Canadian Security: Tim, most people know G4S as a guard and cash-in-transit company. But given the company’s more technology-focused acquisitions over the last few years, the goal seems to be more towards being known as a security integrator, is that true?

Saunders: In principle, when you look at our business, yes, absolutely we are a guard-focused business, but what we’ve certainly seen in the market is that clients are asking for and talking in terms of complete security programs. What they want is a complete, integrated security system.

The baseline advantage to those types of engagements is that there are cost efficiencies. A client can go from a multiple vendor scenario to a single vendor scenario. There are advantages to the client in terms of direct costs and, when you look at the evolution of IP environments — the barriers are closing in terms of integration of manned tasks and the technology side of access control and CCTV.

Post orders are now automated and when you look at incident reporting processes, those are all automated — they’re fulfilled in IP environments. Mobile tools such as BlackBerries enhance our guard performance overall. I think our programs are better because they’re getting real time information. Compliance is improved because the information is stored and incidents are better documented.

So the integration is absolutely there. I was in a meeting in Montreal recently and the conversation was around the fact that the company had not only integrated their security systems, but all identify management as well. The IT guys were in the meeting in which I presented to the client. It may not be there yet for a lot of clients, but it’s absolutely coming.