Civil Unrest Preparedness: Strategies to Help Protect Your Organization

Civil unrest can create operational and security challenges for businesses of all sizes. Public demonstrations are often peaceful, but conditions can change quickly and may affect access, employees, property, supply chains, and business continuity.

A proactive, risk-based approach can help organizations prepare for potential disruptions and respond more effectively when conditions change.

Here are six strategies that can help strengthen preparedness.

1. Conduct a Risk Assessment

Review how civil unrest or nearby demonstrations could affect your people, facilities, and operations. Consider location, surrounding activity, transportation routes, building access, critical business functions, and nearby public spaces.

Risk assessments should be reviewed periodically based on changes to your operations, location, and risk environment.
 

2. Develop a Response Plan

Create a plan that outlines specific actions to take if unrest affects your location. Depending on your business, location, and operating model, this may include adjusting operating hours, restricting access, relocating employees, supporting remote work, evacuating, sheltering in place, or temporarily closing a facility.

The plan should also define decision-makers, escalation procedures, and coordination with property management, security teams, and local authorities, where appropriate.

3. Maintain Clear Communication

Establish communication procedures for employees, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders based on your organization’s needs.

Identify who will provide updates, which communication channels will be used, and how employees should report concerns. Clear, timely communication can help reduce confusion and support coordinated decision-making.

4. Review Your Integrated Security Measures

Evaluate whether your current security measures are appropriate for your business and aligned with your risk profile.

Depending on the facility and operating environment, this may include reviewing access control, video surveillance, exterior lighting, doors and locks, visitor management, perimeter security, and Security Professional staffing.

Temporary adjustments to staffing, monitoring, or access procedures may also be appropriate when credible information indicates increased activity near a facility.

5. Protect Critical Operations and Information

Businesses should take steps to help protect critical data and information in the event of civil unrest. This may include regularly backing up data, security computer systems and cloud-based applications, and developing contingency plans for accessing information during disruption.

6. Maintain Situational Awareness

Monitor reliable sources relevant to your locations, such as local government alerts, emergency management agencies, law enforcement communications, trusted news outlets, and available security intelligence.

Social media can provide early indications of changing conditions, but information should be verified before it drives operational decisions.
 

Preparedness Supports Resilience

Civil unrest can pose significant risks to local businesses. Taking a proactive approach to assessing and managing those risks can help reduce exposure, support business continuity, and better protect their operations.

Conducting a risk assessment, developing a response plan, maintaining communication, reviewing integrated security measures, protecting data and information, and staying informed can help businesses better prepare for and respond to civil unrest.

How Allied Universal Can Help

Allied Universal® works with organizations to assess risk and develop tailored security programs based on their facilities, operations, and evolving needs.

Our integrated approach brings together security professionals, technology, and professional services to help identify vulnerabilities, strengthen preparedness, and address security gaps. In situations involving civil unrest, security needs can change quickly.  Allied Universal® can help organizations scale support, adjust resources, and respond as conditions evolve.  With one trusted partner across multiple security capabilities, businesses can adapt their security approach as risks and operational needs shift.

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