Threat & risk assessment (STRA)
Identifies the threats, vulnerabilities and risks to your people, assets, operations and reputation, with practical recommendations to improve resilience.
Cognitious® security consultancy
Security consultancy that plans for incidents before they happen.
Security threat and risk assessments, proactive security reviews, penetration testing and emergency preparedness for organisations across the UK.
The difference
Guarding responds to an incident. Consultancy plans for it.
01
In-house consultants
Reviews, testing and training are delivered by our own security consultants, not subcontracted.
02
People, process, technology
Every review looks at how the three work together to deter, detect, delay and respond to threats.
03
Plans you own
You keep the strategy, procedures and exercises we produce, and your team runs them.
Services we provide
Consultancy services we deliver.
Proactive security reviews
How your people, processes and technology work together to deter, detect, delay and respond, with prioritised recommendations and an implementation plan.
Physical penetration testing
Simulated real-world attempts on your physical security, showing where your measures hold and where they fail.
Emergency preparedness
Lockdown and evacuation planning, tabletop and simulation exercises and emergency communications, so your teams respond well to a serious incident.
One group
Advice and delivery under one roof.
Where a review recommends guarding, patrols or monitoring, Ashridge Security can deliver it, so advice and delivery come from the same group.
- Threat & risk assessment
- Proactive security reviews
- Physical penetration testing
- Emergency preparedness
- Manned guarding
- Mobile patrols & key holding
- Event security
- Managed CCTV
From the first review to the officer on site.
Client spotlight
150 page health and safety policy for a Grade II listed abbey
- Site
- Grade II listed
- Heritage ranking
- Top 8%
- Ongoing support
- Two years
Cognitious, an Ashridge Group company, carried out a security survey and strategy for Delapré Abbey, a Grade II listed heritage site in Northamptonshire, then wrote a 150-page health and safety policy and procedures manual. The Abbey Trust has used the service on an ongoing basis for two years.
Read the case studyCognitious, an Ashridge Group company, provides security threat and risk assessments, proactive security reviews, physical penetration testing and emergency preparedness planning for organisations across the UK. Our in-house security consultants deliver the reviews and the training that follows, for commercial, residential, education, hospitality and heritage sites.
Why was Cognitious set up?
Cognitious was formed in response to the rise in serious security incidents and acts of terrorism across Europe. Public security services offer general guidance, but many organisations need planning tailored to their own site, people and events to prepare for a serious incident and reduce its risk.
We provide that consultancy and training across the theatre, residential, hospitality, tourism and further education sectors, among others. If you are new to the subject, we explain what security consultancy is and when it is worth commissioning.
What does a security consultancy review cover?
A review looks at how your people, processes and technology work together to deter, detect, delay and respond to threats, then gives you prioritised recommendations and a plan to implement them. Depending on the site, it can include:
- Security threat and risk assessment (STRA)
- Proactive security reviews
- Protective security reviews and planning
- Lockdown and evacuation planning
- Explosive search and awareness
- Emergency media and communications
- Tabletop tactical and simulation exercises
For budgeting, our guide sets out what a security risk assessment costs in the UK.
What is physical security penetration testing?
A controlled test of your physical security, in which our consultants simulate real-world attempts to reach restricted parts of your site. It shows where your measures hold and where they fail, so recommendations are based on how the site performs in practice rather than how it looks on paper.
How do we prepare your team for a serious incident?
Through lockdown and evacuation planning, explosive search and awareness training, emergency media and communications planning, and tabletop and simulation exercises. The aim is a team that already knows its role when an incident happens, rather than one working it out on the day.
Where have we done this work?
Alongside heritage work such as Delapré Abbey, we have supported several luxury residential complexes with:
- A full review of all security procedures
- Recommending and implementing new security procedures
- Advice on electronic security systems to support day-to-day operations
- Compliance checks on everyone entering restricted areas
- Asset protection for high-value items
Frequently asked questions
Our own in-house security consultants at Cognitious, an Ashridge Group company. The same team delivers the training and exercises that follow, so the people who assessed your site are the ones who help your staff put the recommendations into practice. We do not subcontract the review to a third party.
Any organisation that needs planning specific to its own site rather than general guidance. Our work covers commercial property owners, residential complexes and their managing agents, further education, hospitality and tourism, theatres, heritage sites and public sector bodies. It is particularly useful where a site has public access, high-value assets, or has changed how it is used.
Yes, where they involve people. Cognitious is part of Ashridge Group, so recommendations for manned guarding, mobile patrols, key holding or event security can be delivered by Ashridge Security. The strategy, procedures and exercise plans the review produces are yours to keep and run, whoever delivers the measures.
Accredited & assured
Independently audited to the standards our clients require.
Speak to the team
Ready to talk about your security consultancy needs?
Request a quote or a no-obligation site visit. We respond within one working day.