Achieving COP 119 Compliance: Key Steps for UK Companies

In the UK’s private security industry, staying up to date with best practices helps build confidence and aids in both contract captivation and preservation, along with public safety. One such critical standard is COP 119 - the Code of Practice created by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in collaboration with the Security Industry Authority (SIA). If your business is seeking to gain or maintain the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status, understanding and achieving COP 119 compliance is a must.

Why does COP 119 compliance matter, and what steps need to be taken to achieve it? We aim to answer that by explaining what COP 119 is and covering key aspects your business needs for compliance.

What is COP 119?

The COP 119 is also known as the Code of Practice for Provision of Labour within the Security and Events Industries. It serves as an instructional framework on how labor providers operate, ensuring personnel are supplied legally, ethically, and safely. The standard was created to aid in the prevention of labour exploitation, lack of transparency, and to promote service quality.

For those businesses pursuing ACS approval, they must work with COP 119-compliant subcontractors.

Why is COP 119 Important?

• Promotes Ethical Practices: It decreases the chances of encountering modern slavery and illegal labour practices.
• Boosts Business Reputation: Compliance demonstrates professionalism and trustworthiness to clients and regulators.
• Supports ACS Accreditation: Compliance is often a prerequisite for retaining or acquiring SIA ACS status.
• Enhances Operational Standards: Correct workforce vetting, training, and management is conducted.

Key Steps to Achieve COP 119 Compliance

1. Ensure Understanding Of COP 119 Requirements

Conduct thorough reviews of BSI documents with management teams. The COP119 documents outline specific principles that include:

• Contracts and terms of employment.
• Right to work and vetting
• Training and qualifications
• Payment practices
• Record keeping and transparency.

Make sure your management team understands the significance of every clause and its impact on governance.

2. Assess Your Labour Supply Chain

Assess employment sourcing strategies. Are your employees with reputable employment agencies? Are the employment contracts compliant with UK employment legislation?

If staff hiring is outsourced, ensure compliance with COP 119 by third-party suppliers. Ensure all documents are maintained.

3. Establish and Define Company Policies and Procedures

Concerning COP 119, the following policy areas should be defined or updated:

• Hiring processes
• Right-to-work validation
• Compensation and employment terms
• Orientation and continuous learning processes

Make sure that these policies are clearly communicated, and regularly train your staff on them.

4. Provide Internal Training

Relevant personnel like HR officers, recruiters, and contract managers need to be instructed on COP 119. This allows all participants to grasp the roles and responsibilities while identifying non-compliance or unethical behaviors.

5. Maintain Compliance Documents

Keep thorough documentation on vetting staff, training records, employment contracts, and right-to-work documents.

Well-kept documents are essential for any ACS audit or BSI assessment.

6. Partner with Compliant Labour Provider

When working with subcontractors, only SIA and COP 119 compliant labour providers should be utilized. Obtain compliance documentation and perform regular audits.

7. Routine Compliance Update

COP 119 compliance cannot be achieved at once. Internal audits, yearly reviews, and monitoring legislative changes or new SIA standards must be conducted.

Closing Reflections

Achieving COP 119 compliance is not just about having a checklist done; it is meant for the safety of your business, employees, and customers. Your compliance with ethical labor practices gives you an edge in the UK security market, not only for SIA requirements but also helps you in winning tenders and sustaining growth for years to come.

A compliance consultant can help you get started and prepare you for SIA ACS audits, so you can navigate through the steps without any hassle.

Need Help with COP 119 Compliance?

With our dedicated compliance team, we are ready to assist you in meeting your compliance needs for SIA ACS and COP 119 at [SIA ACS Consulting]. Contact our compliance team today for bespoke compliance assistance tailored just for you.