United Kingdom Crowd Management Association
UKCMA works across the crowd management and wider events sectors to support good practice, strengthen professional standards and ensure that practical industry experience informs the development of policy, guidance and professional practice.
Our work includes engagement with government and regulators, the development of guidance and resources, professional learning, research, conferences, member activity and collaboration with organisations across the sector.
The nature of individual projects will change as the profession develops, but the purpose remains consistent: to support safer, more effective and more professional approaches to the planning and management of crowds.
UKCMA represents the experience and interests of organisations and professionals working in crowd management.
We engage with government departments, regulators, policymakers and industry bodies on matters that affect the profession and the wider events sector. This includes areas such as protective security, Martyn’s Law, private security regulation, competence and qualifications, workforce development and event-safety policy.
Our role is to contribute informed, practical experience to these discussions and, where possible, to ensure that those responsible for delivering crowd management are represented as policy, regulation and guidance are developed.
The development and promotion of professional standards has been central to UKCMA since its formation.
UKCMA and its members contribute to industry guidance, qualifications, occupational standards and other initiatives intended to improve practice across crowd management, security and event operations.
This includes contributions to established resources such as the Purple Guide, as well as UKCMA guidance and collaborative projects addressing current and emerging issues.
Good practice should reflect evidence, professional expertise and operational experience. Our work therefore draws on practitioners and organisations with direct experience of planning, managing and supporting crowds in a wide range of environments.
Crowd management continues to develop in response to research, operational experience, incidents, technology, changing audience behaviour and developments in regulation and policy.
UKCMA supports the exchange of knowledge through:
These activities are intended to support informed decision-making, continuing professional development and the wider adoption of good practice.
Effective crowd management depends on the contribution of many organisations and disciplines.
Event organisers, venues, crowd management and security providers, local authorities, emergency services, regulators, transport operators, production teams and other stakeholders may all influence how crowds are planned for and managed.
UKCMA provides forums in which these perspectives can be brought together. Our meetings, webinars, working groups and events enable practitioners and stakeholders to discuss common challenges, share experience and consider practical approaches.
Safer Crowds, Safer Venues, UKCMA’s annual conference, is a central part of this work and brings together professionals from across the crowded places and events sectors to consider current and emerging issues in crowd safety and management.
Many of the issues affecting crowd management extend beyond the remit of any single organisation.
UKCMA therefore works with organisations across government, regulation, events, security, education and public safety where there is a shared interest in improving professional practice.
Our work has involved engagement and collaboration with organisations including the Home Office, Security Industry Authority, Events Industry Forum, LIVE, Night Time Industries Association, Sports Grounds Safety Authority, Global Crowd Management Alliance and Event Safety Alliance.
The nature of these relationships varies, but the underlying purpose is the same: to bring relevant knowledge and experience together where this can support better practice and safer outcomes.
Professional practice should be informed by evidence as well as experience.
UKCMA supports and participates in research relevant to crowds, practitioners and the environments in which they work. This may include contributing industry experience, supporting engagement with practitioners or helping to communicate findings across the sector.
By strengthening the connection between research and operational practice, UKCMA aims to support better-informed decision-making and the continuing development of the profession.