Winchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership has been awarded the new National Standards Accreditation.
This accreditation recognises good practice and professionalism, ensuring that the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) is functioning in an ethical manner and within the law, specifically ensuring compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.
The standards include good management practices and procedures such as membership agreements, data security and compliance with current legislation. It includes having robust information for members and partner organisations that is up to date as well as making it easily accessible 24/7.
Sophie Jordan, an assessor from the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships said:
“Congratulations to Winchester BID for achieving the National Standards Accreditation for their work in the prevention and detection of business crime in Winchester City.
Winchester is one of the first partnerships in the UK to achieve this accreditation with the new standard, which has a much higher and more challenging criteria than the previous accreditation standard.
The standards have been raised to provide higher confidence in Business Crime Reduction Partnerships for Businesses, Police and partner agencies.
I am delighted to announce that Winchester has achieved this high standard of accreditation following their assessment.
It was an absolute pleasure to visit Winchester for their assessment and see the good work and best practice for business crime reduction that the local Crime Manager has instigated, that Winchester BID is able to offer to businesses within the City. Well done Winchester!”
Jane Bastock the Winchester Business Crime Reduction Manager said:
“I am delighted that we have passed this assessment and been accredited. We have a good relationship with members of the partnership, including local businesses and partner agencies. The focus is to proactively address crime and anti-social behaviour that affects our city and business owners throughout the day and during the night-time economy.”
Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), which is often referred to by its most successful crime prevention initiative, Secured by Design, accredits BCRPs on a set of standards owned by the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC).
The standards were created by a group of industry professionals, led by Martin Blackwell, former Chief Executive Officer, of the Association of Town and City Management and including representatives from the NBCC, leading staff from the BCRP sector and business.
Accreditation is designed to enhance the level of partnership working nationally and encourage continued, significant, national business investment in BCRPs. In addition, the intention is that it will provide reassurance to Police Forces that data shared with BCRP partner organisations will be utilised in a responsible manner to reduce criminal activity.
BCRPs are subscription-based, business-led, non-profit making action groups, often associated with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), working with Police Forces and Local Authorities to gather intelligence and share information to tackle crime and disorder affecting businesses from multi-chain retailers and small independent shops through to pubs and restaurants and nightclubs. There are approximately 400 BCRPs operating in the UK, seeking to make their local communities safer places to live, work and visit.
BCRPs are encouraged to contact one of the two Assessing Organisations working with the NBCC that have been authorised to carry out assessments leading to accreditation. They are the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships and Revive & Thrive.
For more information about the Winchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership, please click here.
