Published: March 29, 2017

A major new contract with the multi-national, professional services network PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) has been awarded to Pilgrims, following an extensive tendering process.

Under its terms, in April, Pilgrims will take over responsibility for delivery of PWC's security services which include guarding and security operations centre management and the travel security programme.

Well known around the world, PWC is a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 208,0000 people delivering assurance, advisory and tax services. Pilgrims has a long-standing relationship with PWC supporting its businesses in various locations around the world, including Baghdad, Dubai and London.

William Freear, Pilgrims Group Managing Director commented: “PWC quite rightly has extremely high standards and, as you might expect, their procurement process was intelligent, innovative, inspiring, extremely thorough and competitive. I am very proud that our people and our way of doing things – which is tailoring our approach to our clients’ needs - shone through and won the day. PWC understood and appreciated our global, intelligence-led, enterprise-wide approach to security risk management, and our own exacting requirements in supporting their business. They were also aware of the contribution Pilgrims has made to the industry in London, supporting the Register of Chartered Security Professionals, the Security Institute and other industry partnerships and events.

Pilgrims, which has won several industry excellence awards for its work, has an unblemished security record and provides extensive training for guarding and front of house roles. Anthony Wisdom, Pilgrims Senior Operations Manager Manned Guarding, explains, “Every officer is, of course, SIA (Security Industry Authority) licenced but it is the company’s thoughtful approach to security and how we recognise and support our security officers that makes a big difference to the service we are able to offer. The men and women we place on our front of house and guarding contracts are professionals and we test and challenge them accordingly through extensive and regular training. We empower them and give them pride in their work. I believe this enables them not just to be more fulfilled employees but, most importantly, to be more alive to the risks the client might face and more thoughtful and diligent in their approach. This has never been more important than it is today, with daily threats that can occur anywhere, anytime, from terrorism to organised crime.”

The premises Pilgrims will be responsible for include PWC’s iconic London headquarters, Embankment Place, on the banks of the Thames, opposite the London Eye.

“We like to get into the heart of our clients’ operations to make sure we are delivering exactly what they need”, adds David Freear, COO “and that includes the softer, customer-facing side, as well as the harder business end of risk management services. The first person you see when you enter a building is often the security guard and front-of-house staff. The way they approach and deal with you can give a lasting impression of an organisation and that’s why every aspect of their professionalism counts. We take our responsibility extremely seriously.”

The partnership is for five years with an opportunity to extend.