ROI on Corporate Security
Corporate security, while no different from other business functions, can be more complex to navigate and evaluate your ROI.
At the end of the day, Corporate Security Officers need to be able to demonstrate how their actions and activities add value to the company, just like any other division!
Return on Investment in Physical Security:
Across the globe, chief security officers (CSO) are under intense pressure to justify what they do. Business operations are coming under increased scrutiny from the CEO, to shareholders, to outside auditors. As a result, CSOs find themselves in the position of needing to make a strong case for their budgets and activities.
Identifying the “Return on Investment” on security is a challenging task. Security is an investment that pays for itself in cost savings and cost avoidance. Not in generating a return.
Physical Security is about Loss Prevention; calculated via tangibles like TIME and MONEY; and intagibles like EMPLOYEE SAFETY, CORPORATE REPUTATION and COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
During my 20-year career in the FBI, I was often asked to comment on security for the corporate environment. I saw CSOs use their Corporate Security Platform to manage a variety of crisis situations, from terrorism to cyber threats, that quickly spun out of control.
There are always challenges in the face of rapidly unfolding events, however, there are also opportunities to demonstrate value and the importance of corporate security!
First and foremost, a core mission of corporate security teams is to be both Proactive & Responsive. The goal is to Mitigate Risks to Physical Safety!
SHAFFER SECURITY GROUP
Protection of the company’s employees and assets is paramount:
Protection of the company’s employees and assets is paramount. Consider the tragic bombings in Brussels, Belgium, in which three coordinated suicide attacks occurred. Two attacks occurred at the Brussels Airport, and one at the Maalbeek metro station in the city center. By monitoring social media, numerous companies were able to quickly reach out to employees notifying them to return to their hotels or homes. Using “Mass Media Notification Messaging”, these companies were able to tell their employees to “Shelter-in-Place”. Throughout the day, the CSO shared updated information in real-time to keep their employees informed and, most importantly, safe!
These firms obviously had well-written and well-rehearsed “Crisis Management Plans”. These firms had obviously invested in security for their company and their employees. What is the “Return on Investment” if only one employee’s life was saved? What is the ROI for minimizing the effect and disruption to business of this particular terror attack?
If these situations go wrong, in addition to dealing with possible loss of life, companies confront major issues.
Issues such as:
- Business Continuity
- Responsibility
- Duty of Care
- Legal Action
- Ensuring Employee Safety
- Securing Supply Lines
- Securing Assets & Property
Without an immediate and decisive response, critical business processes, like supply chain, can be severely compromised. Having an active Security Team in place allows companies to respond more quickly and efficiently. During the July, 2016 failed overthrow of the Turkish government, many CSOs proved their ROI. Using state-of-the-art notification software, CSO were able to immediately notify their employees. This also allowed the companies to institute their “Crisis Management Protocols” – ensuring this ‘crisis’ had minimal disruption in business. The faster these ‘Protocols’ are put into action, the more quickly and thoroughly losses can be mitigated.
The Value of an Integrated Security Team:
In the Turkey example, a quick response would enable a company to secure offices, personnel, travelers, and high-value, temperature-controlled merchandise. Other examples include rerouting shipments on quick notice, selecting alternative suppliers or subcontractors, and relocating events or critical business processes. The savings incurred can be anywhere from the low tens of thousands to millions of dollars per incident. In addition, safeguarding major assets like data centers, regional headquarters, sales offices, manufacturing or storage locations and raw material adds up to millions in ROI.
The safety of people, assets and reputation will always be the most important aspect of a CSO’s day-to-day activities. In this digital, interconnected age, an emergency can unfold in a noisy, crowded space that makes verification and authentication difficult. The value of an integrated security team to the C-suite is increasingly significant. Companies today face unprecedented security challenges across the globe and more travel to higher risk locations.
Contact Shaffer Security Group for your Risk & Threat Assessment and let us develop a strategic security plan utilizing security, intelligence & training solutions to secure your workplace & workforce.
