G4S

Infobox Company
company_name = G4S plc
company_
company_type = Public (lse|GFS, OMX|CSE25634|G4S)
foundation = 1901
key_people = Alf Duch-Pedersen (Chairman)
Nick Buckles (CEO)
location = flagicon|UK Crawley, Sussex, England
revenue = £4,490 million (2007)
operating_income = £271 million (2007)
net_income = £161 million (2007)
industry = Security
num_employees = circa 440,000 [ [http://www.forbes.com//2008/04/02/big-hiring-companies-biz-2000gloabl08-cx_staff_0402jobs_slide_5.html?thisSpeed=30000 G4S profile on Forbes] ]
homepage = [http://www.g4s.com/ g4s.com]

G4S plc (formerly Group 4 Securicor, lse|GFS, OMX|CSE25634|G4S) is the world's largest security services provider. Formed by the merger of Securicor and Group 4 Falck in July 2004, it employs over 500,000 people across more than 100 nations and six continents. Its services include manned security, operation of criminal justice systems, electronic security systems, and financial services including cash transfer. Its headquarters are in Crawley, Sussex, England.

G4S also owns the Wackenhut Corporation, a leading provider of security services in North America.

It is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

History

The company has its origins in a guarding business founded Copenhagen in 1901 by Marius Hogrefe originally known as "Kjøbenhavn Frederiksberg Nattevagt" and subsequently renamed "Falck". [http://www.g4s.com/de/de-about/de-aboutus-history.htm G4S History] ]

In 2000 "Group 4", a security firm formed in the 1960s in Belgium, merged with "Falck" to form "Group 4 Falck". Following the decision by the British Government in 1993 to enter into a contract with Group 4 to provide security for prisons, the company was embarrassed after a series of security blunders, including escaped prisoners. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1822528.stm|title=BBC News: Surviving the jokes|date=2002-02-15] In 2002 "Group 4 Falck" went on to buy Wackenhut. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEED71E30F93AA35750C0A9649C8B63 Falck buys Wackenhut Security] ]

In 2003 "Group 4 Falck" signed a Detention Services Contract with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (Australia). [cite web|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/2003/d03057.htm|title=Media Release: Group 4 To Manage Immigration Detention Facilities|date=2003-08-27] Under this contract "Group 4 Falck" took over direct control of Australia's refugee detention centres from Australasian Correctional Management, owned by its subsidiary Wackenhut, which had run them since 1998.

In 2004 "Group 4 Falck" merged with "Securicor", a security firm founded in the 1930s in London, to form "G4S". [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HXI/is_2004_Feb_24/ai_n25083750 Group 4 Falck and Securicor plc announce terms of merger] ] Securicor, along with co-founder British Telecom, had been involved with the creation of mobile phone operator Cellnet in 1985. Securicor sold its share in the company to British Telecom in 1999, resulting in the formation of BT Cellnet, which was later spun off as O₂. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19971209/ai_n14144152 BT to get the go-ahead to take full contol of Cellnet] ]

Operations

G4S provides guarding services at various airports including Heathrow Airport, Oslo Airport, Schipol Airport and Tambo Airport as well as at various facilities belonging to the US, UK and European Governments. It also operates custody facilities, immigration centres and police custody suites and electronic security systems and it provides cash management and logistics services for the main British and European Banks. [ [http://www.g4s.com/home/our_services.htm G4S services] ]

Critical Observations

Group 4 Securicor is the subject of a global campaign by union workers alleging that subsidiaries undermine labour and human rights standards. Some of these groups are organised under the banner of the SEIU funded Focus on Group 4 Securicor. [ [http://www.focusongroup4securicor.org/ Focus on G4S] ] This group backed protests at Group 4 Securicor's annual general meeting in London in 2005 [cite news|url=http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1517686,00.html|title=Unions say Group 4 is unfair to workers|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|date=2005-06-30|author=Phillip Inman|coauthors=David Gow] and 2006. The 2006 US State Department Report on Human Rights in Indonesia released in March 2006 featured the on-going dispute in Jakarta with Group4/Securicor. [cite web|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61609.htm|title=Indonesia: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005|date=2006-03-08|publisher=United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor] In July 2006 the Indonesian Securicor workers had a substantial win - but the campaigners continue to support other Group 4 Securicor workers. [ [http://www.focusong4s.org/violating-workers-rights-in-in/ Focus on G4S: Violating Workers' Rights: G4S in Indonesia] ]

The company has long disputed these claims and points to its strong relationships with unions around the world, including the GMB in Britain [cite web|url=http://www.g4s.com/home/home-news_and_media/home-news_and_media-pr.htm?id=29045|title=G4S praised by Prime Minister for Union Recognition Agreement with GMB|publisher=G4S|date=2006-06-22] , with which it hosted a joint parliamentary reception the night before the 2006 annual general meeting.

Acquisition of Rock Steady

In March 2008, it was announced that G4S were taking over Scottish Rock Steady Group - who carry out stewarding at major sporting and music events mostly in the UK. Rock Steady events have included Live8 concerts in London, Scottish FA Cup Final & the Download Festival. [ [http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2093231.0.Scots_founder_sells_off_pop_concert_security_firm_Rock_Steady.php Scots founder sells off pop concert security firm Rock Steady] ]

In popular culture

The anarcho-punk band Crass wrote a song entitled "Securicor", criticizing the corporation. [ [http://www.last.fm/music/Securicor Last FM] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.g4s.com Official Company website]
* [http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GPFSF.PK Company Profile on Yahoo Finance]
* [http://www.policing-crowds.org/news/article/world-cup-2010-privatizing-security-in-south-africa.html G4S in Southern Africa, Report and interview]