HSBC is preparing one of the most extensive workplace monitoring projects in global banking, pairing thousands of new cameras and biometric scanners with Israeli-built surveillance tools, according to internal documents seen by Reuters.
At its new City of London headquarters, the bank intends to install about 1,754 cameras, nearly four times the number at its Canary Wharf base.
Biometric scanners are also set to more than double, from 350 to 779, with systems ranging from full-hand recognition to phone-based entry using staff mobiles.
The initiative will not be limited to the UK. HSBC is extending the same security model to major sites worldwide, supported by Israeli surveillance firm Octopus.
The company’s tools are already in use in London and Hong Kong and are due to be rolled out to India and Mexico.
Israel is among the world’s largest exporters of surveillance technology, and Octopus markets its systems in dozens of countries, Reuters reported.
The London programme includes artificial intelligence to analyse camera feeds and extra monitoring around trading floors.
The budget for the new headquarters’ surveillance has recently been lifted to about US$15 million, the documents show.
Adoption of digital entry systems has been uneven. Many UK staff had not switched to biometric or phone-based access by late last year, despite the rules being introduced in 2022.
HSBC, which employs more than 210,000 people globally, has said the technology is designed to protect employees, clients and visitors.
The security project is overseen by Diane Marchena, global head of protective security, who reports to Chief Operating Officer Suzy White.
Alongside these measures, HSBC is introducing its first global return-to-office policy.
From October, senior managers will be required to attend at least four days a week.
The bank also plans to retain a footprint in Canary Wharf in addition to its new City headquarters.
The broader surveillance drive reflects a trend among employers adjusting to hybrid work.
Privacy advocates argue that such monitoring risks undermining worker rights and wellbeing, a concern highlighted in recent studies.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by wichayada via Freepik
