Risk and resilience: The importance of proactive preparedness
We recently held the first of our risk and resilience Scottish event series at the Scottish Engineering headquarters in Glasgow. It created a space for attendees to discuss their major pain points, strengths and understanding of the current security threat landscape facing their organisations.
Neil Shanks, Director of Corps Consult, outlined the practical steps businesses can take now to enhance their resilience against attack. He framed his speech around two major elements: spotting a threat before it arrives at your door, and having the correct procedures in place to deal with it effectively.
Setting the scene
Installers, Corps’ customers, and organisations curious about enhancing their security measures gathered at our event space, Scottish Engineering’s Glasgow HQ.
Mind Management Coach Cuddy Cudworth hosted the session and the closing Q&A, providing a unique insight into mental and physical employee health, an often overlooked factor that can have a detrimental effect on organisational security.
Armed with breakfast rolls, teacakes, tea, and coffee, attendees heard from Neil Millar, Security Solutions Manager, about Corps’ history and expertise, and from our partner, Scottish Engineering, on its membership organisation work.
Neil Shanks then took centre stage and started with a sobering statistic: 40 to 60 per cent of businesses never reopen after a natural or man-made disaster. That statistic might seem startling, but as Neil noted:
“A business is only as strong as its weakest point. 99% of a business continuity plan can be great, but if 1% isn’t, that’s where you will fail.”
The fourth industrial revolution
Today, advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly accessible, providing instant access to knowledge and skills that previously took years to acquire. When this technological power is combined with misinformation and disinformation, it spreads rapidly through social media. In this era, threat actors are empowered to create confusion that can disrupt operations and damage reputations.
As systems become more technologically advanced, their complexity also introduces new points of failure. A single outdated or poorly secured device on your network can pose a significant vulnerability, potentially giving threat actors access to your wider systems. With an estimated 18 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide, the scale of this challenge is unprecedented.
Even your seemingly innocent smart devices, such as printers or vending machines that automatically reorder stock, may sit on your IT infrastructure alongside critical systems like access control and CCTV. Their interconnectivity means one weak point has the potential to compromise everything.
Your people, intellectual property, and physical security systems all form part of this interconnected landscape. From exposed CCTV cables that can be cut to staff members targeted by phishing attempts, every element requires attention.
Protecting your intellectual property must be your top priority: your inventions, designs, processes, and ideas are the lifeblood of your business. If any of these elements are compromised, they can undermine your entire operation.
Steps your organisation needs to take next
Building resilience is not a one-off task: it’s an ongoing process that strengthens your organisation over time. Start by identifying your crown jewels, such as intellectual property and IT systems. Keep a hard copy of your continuity strategy. If your systems go down, your plan must still be accessible. Diversify your operations by creating backups, alternative supply routes, and cross-training teams to break down silos.
Apply the Preparedness Cycle to embed resilience into your organisation:
- Develop your plan
- Train your people
- Evaluate what works and what doesn’t
- Revise and repeat
Remember, risks are interconnected and rarely exist in isolation, so you must adopt a unified approach across people, departments, processes, and technology.
Roadmap for the future
An ever-evolving threat landscape requires an ever-evolving preparedness plan. The question is not whether your organisation will face a threat, but when, and whether you’ll be ready to respond effectively.
Don’t know where to start? Contact Neil Millar, Security Solutions Manager, to find out more about how your organisation can prepare against these risks, and our upcoming risk and resilience event.
The next of which will be held in Edinburgh, in early 2026.
Email: nmillar@corpssecurity.co.uk
Mobile: 07980 769180
