G4S

G4S plc was a British multinational security services company formed in 2004 through the merger of Group 4 and Securicor, creating Group 4 Securicor (G4S). Headquartered in London, it grew into one of the world’s largest providers of private security services, offering a range of solutions including manned guarding, cash handling and logistics, risk assessment and consultancy, secure transportation, monitoring and response, and technology-enabled security systems for public and private sector clients.

G4S operated on a global scale, with a presence in many countries and a large workforce. It served governments, corporations, and individual clients, delivering integrated security services across various sectors such as transport, infrastructure, facilities management, and event security. The company’s operations encompassed both physical security and cash management, as well as advisory and technology-based offerings.

The company encountered notable challenges in its history. A high-profile instance occurred around preparations for the 2012 London Olympic Games, when G4S was unable to recruit enough security personnel to meet government contract requirements, leading to the deployment of military personnel to cover shortfalls. Over the following years, G4S faced governance and performance scrutiny and pursued restructuring and cost-control measures.

In 2020-2021 GardaWorld Security Corporation, a Canadian private security provider, announced and completed the acquisition of G4S, integrating its operations into GardaWorld’s global security services. In many markets the G4S brand was phased out or used only during the transition. The acquisition represented a significant consolidation in the private security sector and reflected broader trends toward integrated, multinational security solutions.