Customer Case Study: International Threat and Vulnerability Risk Assessment

In an ever-changing world, ensuring the safety and security of business operations is paramount. CHEMTREC’s Consulting Solutions team was approached by one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious universities to assess the security threats and vulnerabilities of their groundbreaking research facilities in Asia and Africa, and recommend mitigating actions. 

Understanding the Challenge

The university's research division sought CHEMTREC’s expertise to better understand their security risks, put in place mitigation measures and assess their current crisis management framework. Their primary objective was not only to protect staff in the likelihood of an event, but better equip them to deal with the immediate challenges of an incident. Finally, they sought to identify and mitigate future risks through a horizon scanning activity and build resilience. With extensive experience in navigating the synergies between crisis and security management, CHEMTREC was the ideal partner to support the development of strategies to safeguard their people, assets, and reputation.

Our Approach

The CHEMTREC team’s engagement began with an exhaustive desk-based research phase, which laid the groundwork for subsequent in-country visits. This research began with a series of informal interviews with key stakeholders to offer personal and organizational insights into their own perceptions of current threats and vulnerabilities. We also review existing plans, policies and procedures, existing reports, research papers, and data from credible sources such as foreign and commonwealth offices, United Nations, country-specific Government databases and other international organizations’ guidance. In the months and weeks leading up to the project, we regularly followed reputable news sources, both international and local, to stay updated on current events and emerging risks.

We overlayed our initial findings using an established risk assessment framework—in this instance, the PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) analysis—to structure our research. This crucial process allowed us to cross-reference our findings with in-country data, setting accurate expectations for the next phase.

Following the research phase a CHEMTREC consultant undertook an in-country visit where vulnerabilities within each facility were collaboratively assessed with the facility team. The assessment focussed on physical security, infrastructure integrity, personnel training, and access control measures. This thorough analysis enabled the team to conduct a risk analysis, determining the likelihood and potential impact of various threats on the university's research operations.

Key Findings and Recommendations

The conclusion of the assessment was presented to the leadership team at each site and included key findings and prioritized improvement recommendations in order of importance. The approach justified that every recommendation was actionable and aligned with the university’s goals.
Here’s what the University Research Business Manager had to say:
“I'd like to thank CHEMTREC for a great job and support with the visit and very comprehensive report.”

The Overall Impact

By conducting these comprehensive assessments, organizations gain invaluable insights into current and potential risks and are provided with actionable measures to mitigate these. The final report served as a strategic roadmap for enhancing security, advancing business continuity, and ultimately safeguarding vital research.
Contact us to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards safeguarding your people, environment, assets and reputation.