Chartership, experience and giving something back

When you’ve worked in security for a long time, experience counts for a lot. But there is also value in stepping back, putting that experience to the test and having it independently assessed against a recognised professional standard. 

That is something our Director of Physical Security & Risk, Gavin Wilson, has done this year by becoming a Chartered Security Professional. 

At the same time, Toro has become an official supporter of the Register of Chartered Security Professionals. Both milestones came together at the CSyP Annual Dinner on 29 September, where Gavin received his certificate and Toro was announced as a supporter. 

For Gavin, Chartership recognises his experience and the standard he has reached professionally. For Toro, supporting the Register is about backing high professional standards and contributing to the profession beyond our own business. 

More than experience alone 

Becoming a Chartered Security Professional isn’t simply about how long someone has worked in security. Applicants are independently assessed across security knowledge, practical application, communication, leadership and personal commitment. They also need to demonstrate strategic impact in their field and go through a professional interview. 

Importantly, Chartership isn’t something you achieve and then forget about. Chartered Security Professionals are expected to continue their professional development and comply with a Code of Professional Conduct. 

Gavin’s route to Chartership 

Gavin has worked across the security industry for nearly three decades. As Toro’s Director of Physical Security & Risk, his work involves advising on strategic security decisions, shaping security strategy and developing proportionate approaches to risk. 

Becoming Chartered gave him the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day work and look at that experience as a whole. 

“I’ve worked in security for a long time and felt I’d reached the point where becoming Chartered was the right next step. What I liked about the process was that it wasn’t just about qualifications or how long you’ve been doing the job. You have to look properly at the experience you’ve built up, how you’ve applied it and the decisions you’ve made along the way. 

It was actually useful to step back and look at my career as a whole. I’m proud to have become Chartered, but for me it isn’t about adding letters after my name. It’s about gaining peer recognition, continuing to learn, sharing what I’ve picked up over the years and hopefully giving something back to the profession.” 

Gavin Wilson CSyP, Director of Physical Security & Risk, Toro Solutions 

That last point is particularly important to Gavin. Having achieved Chartership himself, he has already offered to support other applicants and contribute in other areas where his experience can be useful. 

Why Toro has become a supporter 

Gavin’s Chartership also got us thinking about what supporting professional standards should look like for Toro. We didn’t want to simply congratulate him, add CSyP after his name and leave it there. 

Developing our people has always been important to Toro. So has making sure the advice we give clients is grounded in experience, good judgement and a proper understanding of risk. 

We want to raise awareness of Chartership, encourage more security professionals to consider the CSyP pathway and play an active part in the wider professional community. That means contributing where our experience can be useful, rather than simply putting another supporter logo on the website. 

What does it mean for Toro? 

Security isn’t always about finding one technically correct answer. Often, the real challenge is understanding the threat, working out what matters and deciding what is genuinely necessary and proportionate. That requires technical knowledge and experience, but it also requires judgement, communication and sometimes the confidence to challenge the obvious answer. 

Supporting the Register doesn’t make Toro a Chartered business, just as Gavin’s individual Chartership isn’t an accreditation for Toro as a whole. What it does do is allow us to back an independent professional standard that reflects many of the things we think matter in good security practice. 

Giving something back 

Receiving his certificate was the culmination of Gavin’s own Chartership process. Becoming a supporter gives Toro a different opportunity to contribute. 

Security is an industry built on knowledge passed between people. The longer you’re part of it, the more opportunity you have to share what you’ve learnt and help develop the people coming through behind you. 

Through our support for the Register, we want to encourage professional development, help others considering Chartership and contribute our own experience where it can be useful. 

And hopefully, Gavin won’t be the last person at Toro to take the Chartered route.