SIRV shortlisted at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards 2019

Category: Security Technology Innovation of the Year (new for 2019). Our submission focused on mental-health incident reporting and support for frontline teams

Introduction

We were proud to be shortlisted at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards 2019 in the new category Security Technology Innovation of the Year. Our entry showcased how SIRV extends incident reporting beyond physical harm to include mental-health reporting and support—making it easier for employees and Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) to raise concerns early and get help fast.

The problem

Security operations live or die by staffing continuity. Absenteeism, last-minute “blow-outs”, long-term sickness and churn can all degrade service levels. Poor mental health is a major contributor to absence, and traditional safety tools rarely capture these signals in a structured, actionable way.

Our approach

Building on a decade of incident reporting for security teams, we added a mental-health reporting pathway to SIRV. Working with a global insurance client, we designed simple, stigma-aware intake for MHFAs and employees, routing concerns to the right support while protecting privacy. Reports are structured for pattern detection so hotspots can be identified and acted upon.

Why it matters: Organisations that report more, learn faster—and reduce incidents through earlier interventions and better planning.

Benefits for the security sector

Earlier support, fewer absences: Efficient reporting enables earlier interventions.
Operational visibility: Identify organisational hotspots and target training or rota changes.
Two-way communication: Employees can communicate directly with MHFAs through a safe channel.
Risk reduction: Better data helps prevent more serious outcomes and supports duty-of-care.

Go-to-market (2019)

Our initial focus combined indirect (security providers deploying SIRV to end clients) and direct enterprise clients who invest in workforce wellbeing. Early research suggested strong user intent to adopt a confidential reporting channel, with champions in HR, H&S and Operations.

Roadmap (as submitted in 2019)

Phase two (confidential in the submission at the time) outlined a secure, confidential messaging application connecting employees to counselling services, with out-of-hours bot triage and handover to the first available counsellor for 24/7 text support.