The Safety / Security Director, a position that is developing in companies

27 July 2022

Cyber attacks, health crises, terrorism, kidnapping risks, geopolitical or commercial tensions, fraud, supply chain fragility, radicalization, public order disturbances, illicit trafficking or product theft, political instability… Companies are faced with a constant evolution and an increase in the complexity of the risks and threats that weigh on their employees as well as on their economic activities

At the same time, companies are now subject to a duty of care regarding the health and safety of their employees. It is therefore the company’s responsibility to ensure the safety of people, installations, movements, etc.

To guarantee the security/safety of people, goods and resources, more and more companies are appointing a Security/Safety Director (SSD). In small and medium-sized companies, it is often the director who takes charge of this function, but it can also be carried out by the HR department, the secretary general or the risk manager.

As a reminder, safety differs from security in the events it deals with. Indeed, security deals with accidents, while safety deals with malicious acts.

A security manager is responsible for implementing a strategy to protect the company’s human, material and immaterial assets from the threat of malicious acts.

To do this, they must identify and evaluate the risks that the company may face in order to anticipate and even mitigate them. He/she must therefore keep a constant watch on a wide variety of subjects and on the evolution of threats, ranging from the political context of countries to the risks of cyber attacks, and including protest movements. He/she is also responsible for raising awareness and training employees to respect the procedures in place within the company, particularly when traveling. In this capacity, he/she is required to monitor regulatory changes and keep a technological watch.

Then, to respond to these risks, he defines and implements a security and safety policy based on adequate means of protection, while ensuring the implementation of preventive measures as well as the follow-up of actions. He must be in contact with the local authorities (regalian forces and State). Finally, in the event of a crisis, it is up to him to react and activate the emergency procedures and to coordinate a crisis unit. He/she must ensure that an emergency communication system is in place that allows personnel to communicate quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.

The challenge for this security/safety function is to transform the vision of its mission, by moving it from a cost/expense center to a value-creating role, which contributes to the sustainability and development of the company. “In 2022, security expenditure will no longer be considered simply as a cost by the company, but rather as an “avoided cost”, an investment with a definite profitability, a value and a competitive advantage, in the same way as the requirements linked to corporate social responsibility (CSR),” says Stéphane Volant, President of the CDSE (Club of Company Security and Safety Directors).

A security/safety director is expected to have experience, maturity and leadership. He/she must have technical expertise but also a good general and geopolitical culture, skills in artificial intelligence and technology to make good use of data, and the ability to work in a network/cross-functional manner with the various functions of the company. Progressively, within large companies, the DSS function has evolved from an operational role to a strategic one as they have become aware of the importance of security and safety issues for their activities. But its roadmap is not fixed and is constantly evolving according to threats and current events.

In order to go further, in May 2022, the Club des directeurs de sécurité et de sûreté des entreprises (CDSE) published a new white paper on the security/safety function in companies. This document, consisting of some twenty in-depth articles written by 26 security and safety directors or experts from major French companies that are members of the CDSE, provides an overview of the function, detailing its fundamentals and missions, as well as its new challenges and prospects.

By combining the best of technology and human intelligence, Trigger’s Reports is a valuable ally (or tool) for the security / safety manager. Do not hesitate to contact us or to ask for a demo, to learn more.