I wanted to bring attention to this specific trade group, just because groups like this are great resources for guys looking for companies to work for. If you go to SAMI’s membership directory, you will see a number of companies that have signed on. Which is great, because at least if you get a job with that particular company who is a member, you can use the association as a means of keeping that company in check.
But like with the ISOA, if SAMI does nothing about complaints or does not have the courage to punish members, then what good is the association? It’s value in my opinion, is it’s ability to keep it’s members in check and keep them on the path of ‘doing the right thing’. Companies who treat their contractors poorly, or rip off clients, and who are members of these associations, in turn tarnish the reputation of those associations and the members that have signed on to such a group. So to me, it is ridiculous that an association ‘would not’ punish a member or expel them from the group, if they violated the codes that they and everyone signed onto.
The other problem with associations is that when a member pays good money to be a member of the group, and the officers and operations of that trade group depend upon those membership dues, then it becomes very difficult for these guys to punish members who do bad things. It’s like biting the hand that feeds you, and it is this financial component that works against the strength of an association–if they claim to abide by some standard or code of conduct. Of course an association needs operating funds to keep working on behalf of the association, but you can see the potential conflict of interest here?
Overall, I appreciate the efforts of these associations, because it gives the various clients out there another tool for their research. It also gives companies that believe in a certain standard, to gather and show their support for such a standard. These associations are also key to organizing industry, so that it can effectively communicate consensus. You can have a thousand chaotic and disjointed voices screaming for attention, or you can have one clear and concise voice backed by a thousand people.
But, I should also remind these associations that if you fail to listen and act on the concerns or complaints of clients, the public or the contractors that work for these member companies, then what good is your association? –Matt
Link to association here. (the website is under construction, and it is listed in my associations category for future reference)
The Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) provides an independent regulatory trade association for maritime security companies.
Providing credibility, trust and respect, SAMI introduces a level of regulatory discipline and scrutiny to ensure that the maritime industry can easily identify reputable maritime security companies. SAMI provides reassurance and guidance, where none has existed before and establishes the benchmark for standards within the industry.
SAMI as a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), represents the industry at an international level in a balanced and cogent manner with transparency, honesty and integrity.
The membership encompasses maritime security providers, consultants, trainers, individual operatives and the maritime security equipment, technology and hardware manufacturers – to provide direct links to the commercial shipping industry, offshore oil & gas industry and ports too.
The key benefits of being a member of SAMI are as follows:• SAMI will represent the industry with the International Shipping Associations.• SAMI will represent the industry at EUNAVFOR.• SAMI will represent the industry at meetings with Lloyd’s Market Association.• SAMI will be discussed at the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC89) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in May 2011 as the maritime security industry association and authority.• SAMI will represent the industry at the drafting of the Maritime Annex to the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Provider (ICoC).• 25% reduction on advertising on the Maritime Security Review media platform for all members of SAMI. As a member of SAMI your company will be recognised as a company that upholds the highest standards within the maritime security industry which will effectively mean that a recognised level of due diligence has been conducted and that your company can be held accountable for its actions.• As a member of SAMI your company logo will be displayed on the Maritime Security Review website (linked to your company website if you wish) under the SAMI tab.
SAMI Working Groups will formulate the development of : • Standardised Maritime Security Engagement Contract and will incorporate Rules for the Use of Armed Force accepted by the largest flag states. • Formulate the entry requirements for SAMI, compliance requirements and the terms and conditions under which this will be conducted.• Review standards of practice and training requirements for SAMI.• SAMI involvement in the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry.• SAMI involvement in the Port Facilities Industry.
At this stage the vetting requirements for SAMI have not been formalised and therefore we consider that if your company has or is in the process of signing the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC) then an application to join SAMI can be submitted.
With the arrival of SAMI comes an opportunity to support a fully independent practical regulatory structure, representing the industry fairly and effectively in the international maritime arena. So join us and get involved in shaping the maritime security industry for a quality driven, results focused and sustainable future.
Contact Peter Cook info@seasecurity.org or 0207 788 9505 to find out more about the organisation, membership criteria and the subscription structure.
Yow!
Matt, just for the record, ISOA does have a formal complaints process – *anyone* can bring a complaint based on the ISOA Code of Conduct – and yes we do have the ability to kick companies out of the association. Our goal, however, is NOT to kick companies out of the association simply to prove a point, but rather to ensure our Member companies operate in compliance with our Code of Conduct. If our complaints process reveals that a company has indeed violated the Code (as does happen) then the ISOA Standards Committee works with the company to get it back into compliance.
Must a state penal system execute someone simply to make the point that they have the death penalty? I sincerely hope we never have a member company so intransigent that it refuses to correct ethical problems that arise (it is difficult to imagine how such a firm would stay in business!).
ISOA does have an internationally recognized Code of Conduct originally written and regularly updated by human rights specialists, academics and NGOs as well as the industry (indeed, we currently updating it and welcome suggestions and recommendations from any interested party). We do take the ISOA Code of Conduct seriously and we would be grateful if clients (and bloggers) would do the same.
Best regards,
Doug Brooks, President, ISOA
Comment by Doug Brooks — Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 11:56 AM
Doug,
Thanks for the reply and I appreciate your efforts and the work that the ISOA has done. But in all honesty, there are several companies on your member list that have done a horrible job of taking care of their people or providing a good service to clients. I may be just a blogger, but I am also a contractor that has worked for a few of those 'member companies'. I am also the guy that gets plenty of nasty emails from contractors that have worked for these member companies.
You have to ask, why would they come to me, if in fact the ISOA believes in reprimanding companies? Perhaps, it's because the ISOA has 'not' reprimanded companies or shown any record of doing so. Or maybe these guys have complained, and the companies continue to do what they are doing. Who knows, because there is no record of the ISOA doing anything?
So I guess the question is, how many of your member companies has the ISOA reprimanded or fined, and which ones are they? I think that is a fair enough question? It would also be a good service for potential clients, if they are trying to find a truly good company to work with that treats it's contractors with dignity and respect.
Finally Doug, you know me and what this blog is all about. My loyalty is to the contractors that work for these companies. I am also a huge supporter of private industry in this war and of those companies that do a good job of taking care of their people.
But doom on those companies who just don't understand what taking care of their people means. These companies do immense damage to the reputation of this industry by poorly treating these men and women, and I have no respect for them.
Comment by Feral Jundi — Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 2:43 PM
Matt,
Thanks for the kind words! Let me see if I can address (if not resolve) some of the concerns.
And before I continue a disclaimer: I should emphasize that these comments are my personal perspective on the ISOA process and should not be considered official doctrine but hopefully they do offer some insights that I hope interested observers will take into consideration.
Honestly, with a very few (well known!) exceptions, I have yet to meet two contractors who are in full agreement over which companies deserve dunking and which ones are paragons of virtue. Maybe there is a secret list I’m not privy to but this is and always will be a dynamic industry that by its very nature attracts controversy and debate from the inside and the outside (which may be why the Feral Jundi blog is always an interesting read!).
When we set up the ISOA (formerly IPOA) accountability process we had to accept some realities. As a private association we do not have the powers of a government or a court; we cannot throw someone in chains or imprison anyone or even bar a company from future contracts. We do not do criminal, nor should we as a private entity. *ISOA focuses on ethical private sector conduct in weak and failed states.* In many cases we look at how companies react after bad things have happened, as they do to every company eventually. Indeed, our bylaws specifically emphasize *not* interfering with government investigations and as a result we have been roundly condemned for perceived inaction in the past. But we are an association of private entities and, unlike the media and some well known commentators on the industry, we will assume innocence until proven otherwise. But please understand that the Standards Committee is a jury of peers that takes their role very seriously and the deliberations over complaints can be intense and heated.
Yes, we do offer our members confidentiality during the complaint process; that is a privilege that comes when submitting a company to the ISOA Code of Conduct. As has been documented in the Feral Jundi blog there have been numerous of cases where companies (and contractors!) have been publically vilified in the media for alleged transgressions only to be quietly exonerated months – or years – later. When ISOA receives a complaint we work with the member company and we also keep the complainant informed of the progress. When the Standards Committee has finished the final report is sent to both the member company and to the complainant. Either of the parties are welcome to publicize the results if they wish, but it is their decision. Interestingly, even when companies are exonerated they generally don’t publicize that fact – I suspect because it would simply feed the media more raw meat (‘company XYZ was let off the hook by its own trade association . . .’). And when a complainants’ allegations are proven to be nonsense, they have even less reason to share that information . . .
One final note on the confidentiality issue. In the past have considered having an independent representative from the human rights community sit on the ISOA Standards Committee who would be able to have full access and who could raise a red flag if we violate our own standards and procedures. It is still something we may add in the future.
Two other aspects we generally must stay out of are the contractual client-contractor relationship and personnel issues. Late payment on contracts, disputes over quality of service and disgruntled employees have other, better avenues of resolution. If one of these disputes grows to the point where it impacts on the larger ethical role of the industry it is possible there could be a role for the Standards Committee, but in general there are more appropriate places to address those issues.
As you point out, kicking a company out of the association would have financial implications to the organization, but we reached the point long ago where ISOA is robust enough to withstand that impact. Indeed, companies join and leave and rejoin all the time; ISOA just works within the available funding (and most of our funding comes from other sources anyway – events, advertising etc.). We made the conscience decision long ago that to be an ethical association we need to be prepared to remove a member company if necessary.
But again, the goal is NOT to remove companies that have violated the Code of Conduct, but to work with them to return to compliance. That policy will never be good enough for everyone, but I firmly believe and am proud of the fact that ISOA has had a positive role in raising industry standards over the past decade.
I accept that ISOA will never be all things to all people. Everything is a balance and I encourage people to accept ISOA for what it is while recognizing what it cannot be. And I encourage active criticism as well as suggestions and ideas for improvement.
This is the best discussion on this topic I’ve had in a long time. Many thanks!
Best regards,
Doug
Comment by Doug Brooks — Thursday, July 21, 2011 @ 9:19 AM
Hey Doug, thanks for the reply and for the explanation of what the ISOA can do, and what it cannot or will not do. For me, actions speak louder than words. Companies can sign codes of conduct or 'say' they follow some standard of ethics, but at the end of the day, if they are still screwing over their people or clients and no one is doing anything about it, then I don't give those codes much credence. Why should I? And if companies really don't believe in following those codes of conduct, and they know that the ISOA really isn't going to anything to them, then the only real reason for them to sign on to such a code is to falsely promote their value to potential clients.
Also, I am more concerned with results than anything. If the ISOA is not interested in enforcing these codes of conduct or standards, then I will not be directing aggrieved contractors to the ISOA. If they ask about the ISOA, I will just point them to this conversation and let them judge for themselves. Besides, there are far more effective ways of getting the companies to do what is right.
Now don't get me wrong, I still think the ISOA does good work. But it is important to emphasize to the readership and my fellow contractors that the ISOA represents companies, and not the contractors that work in those companies.
Comment by Feral Jundi — Thursday, July 21, 2011 @ 10:53 AM