London 2012 Secures G4S as Sponsor

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirms that G4S Secure Solutions (UK) Limited has become the Official Security Services Provider and a tier three sponsor of London 2012. Under the agreement, G4S will be responsible for recruiting, training and managing the 10,000-strong security workforce that will be tasked with securing the Games alongside colleagues from the police and local authorities across all London 2012 competition and non-competition venues.

LOCOG and G4S will be collaborating with the Bridging the Gap scheme established by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the Security Industry Authority (SIA), Skills for Security and North Hertfordshire College to identify talented people from further education colleges across the UK. The Bridging the Gap initiative is set to bring thousands of new recruits into the security industry. It provides a formal qualification for further education graduates from across the UK, leading to a guaranteed job interview to help supplement the security provision at Games time. The programme has been awarded the London 2012 “Inspire Mark”. It is hoped that the project will prove to be a gateway for long-term careers in the security industry, providing a lasting legacy. The intake of students for London 2012 will be managed by G4S.

2010 marked the 75-year anniversary of G4S in the UK where G4S now employs 50,000 people. The group has extensive experience in the security of sporting and other major events and has been responsible for the security at the Olympic Park site in east London since 2008. The deal with LOCOG will cover all Olympic and Paralympic venues across the UK.

LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton said, “This deal represents where we are with our plans for the Games – we’re now looking at operational delivery. G4S will help us ensure that the security provisions in place are robust and of the highest professionalism and we welcome them to the London 2012 family. Our commercial programme has been a great success and we’re now approaching our targets which will contribute to the staging of spectacular Games in 2012.”

David Taylor-Smith, Regional CEO of G4S UK & Africa commented, “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as the Official Security Services Provider for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We have worked extremely hard with LOCOG, the Police, central government and the host venues and boroughs to develop a security proposal which will provide excellent security for the Games, whilst ensuring that spectators, competitors and providers of services to the Games can enjoy the spectacle of one of the greatest sporting events in the world.”