Tony's Situational Awareness Newsletter
Tony Willis MSc MBA MSyI F.ISRM FCMI
Safeguarding Your People & Organization: Helping you with Situational Awareness Training, Terrorism Awareness Workshops, Risk Management & Self-Defence Training
?? Christmas is coming ??
Have you thought of presents for loved ones yet?
You may see in the press some warnings about Christmas markets.
Gatherings of people carry risks in todays society.
That risk could be from some kind of accident or incident such as a vehicle striking the group or it could be from the actions of a bad actor, be that a terrorist or other individual.
Christmas events do carry additional risk as they bring focus to an event that supports the narrative of western society and anyone who has a grievance against the west such as an Islamist terrorist could target the event or anyone attending it.
We can all see that these do not have to be well planned and can simply involve a lone knifeman or someone with a vehicle.
Christmas events in the UK should all have street furniture or other means that prevent the use of vehicles to attack pedestrians that we have seen in the past. However if attending events be aware not just at the event but as you arrive and leave.
Its been a very busy Autumn
Webinars
At the start of the year, I decided to restart presenting webinars and its been an absolute pleasure to have so many of you join me online.
The webinar series has covered Personal Safety, Radicalisation, Situational Awareness and Terrorism.
How you present both in person and online is a personal approach and I know my relaxed style of presenting isn’t for everyone but that’s fine, I like to feel I’m being genuine and what you get is the real me not something I’m not.
There is nothing more off putting than following someone’s webinars and then when you meet them, they are completely different. I have met people that don’t even speak or sound the same, which I just don’t understand as if people ask to work with me as a result of them attending a presentation I want them to know what to expect.
Social Media Fallout: Understanding the Organisational Risks of Posts on Palestine and Hot-Button Issues
In today’s hyper-connected world, a single social media post can spark widespread reactions, especially on sensitive topics like Palestine and other polarizing issues.
This webinar delves into the organisational risks tied to such posts, exploring how they can impact reputation, stakeholder relationships, and overall operations.
Join me as I unpack real-world examples, discuss strategies to navigate controversial topics responsibly, and provide actionable insights to mitigate potential fallout.
Whether it’s your own posts or those made by employees, this session equips you with the tools to protect your organization in an era of heightened social awareness.
领英推荐
? Please join me
Conferences & Workshops
This year has led to a big increase in being invited to speak at events and conferences, three of those I can discuss were
????The 2nd Annual Counter-Terrorism Conference by the institute of Government and Public Policy.
The area they asked me to talk on was Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalisation.
Most organisations feel that terrorism awareness training only applies to their organisation when they have people working in extreme locations or those designated at risk, typically journalists or buyers for fashion houses and commodities.
However, most organisations in today’s environment could easily become targets for attack. Simply look at those highlighted in the recent demonstrations about Gaza and Israel. There is always someone, somewhere who hates your organisation, maybe its because you are in finance, are in the news, or they believe you impact the environment in some way or deal with a certain country.
??? Cyber Secure Conference
Speaking on how the potential for abuse of artificial intelligence and machine learning by terrorists or extremists could impact your organisation.
In a room full of cyber security, IT and Risk experts it was great to get such positive feedback on how some of the theory can impact organisations in reality.
??? Active Essex at Colchester Football Ground – Radicalisation and Prevent
I am not a football fan so have not visited a football ground for some years so it was really interesting to see how impressive the stadium was for a team in League 2. It just goes to show the level of funding in football.
Presenting alongside the Essex Prevent team on radicalisation and how many misunderstand how that impacts every day life.
??? Workshops
With more and more organisations now understanding that radicalisation comes in many forms not just violent extremism and terrorism, the demand for workshops on radicalisation and how that could impact the organisation including how social media can highlight the organisation in a negative way has grown significantly.
Don't forget to hit the bell ?? on my profile to get notified about my posts, and share this newsletter to your newsfeed if you think your network would find this useful.
And remember, situational awareness training could save your life!
Tony
PS: Get your copy of the report
10 of the biggest risks to your employees personal safety