the highest price for doing as little work as possible over the longest period of time (I generalise – but not too much). There is, therefore, often a focus on the key provisions in a contract relating to what is to be done, when and how payment is to be made. All too often little or no thought is given to the confidentiality provision in the contract. Yet these can be particularly poisonous and difficult, particularly in the current digital age. Certain clauses should flag up alarm bells for a supplier: “We will operate a standardised security system”; “You will ensure that appropriate technical and organisational measures are taken to protect information”; “You will monitor access to your systems”. Clauses like this may sometimes seem innocuous, but there is a danger that they are an attempt to impose strict standards relating to the handling of information. In particular, there is an increasingly popular and common ISO Standard – ISO27001 – that governs the handling of information and keeping data secure. If there is a reference in confidentiality clauses to adhering to a standardised process for looking after information, or a prevailing standard, then there is a risk that this is the standard that applies (to be strictly correct, in the event of a dispute, there would be a need to get an expert to say what he or she thought were the prevailing standards – but it might be an easy out for them to point to an internationally accepted standard). This is not just a risk for suppliers. Customers may think that they are ensuring their information is kept secure by imposing clauses like this, but that avoids the heart of the issue. If information is being given to a supplier which is commercially sensitive, and which the customer quite likely wants to be kept secret, then saying
Fife Chamber Premier Partner Young & Partners

in a contract that the information will be kept secure is not necessarily all of the answer. By the time you find out that your supplier is not keeping the information secure, it could be posted all over the internet. Take the case of a company engaged in clinical trials work for a big pharmaceutical company. One of the trial company employees posted on Facebook that a drug had failed one of the critical steps before release to the market – and word got back to the big pharma company before a formal report was made, causing much embarrassment and difficulty for all concerned. In fact, it is far better to try and discuss how information is going to be kept secure with a customer rather than relying purely on a contract provision. Otherwise, while you may be able to make a claim for damages and breach of contract, if information leaks out you will not be able to put the genie back into the bottle. A contract is not enough. You need a commercial approach and genuine understanding of what is happening to your information.

Scottish Parliament commends Scottish Police Credit Union approach to payday loan alternative
The Scottish Police Credit Union (SPCU) has seen a rise in the number of members approaching them for financial assistance who have payday loans among their debts.
Showing that payday lenders are finding customers from all walks of life, the Board at SPCU were determined to find a better financial solution to this growing problem for their members. The answer was to open up access to their revolving credit account, known as Flexiloan, to all their members giving them access to funds when they need it most and at a fraction of the cost. Benefits of the account include: Limits between £500 and £2500 Low minimum payments with the option to pay more if circumstances allow Withdrawals available online with same day transfer at no cost to the member 3 year renewal period allowing regular use The launch of the improved Flexiloan account attracted the attention of Mr John Mason MSP who very kindly lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament commending SPCU on the work they are doing in combatting the misery of payday lending in Scotland. SPCU Chief Executive George Nedley said; “It is vitally important in today’s financial climate, where people facing difficulty may be exploited, that Credit Unions rise to the challenge and provide less expensive and more supportive ways of bridging a short term requirement for cash. We at SPCU believe our revolving credit account known as Flexiloan does exactly this. We are delighted that Mr Mason took the trouble to recognise our approach and commend it in the Scottish Parliament.” SPCU are happy to share their Flexiloan policy and procedures with members. If interested please contact Ian Caldwell, Business Development Officer on 0141 771 1314.

C r ea ti ng aO secur eD Scotl a nd or usi to fURI l o urish C RE AT IN G A S EC U RE SC T LA N FOR BUf S INb ES S ness TO F LO SH I in N

19

Your brand online: how others can use and abuse it and what to do about it
There are many ways in which your brand There are many ways in which your brand could be targeted online. Some of the classic could be targeted online. Some of the classic forms of attack are explained below: forms of attack are explained below: n Cybersquatting: this occurs when a domain name which includes your brand name is registered by someone who has not been authorised to register this domain name. The domain name could be registered by a third party for a variety of reasons but most commonly it is registered so that the third party can generate click through revenue from sponsored links which they display on the website, alternatively the domain name could have been registered in order to hold you to ransom to recover the domain name; Typosquatting: this is essentially the same concern as cybersquatting with the exception that the domain name will not be identical to your brand name, but instead will be similar such as a misspelling of your brand name. The

The internet offers businesses fast, effective and unique ways in which to promote themselves and their products. The online environment however has its downsides and can expose businesses to increased competition and risk of security issues and How could your brands be attacked online?

intention for registering domain names with typographical errors is to capitalise on internet users who make spelling or punctuation errors when typing your brand name into the browser bar. The content displayed at these websites will be similar to that displayed on a cybersquatted website; Framing: this occurs where the content of your website is shown embedded in a page hosted on a completely different website. The purpose of framed websites is to try to dupe internet users into thinking that they are viewing your genuine website. Framing websites often encourage users to provide personal information, such as bank details for fraudulent purposes; Logo abuse: your logo is often viewed as the seal or stamp of your business, creating an air of authenticity for a product when it carries the logo. There are multiple websites which have been set up simply to allow third parties to



download high resolution versions of well known logos so that those logos can be used in any way without control. The logos can be added to formal looking documentation to dupe customers or could be used to create an air of association or authenticity which, depending on the use made of the logo, may result in damaging reputational repercussions for your brand;

• Inappropriate or unauthorised association: this can happen when your brand is incorporated within a webpage or used on a social media site such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn without your authorisation; and • Google Ad Words: these are used by third parties, often competitors, to bid on your brand name so that the third parties business is promoted in Google search results when an internet user searches for you.

What you can do if your brand is attacked?
The first thing to do is confirm what has happened and assess how damaging or important this is for your business. For example, a short comment on Facebook may have far greater consequences for the integrity of your brand than a cybersquatted website. This means that each issue has to be considered individually. Once you have identified the problem and decided to take action then you have to be clear what intellectual property rights you have to rely on. All of the issues previously discussed could pose a threat for your reputation and may undermine your registered trade marks, unregistered trade names and copyright. At this point we suggest you obtain legal advice to ensure that the issue is an infringement of your rights and that you are able to stop the offensive activity.

Where action is appropriate, often a cease and desist letter addressed to the registrant of the infringing website is the best first course of action, or alternatively you could use one of the take down procedures operated by social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
A cease and desist letter lets the infringer know that you are aware of the infringement, details your rights and how they are being infringed, sets out the relevant law and can provide deadlines by which the infringing content should be removed. If a cease and desist letter fails to resolve a domain name issue then both cybersquatting and typosquatting issues can also be tackled relatively informally and effectively through domain name dispute proceedings. The key to maintaining a healthy brand online is vigilance. It is also essential you understand how your brand could be attacked so that you can then plan your online strategy to minimise the risks the online environment poses to your brand. The internet is not an uncontrollable beast, although if left unmanaged the risks the internet poses to your brand may devalue your brand and could in certain circumstances render your brand worthless.

Gillian Anderson, Senior Associate, Pinsent Masons LLP Susan Kelly, Solicitor, Pinsent Masons LLP

20

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Corporate crime
What should companies do if they breach the criminal law?

When a company commits or benefits from a criminal offence a number of issues come into play in addition to the underlying criminal conduct, including:
1

Company accounts

the directors of a company have a legal duty to be satisfied that the company's accounts give a true and fair view of the revenue, profits, losses and liabilities of the company. Accounting for revenue derived from criminality could itself be a criminal offence.

The Economic Crime Unit of Police Scotland and the Serious Organised Crime Division of the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service are focussed on investigating and prosecuting cases of economic crime.
The primary focus is on economic crime committed by career criminals but increasingly legitimate businesses which commit economic crimes or which benefit from the criminal conduct of others are also being investigated and subject to prosecution or civil recovery action. Recent examples of such enforcement has been the prosecution of fishing businesses which illegally landed millions of pounds worth of fish, and the various bribery probes involved local authorities and construction companies. Currently the most prevalent area of corporate crime enforcement, outside of regulatory offences such as breaches of health and safety or environmental law, is into allegations of bribery by Scottish businesses. Part of the reason for the increase in activity is Crown Office's willingness to entertain lenient treatment of companies which self-report corporate bribery. On 1 July 2013, Crown Office reissued its guidance to businesses which suspect they may have committed a bribery offence. The guidance applies to any bribery offences committed in Scotland by a commercial organisation or by businesses with their headquarters or registered office in Scotland, wherever in the world the conduct takes place. In return for self-reporting the commission of a bribery offence by the organisation, the Scottish public prosecutor will consider desisting from prosecuting and may instead enter into a civil settlement with the offending organisation. Based on the only corporate settlement to date, a case in which Pinsent Masons acted, a settlement may be by way of payment of a sum equal to the profit derived by the organisation from the offending. In retunn for lenient treatment, Crown Office require the company to make a full disclosure of the wrongdoing in question and to co-operate with its enquiries. Effective corporate compliance programmes are essential to reduce the risk of a company being caught up in a criminal investigation. Compliance programmes are also an important factor in deciding whether or not a prosecution is in the public interest. Scotland's self-reporting programme and the opportunity to conclude a civil settlement is of limited duration with the scheme due to expire on 30 June 2014. Tom Stocker, Partner, Pinsent Masons LLP

2

Audit representations

a standard representation given to auditors is that the directors are not aware of any acts of fraud. Care needs to be given in making such a representation as it is a criminal offence to misrepresent the position.

3

Money laundering

under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, money laundering offences can be committed by companies who do not make an "authorised disclosure " to SOCA, the police or HMRC if it is suspected that a benefit has been received from criminal conduct.

4

Reporting duties

companies in the "regulated" sector (which mainly comprises financial service companies and professional advisers) have additional duties to file suspicious activity reports. In addition, all companies may need to make a report to Police Scotland if "serious organised crime" is suspected. Under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, serious organised crime is defined widely and it could capture situations of employee embezzlement, misselling and bribery. In short, directors and senior managers who were not involved in the underlying conduct could end up committing offences if the issue is not carefully handled.

C r ea ti ng aO secur eD Scotl a nd or usi to fURI l o urish C RE AT IN G A S EC U RE SC T LA N FOR BUf S INb ES S ness TO F LO SH I in N

21

Sentencing Council consultation on fraud, bribery and money laundering offences
The reason it is important for companies to know about the risks of committing financial crimes and the opportunities available to resolve criminal issues is that the punishments for financial crimes committed by companies and individuals are set to increase significantly, with the recent publication by the Sentencing Council of draft sentencing guidelines for financial crimes, including sections on fraud, money laundering, bribery, and corporate offenders.
Although the final guidelines will only formally apply in England & Wales, they are likely to be referred to in criminal cases in Scotland in very much the same way as Sentencing Guidelines for health and safety offending are now commonly referred to in health and safety cases prosecuted in Scotland. In respect of companies, it is proposed to introduce a US style multiplier system whereby the level of corporate culpability and the harm caused is assessed by reference to a number of factors. Scores are then allocated for the level of culpability and harm, and a multiplier is applied to give a sentencing range to which mitigating and aggravating factors are applied. By way of an example, in a case where a company played a role in a bribe paid by a joint venture partner to an employee of a private company, the culpability factor may be assessed as medium. If the profit on the contract secured was £1m, the harm figure may be assessed to be £1m. The starting point for any fine would be £2m (with a range of £1m to £3m). This would be the level of fine imposed which would be in addition to confiscation of the contract revenues. The highest multiplier is proposed to be 400% (i.e four times the harm figure). Accordingly, if companies engage in particularly opprobrious conduct from which they benefit to the tune of several millions of pounds, the fine could be tens of millions. Any starting fine would be subject to aggravating and mitigating factors. Aggravating factors include attempts made to conceal misconduct and offences committed in more than one country. Mitigating factors include self-reporting, voluntarily reimbursing victims, and offending committed under a previous management regime.

Interesting examples of the sentences that individual offenders should face for financial crimes are also given, including the following:
M was the head of the UK division of an IT company. Over a two year period M oversaw the making of corrupt payments totalling £1.5m to a government official with control over two state owned institutions in a third world country, to secure business worth £25m. M’s bonus was increased as a result by £500,000. The corrupt activities inflated the price of the contract by around £5m and although the IT systems supplied did work, they were not appropriate for the needs of the institution. The facts involve significant planning over a sustained period and the corruption of foreign officials causing a substantial gain to the offender and loss to others. M would likely be sentenced to five to eight years imprisonment before any reduction for a guilty plea.

Tom Stocker, Partner, Pinsent Masons LLP

22

S cot t is h Bu si n e ss R e si l i e n c e Ce n t r e | Autumn Newsl etter 2013

Stirling Uni reaches out to Business
Still ranked as Scotland's No 1 department for media and communications, the University of Stirling is embarking on an ambitious programme to update technology, curricula and improve links with industry.

"It's vital in this economic environment that we turn out graduates who have experience in the workplace and a wide range of technical skills as well as the more traditional kinds of knowledge imparted by universities," according to Stirling's newly-appointed director of journalism, Dr Adrian Hadland. Dr Hadland, a professional international journalist for more than 15 years, has recently returned to the UK after a three year stint in mainland China. In the past few months, the undergraduate degrees in both journalism and film and media have been overhauled, plans for a new Masters programme are being finalised and the creation of a new, state-of-the-art Digital Media Centre is imminent. Key to the university's plans is a commitment to improve ties with business and industry and a number of initiatives are underway in this area.

in Scotland and beyond". The panel is made up of nine eminent professionals from various media-related sectors. They are Atholl Duncan, former Head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland and currently executive director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), Mandy Haeburn-Little, the director of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and a former PR practitioner, Bruce Waddell, the former editor of the Daily Record and Scottish Sun, film director Mark Cousins, the creative director of Speakeasy Productions in Perth, Jeremy Hewitt, former Editor of Scotland-onSunday and executive editor of The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts in Scotland, Margot Wilson, and Colin Cameron, former Head of Production and Controller for BBC Scotland. The department also recently appointed John

and advanced reporting. Students also take the more theoretical courses for which Stirling has become renowned over the years and which help develop young people's critical and independent thinking, both still vital attributes in the 21st century. A new work experience module was introduced by the journalism department earlier this year affording students the opportunity to spend time in the workplace. The module has been a great success with students enjoying stints at a range of organisations from magazines in London and local radio stations to council press offices. Plans are also afoot for the establishment of a Digital Media Centre, which includes an industry-standard television studio and various networked platforms. "The idea is to simulate as far as possible conditions in the real world and to help our students leave the university equipped to do just about anything in the digital economy," according to Dr Hadland. A new masters programme in journalism is due to be launched in 2014 in which students will spend half the year in Stirling and half at the world-renowned university of Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. A programme in Public Relations hosted by the same institutions was recently launched and has already proved popular with graduate students. "Half the year in beautiful, tranquil Stirling and half in hot, vibey Barcelona studying with top academics at both institutions is appealing to students wanting to deepen their skills and experiences," says Dr Hadland. It is little wonder Stirling's journalism and media programmes continue to be so highly soughtafter with applications far outstripping places every year. "Stirling is a terrific place to study, and it's going to keep getting better as we plan and organise ourselves for the future," according to Dr Hadland.

Stirling is a terrific place to study, and it's going to keep getting better as we plan and organise ourselves for the future
In June this year, the communications, media and culture department of the university, which houses various programmes in public relations, film and journalism, unveiled a new advisory board. The board will provide advice on the university's programmes and courses, make recommendations on equipment acquisition, offer students assistance in securing work experience and provide inputs from industry on what skills and experiences are most desired in new graduates. "We know it's tough out there in the working world and that businesses are looking for particular kinds of skills and attributes in our new graduates," says Dr Hadland. "We hope to lean on our amazing panel to steer our students in the right direction and ensure they are highly sought after by businesses McLellan, former Editor the The Scotsman, as an honorary professor. In addition to the work of the new panel, staff at the university have embarked on a series of visits and consultations with industry in recent months and have met with BBC Scotland, STV, other tertiary institutions and Creative Stirling, among others. "It's all part of understanding exactly what current conditions are and making sure our students are equipped with just the right combination of skills to immediately make a difference to the companies they join," says Dr Hadland. Skills now being taught at the university include website design, programmes such as Photoshop and Indesign, digital photography, video-making with mobile phones, web-based research as well as law, current affairs, ethics

C r ea ti ng aO secur eD Scotl a nd or usi to fURI l o urish C RE AT IN G A S EC U RE SC T LA N FOR BUf S INb ES S ness TO F LO SH I in N

23

Hold the back page!

Starting in the next edition we will be making promotional or advertising space available in our newsletter for the first time. The full back page will be available as space for you to consider placing your news about your business - maybe you have an event or a conference that you would like to feature. Our newsletter now has eletronic circulation to almost 3,000. If you would like to talk about this, please either email [email protected] or call 01786 447441.

Best Bar None Update
With the Best Bar None accreditations for 2013-14 now well underway, many local areas have already commenced their assessment visits and we wish every luck to those who have applied. New Funding Partner Announced
Here at SBRC, we continue to explore opportunities alongside our supporters to ensure the sustainability of the scheme and increase opportunities for continuous development in support of local schemes. In June, we were therefore delighted to announce that Maxxium UK, one of the fastest growing drinks distributers, has become the fifth major Scottish drinks business to offer funding to Best Bar None, joining our existing funding partners Diageo, Molson Coors, Heineken and Tennent’s. The addition of Maxxium UK will allow us to draw on their wide distribution network to help spread the BBN message as widely as possible and make Scotland’s towns and cities safer, more vibrant and attractive places for people to live in and visit.

First Corporate Accreditation Partner Announced
In addition, Belhaven Pubs, part of Greene King PLC, has come on board as our first Corporate Accreditation Partner, allowing all 90 of their ‘managed pubs’ across Scotland to go through the Best Bar None process. It is great to see such a strong commitment being made by Belhaven to ensure their ‘managed pubs’ are operating at the highest possible level in terms of customer care and service quality and we hope to see other alcohol industry leaders follow suit in future. 51 of these premises are running under existing local area BBN schemes with the remaining 31 being run centrally through SBRC.

BBN Airdrie & Coatbridge
The town centres of Airdrie & Coatbridge are being run this year for the first time as a Best Bar None pilot area under the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership (SGAIP) ‘Promoting Best Practice in Pubs and Bars’ work stream. The SGAIP identified that it would be beneficial to take an area in Scotland where BBN was not currently active and run a ‘pilot’ aimed at making the local scheme an example of best practice in line with existing BBN good practice at a national level and the ‘BBN Scotland Local Coordinator’s Guide’. The Airdrie & Coatbridge scheme will also be subject of detailed performance evaluation – a first in Scotland. The evaluation will include statistical analysis of crime, anti-social behaviour and hospital injury surveillance data as well as more qualitative measurements based around extensive local survey data analysis. An example of a new idea which emerged in this area was a move to design and produce ‘working towards Best Bar None’ window stickers which have been distributed to all applicant premises to help raise awareness of the scheme with local customers and the wider public. A Best Practice Steering Group, comprising experienced existing Local coordinators has also been established to provide support and guidance to local partnership which comprises Police Scotland (lead coordinating agency), the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, various

departments of North Lanarkshire Council, SBRC and of course the SGAIP. The scheme has already seen success having attracted 25 applications which represents over 50% of the eligible premises within the two town centres.

Nationals 2014
Planning is already underway for the Best Bar None National Awards 2014 and further details will be made available as soon as possible so everyone can get the date in their diaries. We hope this year’s event will be even bigger and better, continuing to build on the success of last year.

BBN & MiCity Partnership
Best Bar None and MiCity recently developed a partnership which will allow all BBN accredited venues operating within an active MiCity area to be set up on the MiCity smartphone system. Once set up with MiCity, venues can thereafter post information on any events or other promotions and spread these messages via the smartphone app for iphone and android, website, Facebook, Twitter and email. MiCity is currently operating in 6 BBN areas and there are more areas due to come on line over the next twelve months. We hope that this partnership will continue to diversify the PR and marketing support we provide to local member schemes.

FOLLOW US ON

twitter.com/SBRC_Scotland

6

www. sbrcentre .co.uk

S COTTI SH B USI NE SS C RI M E C E N T RE | W I N T E R N EWSLETTER 2012

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close