Mitigating risk for an American NGO in Bangladesh
An American non-governmental organisation (NGO) client required a full assessment of the security risk environment for multiple locations across Bangladesh. This assessment included their main office in Dhaka leading up to the commencement of an empowerment project for women. The client also requested that our Global Security Operations Centre (GSOC) include all potential impacts of the presidential election to their operations in-country.
Challenge
The client was concerned about how their in-country operations could be impacted by terrorism, unrest and cultural sensitivities. These concerns took place against the backdrop of potential political disruption caused by the presidential election, which had taken place three months earlier.
The main challenge was the short deadline for the provision of three deliverables: 1) Project Risk Assessment, 2) Evacuation Plan and 3) an update to the existing Emergency Standard Operating Procedures. Furthermore, the client requested for the task to be delivered with the support of a consultant rather than as a desktop review.
Our initial assessment was that it was relevant for the client to have the three deliverables due to the high-risk environment and sensitivity of the project being carried out.
Approach
Healix engaged one of our trusted providers, a local Bangladeshi consultant who specialised in NGO security and had connections with both local and international agencies. Our consultant was briefed on the scope of the task and the requirements, and gathered all the necessary information on the ground so our consultants could complete the deliverables.
A team of analysts and security operators came together to work on the different deliverables, ensuring deadlines were met and the client had enough time to review the materials ahead of our briefing call.
Outcome
The client fulfilled its duty of care towards its employees by understanding the risk environment and the potential impact of a wide range of security, political, operational and medical risks. The client also understood the threats to their operations and had an evacuation plan in place if necessary. They were able to implement a series of mitigation measures to reduce their risk profile in line with their risk tolerance. Ultimately, this work led to the successful completion of their project in Bangladesh.