COREDINATE is headline sponsor of the UKSICA Security Operator of the Year Awards 2026

Since 2017 we have run the Sicherheitsmitarbeiter des Jahres, Germany's award for security officers who do more than the rota asks of them. Now we are backing the same idea in the UK: COREDINATE is the headline sponsor of the UKSICA Security Operator of the Year Awards 2026.

In short: The UKSICA Security Operator of the Year Awards 2026 recognise security officers from every sector of the UK's private security industry, with presentations at the winners' own workplaces. Cash prizes go up to £1,250, and nominations open soon.

Who is behind UKSICA

The United Kingdom Security Industry Compliance Association is an independent, industry-led body for compliance and assurance in the UK's private security sector. Security businesses join voluntarily to become registered, verified or accredited. The process includes integrity checks on company directors, and the scheme covers 29 sectors of the industry.

One distinction matters here: UKSICA is not a regulator, and it makes a point of saying so. Statutory regulation sits with the Security Industry Authority, which licenses individual operatives and runs the Approved Contractor Scheme for businesses. Voluntary assurance layers on top of that, alongside trade bodies such as the BSIA and certification through the NSI.

The awards turn that attention from companies to individual officers. We think the shift is right. A certificate describes how a business intends to operate; whether it holds up is down to the officer on the night shift.

Awards that travel to the winners

The Security Operator of the Year Awards 2026 run under the banner of “On The Road”: UKSICA takes the awards to the winners at their own workplaces, anywhere in the UK.

The format has a practical history. UKSICA had been waiting on a venue to confirm but, after repeated delays, decided not to wait any longer. The awards now go to the winners instead.

The top three receive cash prizes: £1,250 for first place, £500 for second and £250 for third. The awards are also backed by the trade union Security Industry Federation (SIF), along with Protect Card, Audax Global Solutions and Moonhub.

Why a German company is sponsoring a UK award

We have watched the idea work for nine years with our own award, which has honoured nine winners, most recently Katja Schwan of Pond Security Service GmbH. Time and again, the nomination alone is a kind of thanks few officers ever hear on shift.

The UK is familiar ground for us. COREDINATE is in use at more than 1,300 companies worldwide, and one of our largest projects is with EKFB on UK rail infrastructure: 150 sites, more than 500 daily users and around 10,000 patrols a month.

Nominations open soon

UKSICA is handling nominations and will open them shortly. The association will announce the details on its LinkedIn page; you can read more about its work at uksica.org. If someone on your team consistently goes beyond the job description, keep an eye out for that announcement.

Frequently asked questions about the awards

Who can be nominated for the Security Operator of the Year Awards?

Security officers from all sectors of the UK's private security industry, from manned guarding to event security.

What do the winners receive?

The top three receive cash prizes of £1,250, £500 and £250. The awards are presented at the winners' own workplaces.

What is the difference between UKSICA and the SIA?

The SIA is the statutory regulator of the UK private security industry and issues the licences operatives are legally required to hold. UKSICA is a voluntary association with no regulatory powers, which assesses and grades businesses on top of that.

Who is COREDINATE?

COREDINATE is a German provider of guard tour systems, used by more than 1,300 companies worldwide, including on major UK infrastructure projects. Since 2017 the company has also run Germany's Sicherheitsmitarbeiter des Jahres award.