Mark Anderson, Account Manager for Accredit Solutions, talks about the ever-increasing dangers facing event venues, and how utilising an accreditation system can reduce these threats
As international athletes and visiting heads of state gear up for the Rio Olympic Games, venue security is once again in the spotlight. Amid heightened fears of terrorist attack and criminal activity, organisers will be particularly keen to ensure they know – and control – who is in their venues at any one time. But this is easier said than done, and many sporting, political and entertainment venues have been alarmingly slow to implement effective accreditation systems.
Well-designed accreditation systems that have been tailored for a particular venue or event provide a robust front line of defence against a wide range of potentially disastrous threats. While terrorist and criminal activity will cause the most immediate damage, corporate espionage is also a growing and costly threat. As well as threats posed by terrorists, undocumented staff such as illegal immigrants can now prove costlier than ever, with governments imposing ever-increasing fines on firms who hire them. Add on the severe reputational damage caused by just one of these breaches, and your firm could quickly find itself out of the running.
A stadium or venue manager using a leading accreditation solution, however, will be able to offer both pre-event and onsite accreditation to all personnel, whether they are security guards, press, organisers, delegates or caterers. Identity documents and credentials can be checked at this stage, and copies stored within the system. Through the use of badges and secure zoning, organisers will then be able to track the attendance, movements and whereabouts of each person within the venue. If circumstances change or a threat is raised, accreditation can be altered or cancelled in real time.
EAS Group is proud to offer both expert advice and industry-leading accreditation software solutions for use across sporting, political and entertainment events and venues.
