The social security system

How we helped the client

The client is a government body responsible for major aspects of the social security system. These include insurance benefits for families, disability benefit, and pensions for the elderly. The authority decides on the entitlement to benefit, pays out the money, and coordinates the resources required to help those on sickness benefit make a quick return to work.

As Actea’s work progressed, the client was able to identify its own areas for improvement within the field of security management. It had also received external audit reports indicating that there was extensive potential for improvement. External requirements, in the form of a directive, meant also that the timetable had to be accelerated, as well as increasing commitment on the part of the agency’s management.

Actea’s task was to lay the foundations for an integrated security management system. The aim was for this large agency to take its own optimum approach to coordinated and cost-effective management of personal security, information security, continuity management, incident readiness and crisis management.

How we did it

During the project, which took the form of a feasibility study prior to the introduction of the relevant measures, the following services were used:
•    A situation analysis to ascertain the current situation in terms of the management systems and security measures
•    Analysis of the desired outcomes in order to support the agency’s management in formulating the objectives and levels of the integrated security management system with its associated security measures
•    Action management: an analysis designed to develop initial prioritisation and planning of the activities needed to achieve desired outcomes in terms of management systems and security measures. The analysis was used to prioritise and assess resources, as well as serving as a decision basis prior to the introduction phase.

What we achieved

The most obvious achievements were:
•    Business continuity was ensured, together with disaster protection
•    An increase in the capacity to withstand various incidents
•    Improved compliance with external requirements (legislation, directives, regulations)
•    Measurability and measurement within the area in question, as well as reduced costs for security measures
•    Protection for assets of strategic value
•    A good environment for internal checks, including effective security measures
•    Increased confidence and better working relationships among the staff