Serco Group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Type | Public limited company |
|---|---|
| Traded as | LSE: SRP |
| Industry | Government Services |
| Founded | 1929 |
| Headquarters | Hook, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Alastair Lyons (Chairman) Christopher Hyman (CEO) |
| Revenue | £4.832 billion (2012)[1] |
| Operating income | £314.8 million (2012)[1] |
| Net income | £245.9 million (2012)[1] |
| Employees | 100,000 (2013)[2] |
| Website | www.serco.com |
Serco Group plc is a British[3] government services company based in Hook, North Hampshire in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Among its operations are public and private transport and traffic control, aviation, military and nuclear weapons contracts, detention centres and prisons, and schools.
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History[edit]
Serco was founded in 1929 as a United Kingdom division of the Radio Corporation of America and initially provided services to the cinema industry.[4] It changed its name to Serco in 1987[4] and has been a London Stock Exchange listed company since 1988.[4]
On 29 December 2008, Serco completed its acquisition of SI International.[5]
Operations[edit]
Serco operates in various sectors:
- Home Affairs: Serco operates the National Border Targeting Centre for the UK Border Agency and provides the Carrier Gateway – the interface between carriers and the Agency.[6]
- Transport: Serco operates London's Docklands Light Railway,[7] Woolwich Ferry[8] and the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme[9] (all for Transport for London), the NorthLink Ferries Northern Isles lifeline ferry service[10] in Scotland, and Great Southern Railways in Australia.[11][12] Serco also has a joint venture with Abellio, the international arm of Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen, to operate passenger trains in the UK: Serco-Abellio has a 25-year concession for Merseyrail in Liverpool and operates Northern Rail services in the north of England.[13] Serco also operates the Dubai Metro.[14] Serco formerly operated the Copenhagen Metro with Ansaldo STS, until selling its share with effect from 1 January 2008.[15] In addition, Serco Rail Operations operates infrastructure monitoring trains in the UK.[16] Serco's Home Affairs division, run by Tom Riall, also operates speed camera systems throughout the UK and designs, writes and tests the software that controls the matrix message signs, signals, emergency roadside telephones (SOS) and traffic monitoring on England's motorway network including the National Traffic Control Centre.[17]
- Science: Serco manages the UK's National Physical Laboratory.[18][19] and also provides IT Services, Industrial Support and Cryogenic Operations Support and Maintenance at CERN.[20] Serco also controls the National Nuclear Laboratory.[21]
- Detention: Serco supplies electronic tagging devices for offenders and asylum seekers.[22] In Britain, Serco runs four prisons, a Young Offenders Institution and a Secure Training Centre.[23] It also operates two Immigration Removal Centres.[24][25] Serco is also responsible for the contracted-out court escort services in the south-east area (formerly a role undertaken by HM Prison Service).[26] In addition, Serco runs partly privatised Hünfeld Prison in Hesse, Germany.[27] In Australia Serco runs Acacia Prison in Western Australia[28] and Borallon Correctional Facility in Queensland[29] as well as the national contract for immigration detention centres, including Christmas Island and the Villawood detention centre in Sydney.[30][31] In Auckland, New Zealand Serco runs the Mt Eden remand prison[32] and in March 2012 was awarded the contract to build and operate a 960 bed prison at Wiri.[33]
- Defence: Serco holds defence contracts worldwide including the UK Government's first modern outsourced contract for the maintenance of the UK Ballistic Missile Early Warning System at RAF Fylingdales;[34] contracts are also held for the operation and maintenance of RAF Brize Norton,[35] RAF Halton[36] and RAF Northolt[36] in the UK and RAF Ascension Island in the mid-Atlantic.[36] Serco also provides support services to garrisons in Australia.[37] Serco also manages many aspects of operations at the Defence College of Management and Technology in Shrivenham.[38] Serco is one of three partners in the consortium which manages the Atomic Weapons Establishment.[39] Serco also has a 15-year contract worth £400 million to provide facilities management services to Dstl.[40]
- Royal Navy marine services: Serco Denholm, a joint venture with the Denholm Group, is responsible for fleet support at the three main UK naval bases, HMNB Portsmouth, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde.[41]
- Aviation: Serco provides air traffic control services at international airports in the United Arab Emirates[42] and at some smaller airports in the USA and Canada.[43][44] Since 2004 Serco have also had £5m a year from the US government to manage airports in Iraq.[45] Serco also operate Scatsta Airport on Shetland.[46] In June 2010 Serco signed a £4million contract to operate all air traffic control services for Coventry Airport.[47]
- Health: Serco provide facilities management services at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital,[48] Leicester Royal Infirmary,[49] Wishaw General Hospital[50] and at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital.[51] Serco provides pathology services to Guy's and St. Thomas' and King's College NHS trusts through GSTS Pathology.[52]
- Education: Serco holds a 10 year contract with Bradford City Council to manage and operate the local education authority,[53] providing education support services to the City's schools, and similarly manages and operates Walsall[54] and Stoke-on-Trent local education authorities.[55] Serco is one of Ofsted's three Regional Inspection Service Providers, responsible for school inspections in the English Midlands.[56] Serco is also the provider of a Student information system, Facility, used in schools and colleges in several countries.[57]
- Drivers' licensing: Serco, through a purpose-made division Serco DES, holds a 10-year, $114 million contract with the Province of Ontario to operate the province's DriveTest driver examination centres. These tests include vision, road, and knowledge tests for all persons seeking to become a licensed automobile driver in the province.[43]
- Leisure: Serco operates a number of leisure centres across the UK including the Manchester Aquatics Centre, the aquatic venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.[58]
- Serco also administers a number of publicly funded websites in the UK, including the Business Link website.[59]
- Serco presently runs the IT Infrastructure for the London Borough of Southwark winning the 5-year tender in 2007.[60]
- Serco has a contract with the City of Chicago, Illinois to enforce parking meter regulations.[61]
- Serco publishes a magazine, Ethos Journal, to stimulate thought and provoke reaction to the big issues shaping the world of public services. Ethos is aimed at public sector leaders, politicians, academics and policy specialists debating the future of public services today.[62]
- Serco operates waste collection services for local councils.[63]
- Serco operates in Continental Europe, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific region and North America, but the majority of its turnover still comes from the UK.
Controversies[edit]
Serco has seen a large amount of criticism involving its private prisons and detention centres. In particular, the Union of Christmas Island Workers has said about the Christmas Island detention center, which hosts many refugees as well as 1,000 children who have tried to immigrate into Australia, "Serco's failure to perform is huge."[64] Serco has been accused of beating prisoners, not adequately maintaining their physical and mental health, and allowing suicide and self-harm incidents to increase over time. Australian ombudsman Allan Asher said to the Australian radio show AM, "In the first week of June when I visited Christmas Island, more than 30 incidents of self harm by detainees held there were reported."[64] Serco, in a company memo leaked to The Australian, blamed the detainees for "creating a culture of self harm," and using it as a "bargaining tool."[64] Serco has been fined for breaches of contract every month it has managed detention centres in Australia, leading to a total of $4 million in fines in early 2011. Also, Serco's Christmas Island detention center was reported by its own former manager to be "typically 15 staff members short every day."[64]
Serco has also gained criticism for its inefficiency in its pathology labs. Its laboratories in St Thomas' Hospital saw an increase in the number of clinical incidents, such as patients getting inappropriate blood when their medical history was not flagged by the system or patients' kidney damage results being calculated incorrectly.[65] A Serco employee later revealed that the company had given false reports to the National Health Service 252 times over its medical services in Cornwall.[66]
See also[edit]
- Serco Ltd v Lawson [2006] UKHL 3, a UK labour law case concerning the jurisdictional application of employment rights.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Preliminary Results 2012" (PDF). Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ Serco: At a glance
- ^ "Where We Operate". Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ^ a b c "History". Serco. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Hubler, David (30 December 2008). "Serco wraps up SI International buy". Washingtontechnology.com. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Government snared in fight over scrapped £742m e-Borders contract
- ^ "Transport for London: Franchise". Tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Serco to operate Woolwich Ferry Services[dead link]
- ^ Hill, Dave (12 August 2009). "Boris Johnson bike hire scheme: and the winner is". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Serco confirmed as Northern Isles ferry operator". UK: BBC News. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ Australia's Great Train Journeys
- ^ The Ghan – Australia on line
- ^ "Department for Transport: Serco NedRailways announced as Preferred Bidder". Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Serco preferred bidder for Dubai metro operations contract[dead link], Railway Gazette International 2007-06-19. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
- ^ Milanese run København Metro[dead link], Railway Gazette International 2008-01-08. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
- ^ "Serco website – rail operations". Serco.com. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Shah, Saeed (21 February 2001). "Serco to run Britain's first traffic control unit". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Managing NPL". Npl.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "National Physical Laboratory". EthosJournal.com. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- ^ Contract News Update
- ^ New management team takes over at National Nuclear Lab
- ^ Home Office: Electronic tagging
- ^ Paterson, Craig. "Virtual Private Prisons". Corporate Watch. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Home Office: Yarls Wood". Ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Home Office: Colnbrook". Ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Wackenhut Corrections wins prisoner escort contract". Prnewswire.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Prison Privatisation". Strafvollzugsarchiv.de. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Department of Corrective Services: Acacia Prison Contract". Correctiveservices.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
- ^ "Government of Australia: Criminal Justice System". Aic.gov.au. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Private contractor Serco to run detention centres Crikey, 1 July 2009
- ^ Companies Use Immigration Crackdown to Turn a Profit The New York Times, 28 September 2011
- ^ "Serco says Mt Eden prison contract worth $300M". NZ News UK. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ New private prison at Wiri given green light, The New Zealand Herald, 8 March 2012
- ^ Terry Macalister (2 September 2004). "PFI deals help Serco to record order book of £10bn". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Airport of Embarkation". Raf.mod.uk. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ a b c "Serco Business Review Page 20" (PDF). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Serco Sodexho and the real story about work choices
- ^ "Defence Academy". Da.mod.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Harrison, Michael (21 June 2001). "BNFL consortium seeks 15-year extension to Aldermaston contract". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Dstl Inspire Contract release". Serco. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
- ^ "Marine Services". Serco. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ Serco – Middle East
- ^ a b Serco – North America
- ^ Goose Bay Airport – Control Tower services
- ^ Terry Macalister (3 March 2004). "Serco wins Iraqi Air Traffic Deal". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Scatsta Airport control tower not fit for purpose". Shetland Times. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ Coventry Airport Gears Up For Business Coventry Airport, 15 June 2010
- ^ "Private Finance Initiative – Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital" (PDF). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Leicester Royal Infirmary: Hospital Cleaning". Uhl-tr.nhs.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Krissy Storrar (25 February 2006). "So you thought it was Tony and Gordon in charge?". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "New company vows to clean up Derriford Hospital". 3 June 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ "Serco and Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust sign pioneering pathology partnership". 30 January 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ^ Catcheside, Kim (10 November 2003). "Bradford: Concerns about education privatisation". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Chris Hyman: Can Serco take over the World?". The Independent (UK). 2 September 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ Best school in town and still they want to close it Ed Caesar The Sunday Times 11 November 2007
- ^ "New inspection contracts signed" (Press release). Ofsted. 25 March 2009.
- ^ "A window opens on pupils' progress". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Serco picks agency to help it beef up marketing". Marketing Week. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Enlightenlive". Enlightenlive. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Southwark voluntary and community groups to receive PCs from serco". Findarticles.com. 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Serco Inc. Secures Two Contract Renewals from the City of Chicago". Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "EthosJournal". Serco. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- ^ "Breckland contractors". Breckland District Council. 07/09/2012.
- ^ a b c d O'Keeffe, Patrick. "Nightmare on Christmas Island: Serco's Australian Detention Center". CorpWatch. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ Ramesh, Randeep. "NHS lab failings followed Serco-led takeover". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ Lawrence, Felicity. "Serco gave NHS false data about its GP service 252 times". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Serco Group companies grouped at OpenCorporates
- SERCO activities and scope short video
- SERCO Yahoo profile
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Categories:
- Serco Group
- Business services companies of the United Kingdom
- Companies based in Hampshire
- Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange
- Companies established in 1929
- 1929 establishments in the United Kingdom
- RCA
- Business services companies of England
- 1929 establishments in England
- Workfare in the United Kingdom
