Elliott Garner, Marketing Lead at Avena, discusses why the company’s solutions are important to the industry and the main challenge he would like to overcome in his role moving forward.

Can you tell me about your background in the security industry?   

Before joining Avena, my experience in the security industry was limited.

Now, two years in, I’ve gained a clear understanding of the numerous threats businesses face and the critical role specialist companies play in stopping criminals and providing peace of mind.  

At Avena, my role is to raise awareness about security, educating business owners and department heads on solutions to the daily threats and crimes they face.

I work to ensure they are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to protect their assets and operations.  

What makes Avena stand out in your field?   

Avena is first and foremost a security company, there’s no doubt about that.

From the mindset of our employees to the processes we have in place, Avena is securing the future.  

Secure destruction is a niche area of the security industry, but is one of the most important.

A business could have all the cameras, security equipment and guards in place to stop criminals but the reality is, if a criminal gets their hands on an old uniform, they’ll most likely have free reign over what they can access, tamper with and steal.

This is the power trusted brands have. Avena simply mitigates this risk.  

Why are Avena’s solutions important to the industry?   

Avena’s three core services ensure convenience, control and compliance.

The convenience element provides a simple solution that runs in the background, capturing end of life items that hold data, IP or brand.  

Control enables the power over what happens to your documents, branded uniform, workwear and electronic devices once they reach end of life ensuring they don’t end up in the public domain or hands of criminals.  

Whilst the security benefits of our secure destruction solutions are prominent, it’s important to mention the sustainability benefits also.

All of Avena’s solutions promise complete zero waste to landfill, this meaning that everything we securely collect and destroy from a clients premises avoids landfills completely.  

In this day in age, sustainability is a currency that allows you to buy into lucrative opportunities, this can be achieved through the carbon savings reporting Avena provides.

This reporting is accurately calculated from the UK Government’s own conversion factors, meaning you can use the carbon savings in your Scope 3, ESG and sustainability reporting.  

What is the main challenge Avena want overcome moving forward?   

Awareness.

A large part of our efforts as a business are to educate businesses and those who handle sensitive data.

From owner to intern, there needs to be an understanding of how important data, brand and IP protection is.  

Through the content we publish we aim to answer the range of questions we get on a regular basis whilst informing on points and dangers that are prevalent in today’s modern world.  

We are often contacted by businesses when it’s too late, when they’ve already had that data breach, staff impersonation or compliance fine.

Avena is here to secure the future through educating businesses and providing secure solutions for sensitive documents, end of life workwear and uniform, electronic devices and branded goods. 

This article was originally published in the November Edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.