TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWS ISSUE5
A Message from Peter Panaritis
1
In Remembrance of Personne Clerval
2
Security Training Amidst COVID-19
3
Virtual Meeting Tips
4
Journey to G4S: Featuring Jeffrey Crewe
5
G4S Values in Action
9
Innovation in Action
12
Shout Outs in G4S Aviation
13
G4S Mental Health Resources
14
2020 Summit Award Nominations are now open
15
Community Support
17
A G 4 S C A N A D A P U B L I C AT I O N – S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 A PUBLICATION FOR OUR PEOPLE, OUR COMPANY AND OUR CUSTOMERS
In Remembrance: Personne Clerval
G4S Heroes during COVID-19
Journey to G4S Featuring Jeffrey Crewe
Summit Award Nominations Open
NEWS ISSUE 5
A Message from Peter Panaritis
Appreciation Doesn’t Even Start to Cover It…
Over the past few months I have been incredibly impressed, but not surprised by our team at G4S. COVID-19 and the Canada-wide shutdown have brought many challenges, and as always our people have risen to meet them. Firstly, I’d like to thank all of our employees who have been on the frontlines protecting and serving our customers. You have gone above and beyond the normal standard of duty. It is because of you that both G4S and our clients have been able to get through this incredibly difficult time. You should be proud of what you have accomplished. I never take for granted the line of danger our people on the frontlines put themselves in, nor how fragile life can be. I think of Personne Clerval, a G4S employee who tragically passed away due to a COVID-19 related illness. Mr. Clerval was a dedicated and exemplary G4S team member. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, as well as the friends and colleagues he cultivated during his 4-year career with G4S.
“I have seen team members right across the organization raise their hands and ask how they can help.” I’ve been especially proud of how our team has demonstrated and lived our values. Teamwork: I have seen team members right across the organization raise their hands and ask how they can help. We have the sales team calling our guards to check in; we have our bid writers supporting our HR team with near full-time recruiting efforts; we have managers at all levels connecting with our team members in quarantine to help keep spirits high; and we have screening officers selflessly offering to take extra shifts to support colleagues who need to be home, with pay. 1
Service Excellence: We are also getting calls and emails from clients around the country thanking our guards, our supervisors and our client management team for their service. Our clients have looked to G4S and our people to step up and keep them safe in these tough times. We have had overwhelmingly positive feedback from our clients about our people and their passion for safety and security shown while on duty. This has strengthened not only our relationship with our clients as a trusted advisor, but generPeter Panaritis ated strong results within our Chief Executive Officer business as well. G4S Canada
Innovation: Our people have come up with creative new ideas and solutions to today’s challenges. Our team has been working tirelessly on “Return-To-Work” strategies and implementation for both our own business and for clients. Our technology team has quickly put together industry leading solutions for temperature screening, remote video monitoring and access control. Our recruiting team has created QR codes that allow employees to verify their health and wellbeing on a daily basis. Respect: While we have all faced our own personal challenges during the past three months, our respect for each other and our industry has never wavered. Every day I hold my challenge coin in hand as a reminder of the core values for which we stand. While it could be so easy to disconnect during this time, the camaraderie and respect I have witnessed again and again, is inspiring. It is my hope that while we continue to see changes to our communities that may cause stress and worry, we see enough good in our team and its ability to always put safety first, to give us hope.
Together we are stronger. Together we are secure.
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
In Remembrance of Personne Clerval On April 14, 2020 Personne Clerval, a Montreal based G4S employee who has been with us since March 2016, advised us that he was self-isolating as a precaution due to being in contact with non work related individual(s) who were displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
Shortly thereafter, we were notified that he had tested positive and was admitted to the hospital on April 28th for treatment. Despite the medical care provided while in the intensive care unit, his condition deteriorated and he passed away on Wednesday, May 13th at the age of 60. Mr. Clerval was a dedicated and exemplary G4S team member who had been working at our Logistec Port of Montreal account prior to self-isolating. He leaves behind a wife, Soeurette, and three children - Juliana (22), Charles Holly (26) and MarcElie (18). Providing Support So many of you have asked how you can support Personne Clerval’s family during this difficult time. To help ensure that 100% of the proceeds from any fundraising goes to the family, G4S has made it possible to donate directly from your pay cheque. If you are looking to do a one-time donation, or regular donation for the next 2, 3 or 4 pay cycles, it is easy to do so. Follow the link below and thank you for your support. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as well as the friends and colleagues he cultivated during his 4-year career with G4S.
Donate To the Clerval Family 2
s NEWS ISSUE 5
Security Training Amidst COVID-19 COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work. Many things we took for granted at G4S in our everyday routines have been affected. Like other areas of the business, training, has been forced to adapt and change to our new reality as well. Before COVID-19, training was conducted face-to-face. As the severity of COVID-19 became apparent, G4S’ National Training Unit (NTU) was tasked with delivering a completely virtual version of the Basic Assessment Program (BAP). This virtual program needed to achieve the same level of quality and consistency as the in-person version in order to staff our business’ rapidly expanding requirements for COVID-19 related coverages. The number of staff required to meet these coverages was fluctuating hour-to-hour as clients were deemed essential services by the government, reducing staff or completely shutting down their business. The NTU convened a virtual meeting and reviewed the task of how to effectively meet the changing staff requirements. Two members took on the task of virtualizing the BAP. They broke it down into its essential components, re-wrote the training presentation and had it ready for delivery by March 20th. The first virtual BAP on March 23rd had more than 32 participants and 3 instructors, all simultaneously learning the new program’s format and timing.
“The feedback from clients was that there was no noticeable change in the knowledge or capability of our staff.” Three other members of the NTU took on the scheduling of the programs for the following four weeks, contacting recruiters and managers to organize training that could accommodate schedules across four time zones. In the first week, fifteen programs were conducted across Canada
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using Virtual Instructor Led Training utilizing five instructors - two per program. Over the next 35 training days the NTU would run 119 training programs, and train roughly 1,400 individuals in the BAP, Crisis Management and Deescalation, Walmart CSR Training and Officer Safety. The NTU is now entering phase two: to deliver a Management of Aggressive Behaviour (MAB) program in a way that meets the needs of our frontline staff at our Gord Hurley, higher risk locations, while also Director, Talent meeting the federal and provincial Development guidelines for social distancing, & Training group interactions and safety. Fortunately, the NTU has shown a knack for out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration skills. Both the Officer Safety and MAB programs had their theory redesigned for Virtual Instructor Led Training, ensuring that the programs reduced duplication of content while still meeting the NTU’s mandate of creating training that is legally compliant, tactically viable and medically sound. The resulting program concept was presented to Toronto Public Health by our National Health and Safety Director Paolo Cotungo, leading to an entire weekend of discussions with Toronto Public Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and several physicians in order to get our program approved. Approval was granted on Sunday, May 3rd, 2020. We are proud to say that this program provides the greatest consideration to both limiting group numbers and physical distancing measures, while maximizing the amount of defensive tactics skills that we can train for in this environment.
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
TIPS to Work From Home Successfully With COVID-19 came changes to our work environment. While we continue to adapt to our new normal, let’s look at some tips and policies surrounding a work from home policy. Until we are back in the office, we have to make the most of our remote working environments. Here’s some tips for staying focused and reminders about protocol.
Manage Your Environment Set up in a quiet space and let those you live with know you are working to avoid interruptions.
Meeting Etiquette Try to speak one at a time and avoid interrupting others while they are speaking. Also, put your cellphone on silent.
Professional Mindset It’s tempting to stay in your PJs, but getting dressed for work will help put you in a professional mindset help you stay productive.
Make sure you desk, office and background are tidy. That might mean removing clutter (especially if you are on video).
When others are speaking, mute your mic. On the flip side, remember to unmute when you’re speaking.
When your focus starts to wane, have quick breaks, whether it is to grab coffee or go for a walk. If you feel worn out, consider taking a vacation day.
Office Policies Apply
Have a To-Do List
Ask yourself “Would I do this at the office?” If the answer is no, use that same rationale for your work from home space.
Before you begin your work, write down all the tasks you need to do for the day. This helps you stay organized & get work tasks accomplished. 4
NEWS ISSUE 5
Journey to G4S:
Featuring Jeffrey Crewe Jeffrey Crewe is an Elite Protection Professional and a regional instructor with G4S Canada. He’s a military and security industry veteran, with experience in the Canadian Reserve Force and seven years of service with G4S. We sat down with Jeffrey to talk about his journey to G4S and how he came to be one of G4S Canada’s top trained guards. ......................................................................
trained guard. We’re mainly utilized for use-of-force
To start, can you tell me about your career arc
One of the biggest tangible benefits of an EPP is their
that led you to where you are today with G4S?
ability for them to operate autonomously. They don’t
At the time I first came to G4S, the Elite Protection
need to be micromanaged. They can be used effectively
division was more in its infancy. It hadn’t had mainstream
as a leadership asset or a bridge to management. In the
adoption within the company yet, as there wasn’t a client
absence of supervisors or if the scenario is mainly secu-
that warranted full-time EPPs. That all changed when we
rity related, tactically speaking, complete command and
took on Billy Bishop Airport as a client. Every member
control could be given to an EPP. They have all the tools
of the first EPP team was hired on from military back-
to do their jobs, and also liaise with emergency services -
grounds, a lot of Reservists, which is my background.
police, fire, ambulance - and get really great benefits out
The job opportunity itself came down from my chain of
of that.
environments, or any environment that requires enforcement or medical response. Why would a client engage EPP services compared to traditional security personnel services?
command within the Reservists, and the requirement at the time was people who were either past, former, ser-
Going back to your journey to G4S, what are some
ving, or presently. I jumped at the opportunity and that’s
skills you have learned that have helped you be
what got my foot in the door with G4S..
successful as an Elite Protection Professional? One of the biggest ones that you’ll notice being around
5
What is an EPP, and what kind of threats are they
one of our EPP personnel is leadership, it’s something
specially trained for preventing or dealing with?
that we hold near and dear to us, because of what
An EPP is short for Elite Protection Professional. In basic
we’re expected to do in whatever environment that we
terms, it’s G4S’ highest level of medically and tactically
are deployed in. We don’t wear the title of EPP lightly.
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
It comes with a lot of responsibility, just to represent ourselves as an entity the way we need to be. The expectations of EPPs are very high, and the services we provide have to meet them. Leadership is an essential skill because wherever we’re utilized we are always working hand-in-hand with traditional security personnel or other tenants, and that’s exactly what’s expected of us, not just to wear the title of leaders, but lead from the front when it’s actually time for that to happen. Another extremely important skill is taking initiative and exercising discretion. Professional competence is huge, but between those things, that’s what we hold near and
EPPs during First Responder Training
dear, or are at the forefront of our minds on a day-to-
an EPP or not. we all take the same training starting
day basis.
with the BAP at the basic level, use of force training, and then on up from there. The only thing that sets us apart
What does an individual need to have in regards
is going farther down that training pipeline than most
to experience and certification if they aspire to
other people outside of the Elite Protection division. It’s
be an EPP?
a lot of training!
The EPP program has tiers to it. In the elite protection division there’s Elite Protection Professionals and Elite
How does G4S help support your training and
Protection Officers. It used to be that the standard was
development?
military or police experience, or in the absence of that
G4S has supported me in a number of ways. One of
having an educational background in law enforcement
the most attractive things to me when I first got the op-
or security - a lot of police foundations or criminology,
portunity to apply for the position was that you spend a
paralegal law etc. Now, it’s been opened up to individuals who are senior, trained and knowledgeable security
lot of your time con-
“You’re working around the most competent, stantly training. That switched on, capable people.... not just warriors, but was right up my alley intellectual warriors. People who are going to do the because I’m always job smarter. Who work smarter instead of harder. And pursuing professional that’s what you get in EPPs.” development however I can. As an EPP,
personnel. Currently there are a lot of members in the division who worked
that’s what’s expected of you. As an EPP you are expec-
their way to become a part of the Elite Protection divi-
ted to contribute to the next generation of trainees by
sion, and it’s mainly been through training. A lot of what
helping coach, or even becoming an instructor in any
makes us what we are is the G4S training pipeline and
given subject matter.
going through it from the ground up. Whether you’re 6
NEWS ISSUE 5
The Elite Protection Professional team
act as escorts, help with terminations, or provide securiWhat does an average day in the life of an EPP
ty for Annual General Meetings. Aside from the Airport,
look like?
other tasks we do include close protection, escorts of
It really depends on the primary task of that EPP is. So
goods, commodities, or people. These come up on a
for instance, at Billy Bishop, where our job is enforce-
contractual basis, often just for a day. We canvas a group
ment of the airport’s grounds, as well as passengers and
of individuals who are available and meet the qualifica-
just about everybody on the premises, you’re looking at
tions, because not everyone has the same training or
a lot of patrolling and projecting presence. You’ll notice
specific skills. A lot of what you’re doing depends on
we dress differently than the rest of our guards com-
your task that you’re being assigned to.
mercially, which is deliberate and has a specific purpose. The presence that our uniform projects does a lot of
Working as an EPP, what have been some of the
our job for us, but it can also be a double edged sword;
highlights for you?
whenever we’re around an environment like an airport,
You know the stars kind of aligned when G4S came
people assume something has gone wrong. So we’re
across my plate. My team and I were hired at the incep-
aware of what we project. Part of that is knowing when
tion of the Billy Bishop contract. Prior to that, there was
to walk around, knowing when to minimize or maximi-
nothing like it, even to this day, there’s nothing like that
ze our presence depending on what the situation calls
contract or the people who work on it. The opportu-
for. Despite the way we look, we do a lot of our work
nities that arise around professional development, in
without going down the road of force, even if we’re dea-
addition to the ability to utilize all of the training you do.
ling with situations where we are looking like we’re going
What’s really great in my opinion, is being depended on.
to have to cross that line - we still do everything we can
Yes, it can give people anxiety, or a pressure to perform,
to avoid it. So we’re very big on crisis intervention, effec-
but the men and women to your left and right are
tive communications, and effective de-escalation in every
mostly like-minded. That pressure to perform doesn’t
way we can before having to get physical.
stop them from doing just that - performing. That’s what I like about it; you’re working around the most compe-
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At Billy Bishop Airport, our day is going to be a lot of
tent, switched on, capable people. If you’re having to use
enforcement related tasks, patrolling, and sometimes we
force, that’s who you want to be out there with - not
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
just warriors, but intellectual warriors. People who are
ferry until a broader response could arrive, since we’re
going to do the job smarter. Who work smarter instead
only trained and equipped to do so much. The priori-
of harder. And that’s what you get in EPPs.
ty was safety. We isolated the individual so that if the worst were to happen there would be minimal casual-
Tell me a challenging situation that you dealt with
ties. This turned out to be the right call since nobody
and how you turned it into a successful outcome.
got seriously hurt or worse. We were hailed for making
I mentioned that one of the best things about the role
the right decision by the Toronto Police, who we make
of an EPP is being given the power to exercise discreti-
a point of maintaining a good relationship with. As
on and having autonomy. Billy Bishop Airport is very big
security, we want them to view us and our personnel as
on us exercising our discretion. We knew exactly where to incorporate the them and what lines needed to be crossed for us to defer decisions to them outside of our own. There was one particular situation I can remember where we had a member of the public who made his way onto the ferry to the island and caused a disturbance. He appeared to be under the influence, and his
competent, trustworthy and reliable, and that’s exactly
behaviour was making onlookers, passengers and other
the response we got from their assessment of how we
tenants of the airport think they had some sort of
handled this situation.
explosive device on their person. Right away we get the call since we’re the initial responders. Our job isn’t to
That’s what I like about this stuff. You’re not told exactly
show up, parachute right into the action and start get-
what to do in the Elite Protection Division. You don’t
ting physical. It’s to first assess and get more information
have your hand held through situations. You enter gray
since initial reports aren’t the most accurate. We want
areas where you have to exercise discretion. And you
to get there, have the opportunity to gather intelligen-
get lots of opportunities to step outside your comfort
ce, and then start game planning - how we’re going to
zone, which in my experience is ultimately the best way
intervene, is it within our power to intervene, or do we
to learn.
need to escalate. In this particular case, the client didn’t know what to do in this situation since it hadn’t happe-
Thanks for sharing your journey, your experien-
ned in the airport’s existence. We can’t accurately di-
ce at G4S and the things you’ve learned with us
agnose people with our eyes, so we opted not to close
Jeffrey.
the distance between us and the individual. Nor did we
Thank you.
try to validate whether there were explosives involved or not. After checking out the situation with the client, we got the go ahead to take the ferry out into the middle of Lake Ontario. Nobody was allowed on or off the
------If you want to share your Journey to G4S or know someone who has an interesting story to tell, please share with us. Send a note to us at Newsletter@ca.g4s.com. 8
NEWS ISSUE 5
G4S Values in Action On a daily basis G4S security personnel save lives, prevent robberies, save individuals from harm, protect customer assets and place themselves at risk to protect our customers and the public. For this edition of the G4S Newsletter, we would like to highlight members who live our values each and every day.
INTEGRITY Jesse Borg Security Guard Client: WalMart “I work as a cashier at Napanee Walmart and I would like to express my gratitude for the security guards that are now at our store. All of them have been great, however Jesse Borg stands out to me as remarkJesse Borg able. I am always on a busy register right by the door and I am constantly seeing Mr. Borg go above and beyond his regular duties. He is extremely friendly with our guests while ensuring they follow physical distancing, as well as taking the time to wash and sanitize our carts when he’s not too busy managing the line into the store. When I approached Mr. Borg to tell him he was doing an amazing job, his response was so beautiful. He replied that he is in a customer service establishment and therefore friendly and helpful service is all part of the gig. He is just a very pleasant and efficient gentleman. Thank you for sending us such wonderful help and thank you for taking the time to read this message. I hope you stay healthy and happy through this pandemic.” Vikki Henderson, Cashier at store #1041 Mirjana Stijakovic Screening Officer Client: CATSA “I would like to recognize screening officer Mirjana Stijakovic, who has been relieved to go home with pay on separate occasions. Every time she has been offered the 7 9
option to go on early paid-leave, she’s instead selflessly offered her leave to other screening officers who may be considered at higher risk, although this was not required. On another occasion she offered to stay late to support operations. Having already been relieved to go home with pay, she has continued to offer to come in and let us know that we could call her if she is needed for operations.”
RESPECT Training Team “I’d like to take a quick moment to give a shout out. Naturally these times are challenging as we are faced with obstacles that impact the people we serve, the people who serve, our families, friends and ourselves. This challenge is stressful for everybody, especially for those facing it on the frontlines in the field. Uncertainty can be overwhelming. Despite the physical distancing requirements, remember that you are not on an island. I’ve got your 6. I’d like to express a sincere Thank You to all the G4S teams.” - Ryan Cole, Manager of Emergency and Security Services
SAFETY & SECURITY Vikas Singh Security Guard Client: Shopify On March 23rd, a fire broke out in an abandoned building, often used by the homeless, next to the customers facility. The guard providing extra coverage noticed the fire and quickly escalated the situation. He repositioned himself outside the building in the rain to keep an eye on the situation and to communicate to the client any impact it may have on their business until the fire was contained and put out.
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The lead G4S guard for this client, who was on a patrol at another highrise location a couple blocks away, spotted the fire from a 10th floor window and quickly responded to support the team as well.
was arrested and a sawed-off double barrel shotgun was found on his person. A gun was taken off the street, everyone went home safe, and our guards did a phenomenal job investigating and assisting with this incident.
The client has given this team a commendation a number of times over the past few weeks. Since the offices are now closed to all non-essential personnel, the guards have been a great set of eyes and ears that the client can depend on during their time of need. Monitoring for any negative impact to the business, communicating thoroughly and in a timely manner to the client provides them with the support and confidence they need in these trying times.
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Jenna DeHart, City of Oshawa Supervisor Bob Hoult, General Manager, GTA East Client: City of Oshawa On Thursday night a pipe burst at a warming centre in Oshawa. Our Supervisor Jenna contacted Bob Hoult immediately to let him know that they were going to move these individuals to City Hall to stay warm. For those who are unaware, we provide security at Oshawa’s City Hall (it also contains the Control Centre that we operate). Jenna and Bob both jumped in their cars in the middle of the night to head over to assist. This included working with City Councillors and the Mayor who all attended to help with the situation. They carried water from the Mayor’s office and helped set up tables and sleeping arrangements. Bob, Jenna and the security team were instrumental in securing the location and ensuring everyone was kept safe while maintaining physical distancing.
Ever since he has started helping out as our security guard he has gone above and beyond his duties and is essentially a part of our team. He knows how to control the traffic when clients are coming in and continually ensures that physical distancing is maintained. I know I can speak for the rest of the team in saying that he has been such an absolute pleasure and joy to work with and we would love to continue working together with him as long as we can. The staff has shared nothing but positive feedback about him and hope that this is shared to give him the recognition that he deserves.
Mukhtar Omar Security Guard Client: TD Bank I just wanted to take some time to share some feedback regarding Mukhtar who has been helping us as our security guard at our TD Canada Trust branch on 32nd Ave.
Kyle Wightman Regional General Manager - Eastern Region “I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate the great response time from G4S and Kyle regarding any issues that arise! We really appreciate David and the female guard that was here this morning as they both are able to execute what we need seamlessly! They are doing a fantastic job supporting us during this time!” - Store Manager Loblaws Rideau
“[Mukhtar] has been such an absolute pleasure and joy to work with and we would love to continue working together with him as long as we can.” - TD Bank
Himatjeet Singh and Ankush Arora Security Guards Client: Toronto Community Housing G4S guards Himatjeet Singh and Ankush Arora observed a male in the lobby with what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband. Upon further investigation, our guards subsequently contacted the Community Safety Unit to have officers attend and arrest the suspect. The male
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NEWS ISSUE 5
Eric Desmeules Site Supervisor Client: CIBC Montreal, QC “I want to thank you for your professionalism and support during this difficult time. You are a pillar and always on the job to ensure the security of the site as much as our employees. Thank you for your excellent work and have a good day.” “Comme je t’ai dit hier, je tiens à te remercier pour ton professionnalisme et ton support dans cette période difficile. Tu es un pilier et toujours au poste pour assurer la sécurité autant du site que nos employés.Merci pour ton excellent travail et bonne journée.” Marie-Josée Pelletier, Physical Security Manager Rolly Nima Shako Security Guard Client: TD Bank “I just want to share and highlight the exceptional work Rolly did while working together. Rolly was always present, punctual and ready to help. He really is a part of the team and he’s always in the right place at the right time. He is always aware of what is going on and steps in using a polite manner to intercept with clients when necessary. I felt it was important to share as he truly exceeded all our expectations.” - Sandra Nehma, Branch Manager, TD Bank, LaSalle Branch Justin Humphreys Security Guard Client: Walmart “Just reaching out to share a story about how we recently had a guard on post at a Walmart in Hamilton help us secure an opportunity by being a positive example while on duty. On May 1st Justin Humphreys was approached by a Tim Horton’s franchise owner who was impressed by his presence and deportment. She engaged Justin in a conversation about how to secure security services with G4S and was provided with my contact info. This short interaction created enough of a positive impression about G4S that she reached out to me that day and asked how she could get a guard like Justin to assist at her store when they are given the green light to re-open. We have since secured a contract with this franchisee and Brian 11
Reid is working on further growing this opportunity. Justin is always quick to look for opportunities for G4S and has actually passed along prospects he encounters while on duty or through things he sees in the local news. A great example of how a front line guard can influence a prospective opportunity in a positive manner.” Pete Konstantonis, Branch Manager
TEAMWORK Tracy Hughes & Rod Meneses Kingston, Ontario Tracy Hughes and Rod Meneses didn’t hesitate to step up and help single-mom and colleague, Kristina Sutton, with regular check-ins and food deliveries so that she didn’t have to expose her two year old to potentially being exposed to the virus. Tracy Hughes Area Manager Kristina Sutton & Client: 3SO her son Kyle, I wish to acknowledge the hard work of your team, in particular, Tracy, for going above and beyond expectations. Tracy has worked long hours to ensure we have the resources we need in-spite of the many challenges and barriers we have around recruitment, scheduling, and quality of guards. Please let her know that we appreciate her work and we see her as a vital part of our team. -Rocky
------When you notice one of your G4S colleagues living our values, send us an email sharing your story to Newsletter@ca.g4s.com
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Innovation in Action: Donna Bakrania When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, organizations had to come up with different ideas to run their businesses while considering social distancing. G4S Secure Solutions being essential service providers, had to rely on the recruitment team to hire a higher volume of applicants into the business. As a result, more people were visiting the branches to collect uniforms and other necessary equipment to perform their duties at the frontlines. The visitors / new recruits had to fill paper-based health screening questionnaires Donna Bakrania which if mishandled, could Human Resources act as a carrier for the Administrator COVID-19 virus. I felt that all of my colleagues working at the front end were at risk and the only solution to stop the virus was to break the chain. I had seen the QR codes being used in different industries for the exchange of information. I thought this tool would be a simple, yet effective solution to collect information for the Health Screening Questionnaire without any physical contact between employees and visitors. The main advantage of the QR code is that it can capture information electronically thus avoiding the exchange of physical papers. Handling these papers requires PPE equipment which could incur added operational cost to the organization. Moreover, QR codes can be scanned very quickly and easily thus avoiding line-up of visitors
outside G4S branches and offices. A separate QR code poster was designed and was posted at the entrance of all G4S locations. The poster is self-explanatory and the visitor has to simply scan the QR code using the camera on their smartphones. This QR code directs them to the electronic health questionnaire. Once the visitor submits the form, all the responses are visible to the branch representative in real-time. The majority of people today own a smartphone and can easily scan the QR code and fill the information from their own device in no time. The whole process is quick and easy, and most importantly it does not require any major investments. Currently, QR code posters are being used for the following: • Health check for visitors/new recruits coming to any of the G4S locations • Employee health checks prior to starting the work day. This helps us keep the client safe and confident about our service. • Walk-ins can apply for jobs using QR codes. This minimizes the recruiter’s physical contact with people. Future potential uses: • Managing Job fair applicants • Job application through QR code on Social Media platforms • Queue management for customers/clients • Paperless communication and surveys
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NEWS ISSUE 5
Shout Outs in G4S Aviation Vancouver International Airport In March, a proud moment of service excellence was displayed recently from the team at South checkpoint, in Vancouver International Airport. A family travelling from Kamloops to YVR and then YVR to Calgary had just experienced a massive loss in their immediate family. They had been travelling with three urns which contained ashes of the deceased. The South team handled and transferred the family professionally and with care, expediting them through the screening process in a swift, polite and professional way. The 3 urns had to be swabbed by the Explosives Trace Detectors and were handled with the utmost care. We thank you for your care and sensitivity with these passengers and we value your hard work. Jodi Smith Screening Officer Smithers Airport, BC Jodi not only delivers exceptional customer service to every single individual traveling through the airport, but she also inspires those on her team to follow her example. She has become a customer service role model for all screening officers at her base. On the operational side, she makes sure that her team is updated on the latest changes to standard operating procedures and arranges more training sessions with her team than we have ever seen at any regional airport. Vancouver International Airport Last night as I was leaving PBS International line 6 following the C+ Stand Alone exercise when I witnessed a Screening Officer (who wishes to not to be named) prevent a breach on the end of line 5. A passenger had pulled her bin from a cart on the reject side over to the clear side 13
to pick up her belongings and leave while the attention of the Physical Search of Bag officer on that line was on another passenger. The repack officer moved in quickly and stopped the passenger before the situation got out of control. This Screening Officer’s situational awareness and focus saved us there, especially with a Manager of Service Delivery, Performance Officer, two Operations Managers and a Duty Manager right there on the next line over. She was very clear that she did not want any kind of public attention for this, but I still feel that it should be rewarded. Rick Singh, Niel Chia Vancouver International Airport To assist physical distancing in the workplace we have been sending Screening Officers home early with pay where possible. We were relieving Screening officers from the International border and two of our Shop Stewards Rick Singh and Niel Chia both opted to give up their spots and give it to two of their fellow officers Pamela Rego and Smita Dave. They said both Screening Officers deserve to go ahead of them because they are hard workers, they show up for work and never complain. They are good people and they get along with everyone. Both Rick and Niel stayed for the remainder of their shift. John Bautista Another kind act was carried out by Screening Officer John Bautista who gave up his seniority spot to Cesar Caceres who had child care issues that day. It is small acts of kindness like this that shine bright in challenging times like today.
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Is the Uncertainty Getting You Down? You aren’t alone. Reach out, we’re here to help.
These are stressful times. Physical distancing, market uncertainty, health concerns for our friends and loved ones and no definitive end in sight - it is no wonder that we are feeling “off” or a little antsy. When it becomes more than you feeling a little off, we want you to take advantage of the resources out there.
connect virtually with their clinicians, using your phone, computer or tablet. Here’s how to get started:
“We encourage any employee feeling any sort of depression, anxiety or significant stress, to reach out to our HR team or go straight to any number of local agencies for help,” says Cedric MacKellar, SVP Human Resources. “We provide a number of services that are free to any employee who needs them. There is no shame in reaching out. These are tough times for many and it’s important to keep your safety and health a priority.”
Select “Express Care Online Subscription” and choose a clinician from the list. You will then be directed to a virtual waiting room, and after a short wait, you can talk to a provider in real-time to describe your health concerns.
If you are in crisis, please go immediately to your local hospital, call 911 or contact a local crisis centre to seek help. G4S Health & Wellness Resources: Compsych Guidance Resources: Mental Health is important. Guidance Resources is available to you and household members 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist with virtually any issue home, work, or personal. For access, go to Guidanceresouces.com. If it is your first time, make sure you click on “Register” and then use the Web ID “G4SCAN” Local Agencies: Wellness Together Canada: Wellness Together Canada provides free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed. Learn More Cover Health: Speak to a Canadian licensed doctor over the phone or by video and it’s covered by OHIP. Doctors can deal with most issues remotely thus avoiding the need to travel, long waittimes and risk of exposure to COVID-19. Learn More Cleveland Clinic: Cleveland Clinic is offering Express Care Online through the end of May 2020. This valuable service allows you to
Download the Cleveland Clinic Express Care Online app on your mobile device and “sign up”. When prompted, enter your unique service key: CCC
Kids Feel Stress Too: Kids feel sadness, worry, loneliness and anxiety just like adults. It would be a mistake to think that while they are enjoying time off school they may not be feeling some of the same worries that we do. While some kids love the excuse social distancing gives them to stay home and “veg-out,” others are missing the structure and consistency that comes from their daily routine. Stay aware. Here are some of the the signs that your child or teen may be stressed: • Excessive crying or irritation in younger children • Returning to behaviours they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting) • Excessive worry or sadness • Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits • Irritability and “acting out” behaviours in teens • Difficulty with attention and concentration • Avoidance of activities they previously enjoyed • Unexplained headaches or body pain If your kids need someone to speak with, that isn’t you, encourage them to call Kids Help Phone at 1.800.668.6868. Kids Help Phone: Whether by phone, text, mobile app or through their website, Kids Help Phone is always open for young people in any moment of crisis or need. They offer free, confidential professional counselling, information, referrals and volunteer-led, textbased support to young people in both English and French.
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2020 Summit Award Nominations are Now Open!
The annual G4S Summit Awards are held each year to honour employees from across Canada who represent our G4S Values.Summit Award winners are nominated by their peers and, if selected as a winner, are invited to an all-expenses-paid trip to the ceremony. Last year, the Summit Awards were held in Vancouver, British Columbia. 2019 Award Winners included Moses Aderinoye and Gurcharn Purewal. Moses Aderinoye - Guard of the Year Moses is a team player and a role model for all of our guards on the Toronto Community Housing Contract. He has worked at some of the most high risk neighbourhoods in Toronto, including a number of sites which are often in the news for having problems. Oct 21st 2019, Moses attended an active fire at 423 Yonge Street. Moses was notified by a tenant of a smoke alarm and went in to see what was wrong. Upon getting no answer at the door, he noticed it was slightly open. He could see smoke that originated from a tire on the tenants mobile scooter. The tenant himself was elderly and had fallen on the floor and was unable to get up due to mobility issues. Moses acted quickly and used a soaking wet towel to smother the fire, and then contacted 911 and our TCH dispatch. Moses received praises from TCH and the Special Constables on his quick thinking in what was a life threatening incident for the tenant of the unit. If it were not for his bravery, the tenant would have surely passed away. On May 8th 2019, Moses had positively identified a female on-site who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. Due to his information sharing and quick thinking he was 15
able to trace her location within the property, which allowed the Toronto Police Services to make an arrest. The female was charged with a number of offences. It was a great pleasure to recognize Moses for his hard work, dedication and passion for community safety Moses Aderinoye and partnership with 2019 G4S Guard of TCH and Toronto Police the Year Services. Darren Pedersen, SVP, Manned Guarding Canada
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Gurcharn was awarded Screener of the Year, alongside G4S executives and our client, CATSA, on stage.
“Hard work is it’s own reward” Gurcharn Purewal - Screener of the Year Gurcharn has lived by those words for us, passengers, and our client for 33 years. During her tenure with G4S she’s been through a lot of changes. When she first started, x-ray machines were still in black and white, and there was no such thing as an explosive tracing section or full body scanners. But throughout the years she always kept up, kept focused and made sure she delivered. She’s known to be very kind and very courteous. Helping people is her passion. Not only her colleagues, but our client as well. Gurcharn has been the subject of letters to CATSA in regards to her ability to turn what could have been a very negative experience into a positive one. We use the slogan “Every flight safe, every time.” The work our screeners do every day can become very repetitive. We try to remind our screeners that for every flight at our airports, you have to be on top of your game to ensure every flight is safe. Gucharn doesn’t need to be reminded. She is always constantly thinking and speaking to herself to make sure she is staying on top of her game and going above and beyond. She truly believes that YVR is a family and that to be successful we need to be focused, happy and work as a team. Congratulations
Gurcharn, you’re a role model for all Screening Officers to live up to “Every flight safe, every time.” Remco Loevendie COO, Aviation Division 2020 has certainly provided its fair share of challenges, but true to form, our employees continue to take the opportunity to showcase how amazing they truly are. Those who go above and beyond deserve our thanks and our recognition. If you see someone do something extraordinary for a client, a team member or even a stranger, please consider nominating them for a Summit Award. Visit
www.G4S.ca/awards Select the category that best describes their accomplishment. Provide a detailed description as to why you feel your colleague is deserving of a specific award Winners will be selected in December 2020 by a committee composed of managers from across Canada. Remember: Consideration will NOT be given to those who submit nominations for themselves or for one word answers! The nominations close on November 30, 2020.
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Community Support Wear it Red for Nova Scotia On April 24th Canadians were asked to wear red to honour the 22 victims and all of the families and friends affected by the tragic shooting in Nova Scotia. We wanted to let our team members, who were affected personally by this tragedy, know that they weren’t alone. The G4S team stands strong with Nova Scotia, and we showed our support through the through #WearRedFriday social media campaign. Our team posted pictures of themselves and their families wearing red on social media, including the hashtag #G4SStandsWithNovaScotia.
G4S “Lights It Up Blue” for World Autism Awareness Day This year for Autism Awareness Day we asked our team members across the country to show their support by wearing blue and posting to social media with #lightitupblue. The response was nothing less than amazing. Peter Panaritis shared his thoughts on why it was important to support this day:
“This is something near and dear to my heart because as you may know, my son, Ioanni, has ASD. He, along with the other children and adults living with Autism are going Thank you to everyone who took time to think about the through something different and challenging right now. lives lost and those who are left to grieve during this unWith school closures affecting their routines and being certain time. Together, we’ll come out of this as a stronger away from their peers they are at risk of extreme anxiety team. and depression and we are seeing this in Ioanni as well. We are doing our best to provide a safe and positive environment for him during this period of uncertainty and the most important thing we can all do is stay positive for him. We continue to engage him in conversations to help ease his anxiety; keep him active - we enjoy walks around the neighbourhood; and encourage social media connections with his extended friends and family. We will get through this, together.” We had 52 employees “Lightitupblue” by wearing blue in support of World Autism Awareness Day and helping raise $500 for our charity partner, Jake’s House. 17
A G4S C ANADA PUBLIC ATION – SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Left: Screening Officers at Captain Casey’s memorial. Above: Snowbirds uniform now on display at YCD as a tribute.
Screening Officers Honour Snowbird Pilot Jennifer Casey On May 18th, The Snowbirds were performing a flyover of Kamloops as part of Operation Inspiration - a salute to frontline workers. We had four Screening Officers working that day at the nearby YKA airport, prior to the flight going out they all stood at the Airport with passengers and the community. Tragically one of the jets crashed, killing RCAF Captain Jennifer Casey. The four screening officers were devastated and shocked by the horrific accident, but demonstrated strength and courage by continuing to work. They not only screened passengers, but talked with them to help process the tragic accident and provide comfort. The flight they were screening was not cancelled and resumed with a small delay due to the closure of Airspace. At Captain Jenn Casey’s memorial, the screening officers laid a wreath and collected money that was donated to the local legions. It was extremely touching to see this group come together and attend this event in full uniform.
G4S Canada Donates $25,000 to Local Food Banks During the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme unemployment rates have led to higher demand and dependency on Canada’s food banks. On average, food banks are seeing surges of 30 to 50%, leading to extreme shortages, often running with only a few days’ supplies on hand. To help support Canadians who are struggling during this
time, G4S Canada donated $25,000 to more than 45 food banks - one in each city we operate. While we hope this will provide many meals to families and people in need, we know food banks will continue to struggle. Many of us are lucky to continue working throughout this pandemic. There are many who are facing challenges beyond the inconvenience of physical distancing. We hope each and every one of you, who is able, can make a donation to your local food bank as well. You can find one in your area through a simple google search or by going to www.foodbankscanada.ca.
G4S Raises Money for Healthcare Workers G4S Canada bought 150 “Conquer COVID-19” shirts with all of the proceeds being donated towards providing PPE to healthcare workers and facilities across Canada. A special Thank You goes out to Lindsay Collicott for organizing this effort! 18
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................................................................... Publisher Peter Panaritis, CEO Editor at Large Danielle Parney Director, Marketing & Communications Graphic Design & Layout Copywriter/Contributor Landon Bailey Marketing & Communications Specialist www.g4s.ca
................................................................... Newsletter Stories? Ideas? Email: newsletter@ca.g4s.com Previous newsletters can be found on our website www.g4s.ca.
