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For US and UK companies intent on developing their businesses today, whether that involves expanding their horizons to encompass new markets overseas, or venturing into new areas at home, the road to success may appear to be paved with an everincreasing degree of risk.

News of terrorism, war, industrial accidents and    natural disasters reinforces the need for contingency    planning that actively manages those risks faced by    employees working in their home countries, stationed    overseas or travelling internationally.

Time and money spent wisely on risk management strategies before embarking on any potentially hazardous new venture will pay dividends in human and financial terms. The ability to recruit and retain employees destined for work in “highrisk” environments will also largely depend on your company’s reputation for good security arrangements.

Security threats face d by companies worldwide In the post-9/11 security climate, we have seen how large-scale terrorist operations can strike without warning throughout the developed and developing world. In addition to claiming and threatening the lives of many people, these attacks have caused major damage to infrastructure, such as transport networks in London and Madrid, and more recently Mumbai, India. Political situations may seem to alter radically overnight, as in the outbreak of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, June 2006. New threats have emerged that can pose significant harassment for organisations, such as the violent factions of anti-globalisation and animal rights movements.

There is little that companies can do to stop terrorist operations happening in the first place; that is the preserve of national governments and their security agencies. However, all companies should have security plans in place to cover eventualities. Therefore, should the worst happen, employees know what to do to remain safe, corporate infrastructure is protected, and the company is able to resume running its operations promptly.

Understanding your risk tolerance levels

Your first consideration should be to evaluate the new venture in terms of the “risk/reward” equation and to assess the company’s tolerance for operating in environments that may be unfamiliar. However, all risk takers should be informed risk takers and security management is essential in mitigating this risk. Potential risks need to be identified at the outset and a company must be willing to deal with them as they arise. If these fall outside the company’s risk tolerance threshold, then it must consider not doing business in that region. Many large companies will have their own in-house security departments.

Nevertheless, wherever a company does business, it often finds itself faced with security situations that sometimes surprise even the most experienced personnel. In such situations, additional risk management advice should be sought from reputable security companies with proven track records in the area where the company wishes to operate.

What steps can be taken to minimise risk?

Once the feasibility of a new venture has been established, the first step in mitigating any potential risk is pre-planning; it makes financial sense to identify potential threats to the viability of any new operation before the project has begun and any costs incurred.

Once risks have been identified then a plan must be drawn up to deal with these issues. An entry and exit strategy should be formulated and clearly understood. Key managers must be identified and given the authority to make decisions that directly affect the safety and security of their staff. A series of trigger points should be identified and agreed upon so that programme managers on the ground are able to make rapid decisions with the knowledge that they have the full support of their company directors.

Any staff working away from home must be reassured that their company has put into place contingency measures, which while never being able to guarantee their safety 100%, have been instigated to reduce all potential threats.

If the new assignment takes company staff to a new environment– such as an overseas posting – then they need to be given a security and cultural briefing before arriving at their new work site. If relocation is to be to a “high-risk” environment, staff should be provided with Hostile Environment Training (HET). Besides equipping personnel with knowledge appropriate to the situation, this is important in appraising whether or not they will be suitable to accomplish the tasks in hand, cope with the new work environment, and have taken on the assignment with a clear understanding of what they are actually embarking upon.

The more you empower staff members with information that is relevant – and not over-dramatic – to the situation, the easier it is for them to allay any fears their families may have. Emotional strain can put a great deal of pressure on families living apart, something often overlooked. There must be some form of family helpline; sometimes even a simple telephone call can diffuse a problem affecting the performance of an employee operating away from home. A travel management system should be put in place, so that when staff members are travelling they fall under the company’s security umbrella.

Once at the new location the living/work environments and security must reach a standard that meets any threat or possible threat. This may involve living in a secure compound, having armed guards or simply identifying a hotel that matches a standard of security appropriate for that region of the world. The importa nce of good communicati ons Staff must have easy access to communications and must know whom to call in the event of an emergency.

CEOs and boards of directors need to have timely and accurate information in order to understand fully what is occurring in the field. If required, they must be able to act decisively and be able to communicate this information to the in-field Programme Manager in order to minimise the risk to their staff, and to ensure that everything possible is being done regarding the company’s duty of care towards its employees. There is no such thing as a “guaranteed” safe working environment.

However, with judicious application of appropriate security arrangements, it is possible to conduct business safely in most areas of the world.

Gary Oliver, Director
BSG

12801 Worldgate Drive
Suite 500
Herndon
Virginia 20171
Website: www.thebritishsecuritygroup.com
Tel: +1 571 203 7150
Fax: +1 571 203 7151
Email:info@thebritishsecuritygroup.com

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