by Brianna Crandall — December 12, 2016 — ASIS International, the worldwide association for security management professionals, has named enterprise security risk management (ESRM) a global strategic priority for the association and has committed to infusing its concepts into all programs and services.
Both a philosophy and management system, ESRM uses globally established risk management principles to help security professionals manage the varied security risks facing organizations. By making ESRM a strategic objective, ASIS is looking to shift the profession from a siloed approach to security management to a more collaborative process.
David C. Davis, CPP, president, ASIS International, explained:
Threats today are increasingly more sophisticated, targeting organizations in myriad ways. In addition, the rapidly evolving business and compliance landscape requires a more holistic and strategic approach to managing organizational risk. As the only global professional association representing the total spectrum of security, ASIS is uniquely positioned to lead this effort.
Enterprise security risk management covers not only traditional security issues such as loss prevention and terrorism, but also a broad array of topics including brand protection, business continuity, corporate espionage, cybersecurity, information security, resilience, and white collar crime. Davis went on to note, “by embracing an ESRM mindset, our members will become more effective security professionals and more valuable members of their organizations.”
To lead this initiative, the Board of Directors has established a two-year ESRM commission, headed by Dave N. Tyson, CPP, 2016 ASIS International chairman of the board. Tyson notes that while ASIS has been involved in ESRM for years, it has never committed to driving the approach in this manner or emphasizing its vital importance to the work ASIS members do.
Tyson stated:
The commission will develop a framework to integrate ESRM into all ASIS education, white papers, research, and other professional offerings. We believe the result will be a more empowered membership, safer enterprises, a more strategic approach to risk, and a more cost-effective security function.
Serving alongside Tyson on the commission are Brian J. Allen, CPP; Raymond T. O’Hara, CPP, executive vice president, AS Solution; John A. Petruzzi, Jr., CPP; John E. Turey, CPP, senior director of Enterprise Security Risk Management, TE Connectivity; and Volker Wagner, senior vice president, Deutsche Telekom. Additional members from across the globe, industries, and specialties are expected to be added. ASIS will also look to collaborate with other organizations to advance the richness and value of the content it develops.
For more information, see ASIS’s ESRM announcement.
