‘The key trend for the future will be increased outsourcing, contracting, and sub-contracting, including by country heads of security. This means they will need knowledge of assurance, risk management, governance, overseeing supply partners, managing contracts, and running requests for proposals (RFPs).’ Chief Security Officer (CSO) interviewee.
Doing business is getting more and more complex. Globalisation has changed the structure and pace of corporate life; the saturation of traditional markets is taking companies to more risky places; the shift towards a knowledge economy is eroding the importance of ‘place’ in the business world; new business practices such as offshoring challenge companies to manage at a distance; and new forms of accountability, such as corporate governance and corporate social responsibility, put added pressure on companies to match their words with deeds, wherever they are operating. One response has been the shift from functional to matrix structures, where companies organise themselves into teams with diverse skills and expertise to solve specific business problems, power is devolved to the local level, and effective management relies on being able to work across the organisation through trusted networks rather than the official channels.
This report seeks to understand what trends in the global business operating environment mean for the corporate security function: its value proposition, narrative and positioning, leadership, talent strategy, areas of responsibility, relationship to the rest of the business, innovation, external stakeholders, and changing C-Suite needs.
It is intended as a guide for senior business leaders as they make decisions, such as who to hire as their Chief Security Officer (CSO)* and how to measure their performance, adequately resource the function, and benefit from corporate security’s potential contribution across the value chain.
The report focuses on corporate security at multinational corporations. Although aspects might be relevant for other organisations, they are not the focus of this study.
How physical and cyber security can join forces to strengthen operational resilience
by Rachel Briggs OBE
The Clarity Factory produces research and thought leadership for professionals
in corporate security, cyber security, resilience and national security.
