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The ADS Security and Resilience Team supports members with their business development at home and internationally, providing assistance around government stakeholder engagement and input into a wide range of security-related government policies and initiatives. We help members to navigate a security and resilience landscape that is characterized by complexity and a diverse mix of organisations, including (amongst others): government departments, law enforcement and other security agencies, first responders, critical infrastructure operators, wider business sectors, academic institutions, think tanks and trade associations.

To help members in this sector, ADS aims to identify opportunities for them to ensure ‘resilience’, both in the UK and internationally, which in essence means increasing the capability of any country to predict, prepare for, respond to and recover from a wide range of threats, risks and civil emergencies. Materials such as our programme guide and a paper on how we define resilience are available in the Members Area.

Through its work, ADS provides members with:

  • Deep security sector market insight (UK and international)
  • Access to decision-makers and customers at home and internationally
  • Influence over, and understanding of, industry-related security policy decisions
  • Cost-effective, high quality security events, both in the UK and overseas
  • The ability to develop partnerships across the security and resilience landscape

Member services and activities

Security & Resilence Sector UK Outlook 2024


The UK’s increasingly digitalised economy has been accompanied by a surge in ransomware led by organised crime groups, threatening the fabric of the online commons. The UK’s response has been multifaceted, with an increasing focus on public­private partnership with the UK’s world-class cyber security sector.

As the digital and physical realms increasingly intertwine, the cybersecurity of critical national infrastructure (CNI) has emerged as a paramount concern. Advanced cybersecurity solutions are called for to shield the nation’s vital services from cyber threats and in 2024 the UK’s cyber resilience will depend heavily on increased collaboration between the sector and government.

The growth in the use of artificial intelligence (Al) across all spheres of life will pose ever more questions for society. Al in national security and public safety offers unprecedented capabilities for threat detection and response while also igniting debates on error and bias. A balanced approach that fosters innovation without compromising privacy is called for.


The streets of the UK are grappling with knife crime, a spectre that haunts urban safety. There has been a clarion call for innovative technological solutions to crime – ranging from advanced detection systems to predictive analytics – to mitigate this pervasive issue. This emphasises the centrality of machine learning and surveillance technologies to public safety.

The threat of terrorism to the UK remains substantial, set against the backdrop of a disturbing rise in antisemitism and lslamophobia. The speedy implementation of the Martyn’s Law legislation to strengthen protective security in public spaces, must be a focus in Parliament over the course of the next year.

The salience of border security will remain high in 2024, driven by climate change and conflict. The sector will continue to work closely with UK Border Force
and international counterparts to provide technical capabilities such as advanced screening and detection and biometric technologies to provide secure border management solutions.


The initiation of the first-ever UK-EU Counter-Terrorism Dialogue marks another thaw in UK-EU relations, setting the stage for enhanced UK-EU cooperation in addressing shared security challenges. This development opens new avenues for collaboration, which in time may lead to a much-needed UK-EU security and defence treaty with industrial dimensions.

The second pillar of the AU KUS alliance (covering areas such as quantum computing and Al) presents the sector with unparalleled opportunities to help develop next-generation security solutions. This calls for key departments including the Ministry of Defence and Home Office to work with the sector to strengthen the UK’s prominence in AU KUS and on the global stage.

Amidst the geopolitical tumult in Europe and the Middle East, the sector is uniquely positioned to contribute to global security efforts. The need for public- private partnership to secure major security export opportunities has never been more critical, as a core way to sustain export-led growth and strengthen the UK’s influence and international partnerships.


Priority initiatives

  • Supporting the Security and Resilience Growth Partnership (SRGP) and the Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC): ADS works with JSaRC and the enhanced SRGP to coordinate procurement, innovation, exports and skills policy and to provide the government with the necessary technologies, expertise, and services to help deliver national security objectives.
  • Promoting a ‘Virtuous Circle’ from research to commercialisation: In line with the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, ADS works with a range of Government departments to promote greater transparency of security requirements and to foster coordination between R&D investment and subsequent procurement opportunities.
  • Strengthening UK Security Exports: To promote a whole-of-Government approach to security exports, particularly working with UKDSE and JSaRC, to ensure that UK export policy supports the UK security industry.
  • Leading the UK Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers Community: ADS has a leading role in bringing the wider security and resilience sector together under the alliance of RISC, providing a unified voice for the sector in engagement with the Security Minister-led SRGP.
  • Maximising the Security Sector’s Engagement with Government:  Engaging with government on behalf of the security industry to help develop and implement policy, including the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, the forthcoming national resilience strategy, and the next cyber security strategy.

Special interest groups (SIGs)

ADS operates the following Special Interest Groups to support the UK security industry’s activities:

Policy work

The ADS Security and Resilience Team works closely with our in-house Policy Team, within which dedicated policy advisers for the sectors we represent work to shape the political, economic and business environment within which our members operate. ADS is founding member and strong supporter of the work of the UK Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers’ Community (RISC), for which we provide secretariat support and through which we work with partners to advance our members’ objectives within the policy environment.

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Events

We facilitate the showcasing of security capabilities by co-ordinating UK Pavilions at key global Security exhibitions. Many of these are hosted in partnership with the UK Government.

ADS organise the annual Home office Security and Policing event together with a series of Public Security Exhibitions throughout the year.

We also host topical monthly Member briefings cover key domestic and international security related programmes and initiatives.

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Contact us

Contact us to find out more about any of the areas that you may be interested in.