Sarah Austerberry is the Chief Executive Officer of the Security Institute, bringing over 25 years of experience working for and with UK Government security functions.
Throughout her career, she has provided expert advice, training and support to critical national infrastructure sectors, helping to strengthen national resilience and insider risk management.
As the founder of Au Security Consultancy, Sarah specialises in insider risk, drawing on her deep understanding of organisational security and culture.
She is a Principal of the Register of Security Engineers and Specialists, a Chartered Security Professional and a Fellow of the Security Institute, reflecting her leadership, professionalism and longstanding contribution to the security sector.
The UK security profession is entering a defining stage of its evolution.
The challenges we face are increasingly complex and interconnected – geopolitical uncertainty, digital disruption, social instability and hybrid threats are reshaping the landscape of risk.
To respond effectively, we need more than individual expertise; we need coherence.
The strength of our profession will be defined by how well we connect our diverse capabilities into a single, purposeful voice.
At the Security Institute, we have long championed professionalisation – ensuring that those who operate within security are recognised for their competence, ethics and contribution to public safety.
But professionalism in 2026 must go beyond structure and standards. It must embody collaboration. Our sector is rich with specialisms: Corporate, protective, cyber, resilience, intelligence, crisis management and more.
Each plays a vital role, but the true measure of progress is how these disciplines work together to anticipate, prevent and respond to risk.
This year, our focus is on weaving those threads into a more connected and confident profession.
We are also witnessing an important shift in the relationship between government and the private sector.
The delivery of national resilience increasingly depends on partnership.
The creation of the S12 Security Guarding Leadership Group represents a significant step forward.
Its focus on the frontline services and on providing a single, coordinated point of engagement with government is essential.
As the demands on public services continue to grow, the private sector will play an ever more critical role in supporting the nation’s safety and continuity.
However, the frontline is only one part of the wider security ecosystem.
Beyond it lies a network of professionals – strategists, advisors, analysts and technical specialists – whose work underpins both national and organisational resilience.
That is where the Security Institute’s role and my own focus, sits. Our aim is to ensure that the whole profession has a voice, that those across every domain of security are recognised, connected and empowered to contribute.
Collaboration is not just about alignment; it’s about impact.
When we work together, we reduce duplication of effort, make better use of limited resources and ensure that our collective voice carries further.
In a time when budgets and bandwidth are tight, unity is both a strategic and practical necessity.
By sharing insight, pooling capability and speaking with one message, we strengthen our ability to influence policy, shape national priorities and deliver tangible value to the organisations and communities we protect.
If 2025 was the year of defining who we are, then 2026 is the year of demonstrating it.
By aligning standards with shared purpose and speaking with unity across all sectors, we can show that the security profession is not simply reactive, but a proactive enabler of national resilience and societal confidence.
Our collective ambition is clear: To build one voice for a stronger profession – and in doing so, to help shape a safer and more resilient United Kingdom.
This article was originally published in the January edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.
