Corporate Security

Financial Services

IT and network security are the greatest security concerns for members of the CBI, according to new research from MORI. The research, jointly commissioned by CBI and QinetiQ, shows a large majority (97%) of members have either great or some concern about the overall security of their business. Almost three in five (58%) say IT and network security is a great concern, while two in five name 'Provision of standby facilities for business continuity purposes' (41%), 'Risk to brand value of security incidents' (40%) and 'Risk to employees of security incidents' (38%).

 

IT and network security are the greatest security concerns for members of the CBI, according to new research from MORI. The research, jointly commissioned by CBI and QinetiQ, shows a large majority (97%) of members have either great or some concern about the overall security of their business. Almost three in five (58%) say IT and network security is a great concern, while two in five name 'Provision of standby facilities for business continuity purposes' (41%), 'Risk to brand value of security incidents' (40%) and 'Risk to employees of security incidents' (38%).

Technical details

Final topline results based on a total of 100 telephone interviews with CBI members conducted by MORI. Fieldwork was conducted by MTS (MORI Telephone Surveys) from 4th August - 29th September 2004

Topline Results

  • Final topline results based on a total of 100 telephone interviews with CBI members conducted by MORI.
  • Fieldwork was conducted by MTS (MORI Telephone Surveys) from 4th August -- 29th September 2004
  • Unless otherwise stated, figures quoted are percentages based on the total number of interviews achieved (100)
  • Where percentages do not add up to 100% this is due to either computer rounding or questions allowing multiple answers. An asterisk denotes a figure below 1%

Q1 Can I start by asking you how much of a concern the security of your business is -- in an overall sense -- to you at present -- of great concern, some concern or no concern? Can I now ask you to respond, using that same scale, for some specific aspects of corporate security?

160 Great concern Some concern No concern No opinion
160 % % % %
Overall 49 48 2 1
IT and network security 57 38 5 0
Provision of standby facilities for business continuity purposes 41 46 13 0
Insecure communications, for example integrity of mobile and wireless data 16 63 20 1
Risk to business performance of security incidents 35 58 7 0
Risk to brand value of security incidents 40 44 15 1
Risk to employees of security incidents 38 53 9 0
Risk to facilities of security incidents 23 68 8 1
Screening of packages or containers 14 53 32 1
Background checking of existing personnel 13 50 36 1
Background checking of personnel applying to join the organisation 25 58 15 2
Background checking of visitors to the organisation 5 54 41 0
Compliance with international security legislation 20 45 30 5

Q2a When did you last have a strategic overhaul of your security arrangements?

Q2b And when did you last discuss security at Board level?

160 Q2.a Q2.b
160 Strategic Overhaul Discuss security at Board level
160 % %
2004 62 82
2003 16 8
2002 7 2
2001 1 2
Earlier 6 0
Don't know 8 6

Q3 Which of the activities I am going to read out did your organisation review or undertake as part of that strategic overhaul? Base: All those who have had a strategic overhaul (92)

160 Yes
160 %
Risk to business performance of security incidents 93
Risk to facilities of security incidents 92
Provision of standby facilities for business continuity purposes 90
Risk to employees of security incidents 86
IT and network security 85
Risk to brand value of security incidents 79
Background checking of personnel applying to join the organisation 68
Compliance with international security legislation 57
Insecure communications, for example integrity of mobile and wireless data 51
Background checking of existing personnel 45
Screening of packages or containers 39
Background checking of visitors to the organisation 29

Q4a How strongly were the changes or reviews you made influenced by the following?

160 Very strongly Fairly strongly Not very strongly Not at all No opinion / Don't know
160 % % % % %
9/11 35 28 19 10 0
The changing nature of security threats in the last 2 years 46 31 8 7 0
A specific threat to your sector 28 18 23 23 0
Advice from the police 11 32 22 26 1
Recognition of increased general security risk 41 43 4 4 0
Media coverage of security issues 13 36 24 18 1

Q4b What other events, if any, influenced the changes or reviews you made?

160 %
Acts of terrorism/9/11/Madrid bombing 14
American Sarbanes-Oxley laws/Legislation/Regulatory issues 12
IT security/Viruses 6
Animal rights/Activists 5
Government warnings/Heightened awareness 5
General risk management 5
The current climate/Current security situation worldwide 5
Attention from pressure groups 4
Wars/Conflicts in other countries 4
Safety of staff 3
Change in international politics/Political issues 3
Global incidents 2
Company move/Relocation 2
Theft of products in transit/Theft 2
Client expectations/Customer-driven 2
Business integration/Company merger 2
Subject of media attention 2
Other 17
None/Nothing 15

Q5a Do you have any residual concerns about your organisation's state of preparedness?

160 %
Yes 60
No 40

Q5b What particular concerns are these? (Open-ended question) Base: All those with concerns about their organisation's state of preparedness (60)

160 %
Business continuity/Never having fully tested our business continuity plan 23
Maintaining vigilance/Ability to detect & respond to these threats 23
Concerns that we are not ready enough/Better disaster recovery plans required 20
IT vulnerability/IT recovery/IT back-up 15
Threat to the transport infrastructure/Traveller security 7
Safety of employees/Threat to our people overseas 7
Background checking of existing employees 3
Energy crisis/Threat to the utilities 3
Fear of the unknown 3
Our workplace location/Security of the premises 3
Other 18
Don't know 3

Q5c Do any of these concerns relate to a particular part of the world? If so, which areas? Base: All those with concerns about their organisation's state of preparedness (60)

160 %
UK 37
London 12
USA 12
Global 10
Europe 8
Middle East 8
Asia 7
Other 13
None/Nothing 13
Don't know 10

Q6 Which aspects -- from those I read out -- does your business continuity plan cover?

160 Yes No No opinion / Don't know
160 % % %
Buildings 93 5 2
People 97 1 2
Equipment 95 1 4
IT 98 0 2
Products 73 23 4
Intellectual property 60 32 8

Q7 I am going to read out a list of potential benefits of implementing plans to maintain the security of your organisation. For each one, please tell me if it is of great benefit, of some benefit or of no benefit.

160 Great benefit Some benefit No benefit No opinion / Don't know
160 % % % %
Protection of brand and reputation 74 18 7 1
Being able to reassure staff 69 26 5 0
Ability to recruit and retain staff 26 52 22 0
Protection of intellectual property 44 41 14 1
Maintaining customer confidence 79 14 6 1
Maintaining shareholder confidence 70 23 5 2
Continuity of production or operations 80 15 4 1

Q8 How much more -- or less -- do you spend on security today than you did 5 years ago?

160 %
A great deal more 41
A little more 41
About the same 14
A little less 1
A great deal less 0
Don't know 3

Q9 Can you give me approximate amounts spent by your organisation on security for these 3 years. You do not need to be precise, an estimate to the nearest 163100,000 is fine.

160 2000 2002 2004
160 % % %
Less than 16350,000 2 1 0
16350,000-16399,999 2 2 3
163100,000-163199,999 1 2 1
163200,000-163299,999 3 3 3
163300,000-163499,999 3 2 3
163500,000-163999,999 6 7 5
1631 million and over 33 37 41
Don't know 50 46 44
Mean amount 163961 thousand 163991 thousand 1631,024 thousand

Q10 How much more -- or less -- do you expect to spend on security in five years' time, compared to now?

160 %
A great deal more 19
A little more 38
About the same 35
A little less 2
A great deal less 0
Don't know 6

Q11 How much easier, if at all, would changes in any of the following areas make to your security planning?

Greater openness in government about the extent and nature of any external threats, in particular terrorism?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
21 40 39

Increased priority given by local government to creating a secure local environment in which the business community can operate?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
27 40 33

Increased, dedicated police resource?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
32 41 27

Would you be prepared to pay for this increased police resource?

Yes No
% %
48 52

Minimum level security standards laid down and regulated by the government?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
17 31 52

Freely available information on the latest technologies and guidance on use?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
22 48 30

Increase company spend on security?

Much easier Little easier No difference
% % %
19 51 30

Still on the theme of seeking advice, how likely would you be to turn to each of these sources for advice on security matters?

160 Very likely Fairly likely Not very likely Not at all likely No opinion / Don't know
160 % % % % %
The Home Office 26 29 34 11 0
Your local authority 9 19 45 27 0
IT security consultants 23 51 14 10 2
General management or business consultants 6 27 38 29 0
Providers of security staff 22 44 17 17 0
The Police 43 38 16 3 0
Providers of security technology such as scanning equipment 25 49 18 7 1
The MI5 website (recently expanded to include security advice for businesses) 30 30 18 18 4
Business advice hotlines 7 20 36 36 1
Own security experts 78 12 1 6 3

Q13 How much more -- or less -- do you spend on premiums for insurance of buildings and IT systems or life insurance than you did 5 years ago?

160 160
160 %
A great deal more 33
A little more 26
About the same 20
A little less 4
A great deal less 0
Don't know 17

Q14 Can you give me approximate amounts spent by your organisation on insurance premiums for these three years... You do not need to be precise, an estimate to the nearest 163100,000 is fine.

160 2000 2002 2004
160 % % %
Less than 16350,000 94 94 94
16350,000-16399,999 1 0 0
163100,000-163199,999 2 2 2
163200,000-163299,999 2 1 1
163300,000-163499,999 0 2 2
163500,000-163999,999 4 4 2
1631 million and over 26 30 33
Don't know 58 54 53
Mean amount 163300 thousand 163332 thousand 163346 thousand

Q15 How much more -- or less -- do you expect to spend on insurance premiums in five years' time, compared to now?

160 160
160 %
A great deal more 19
A little more 36
About the same 29
A little less 2
A great deal less 1
Don't know 13

Q16 How strongly do you agree or disagree that the business community is doing enough to ensure its own safety?

Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree No opinion
% % % % % %
13 40 17 23 7 0

Q17 What do you think would make the single biggest positive difference to Britain's ability to do business in the current security climate?

160 %
Greater openness between government & business/Implementation from government 21
More transparency/Awareness of information & guidance 10
Balanced appraisal of the risks without scaremongering 10
Need to get out of Iraq/Resolve the Iraq conflict 6
Have a homeland security organisation that coordinates all business security into one 6
Confidence/Greater involvement from the policy/Police resourcing 4
National ID card 3
Better coordination/Coordination within the business community 3
Effective means of dealing with animal rights activists 3
Remove the threat of terrorism 3
A major incident 2
IT security 2
Carry on as normal 2
Tighter control over immigration 2
Safety/security of staff 2
Government to support the cost of business security 2
Other 12
None/Nothing 1
Don't know 18

Q18 What type of incident are you most worried about (it can relate to the UK or elsewhere in the World)

160 %
Direct terrorist action/Terrorist incident 32
Environmental terrorists -- fire/Bombs/Biological/Chemical weapons 20
Business discontinuity/Interruption due to a terrorist act 17
IT espionage/Computer hackers 12
Security of personnel in hostile areas 11
Disruption of supplies/Raw materials 4
Interruption of transport communications 4
Animal rights protestors/Direct action from activists 4
Product contamination 4
Fire/flood 3
Threats to power supplies from terrorists/Energy crisis 2
Company fraud 2
Other 10
None/Nothing 1
Don't know 1

Classification

Q19a Do you have a "Chief Security Officer" in your organisation?

160 %
Yes 68
No 32

Q19b Is your Chief Security Officer at board level? Base: All those with a Chief Security Officer (68)

160 %
Yes 21
No 79

Q20a Apart from the UK, how many countries do you operate in?

160 %
Less than 5 10
5-10 9
11-20 12
21-30 12
31-40 3
41-50 8
51-60 2
61-70 2
71-80 4
80+ 17
Don't know 2

Q20b What were your global revenues in the most recent financial year?

160 %
Under 1631m 0
1631 and under 16310m 2
10 and under 163100m 4
100m and under 163500m 17
500m and under 1631billion 4
1631b and under 1635b 31
1635bn and over 29
Don't know 13
Refused 0

Q20c What is your primary industry sector classification?

160 %
Utilities 9
Mining, minerals, natural resources 3
Technology/media/telecoms 11
Dot-com/Internet 0
Construction 1
Manufacture of industrial goods 4
Manufacture of consumer goods 10
Other manufacturing 2
Manufacturing unspecified 2
Transport and distribution 11
Services/retailing 13
Financial services/Banking 12
Other services 8
Leisure/entertainment 1
Engineering 4
Other 9

Q20d How many employees do you have in the UK?

Q20e And how many do you have in your global operations?

160 Q20d Q20e
160 % %
1-99 2 2
100-499 2 1
500-999 5 1
1,000-1,999 11 5
2,000-4,999 22 16
5,000-14,999 34 20
15,000-24,999 7 13
25,000-49,999 6 11
50,000+ 9 30
Don't know 2 1

Q20e What percentage of revenue/profit will come from the UK?

160 %
0-10% 12
11-20% 10
21-30% 11
31-40% 4
41-50% 4
51-60% 3
61-70% 5
71-80% 4
81-90% 3
91-100% 28
Don't know 16

Q20f Where is your UK head office located?

160 %
London 62
South East (excluding London) 13
Scotland 5
South West 5
North West 3
East Midlands 3
North East 2
Yorkshire and Humberside 2
West Midlands 2
No HO in UK 2
Northern Ireland 1
Wales 0
East Anglia 0

Q20g Finally, can I just check your job title please?

160 %
Manager/Head of Security 24
Other director 19
Company secretary 9
Director of Security 7
Corporate Risk Manager 7
CEO 5
CFO/FD 4
Manager/Head of Facilities 3
Health & Safety Manager 3
Facilities Director 3
Chairman 2
Manager/Head of Business Continuity 2
Corporate Risk Director 2
Other 10

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