Seeing opportunities alongside threats

For most security and environmental officers, the analysis of threats to people and the environment is part of everyday life. In order to include the standard requirement of opportunity analysis, a change of perspective is necessary. Although there are common instruments for risk analysis, such as the SWOT analysis, opportunities cannot be identified with the same questions.

Draw attention to opportunities
The first thing we need to do is to assume that there are still unrecognised opportunities where possible. With this attitude, the following questions can draw our attention to opportunities: What further development is beneficial to the company and what are the first signs of this? Does the current situation offer an opportunity to strengthen these signs (e.g. adjust work processes, enter into a certain cooperation, consider new locations, etc.)? Since individual perceptions vary, it is beneficial to share such questions in a group. As with threats, it is important to define a scenario and determine the extent of the benefits and the likelihood of realisation.

As shown in the figure, certain basics are needed to identify opportunities. The people involved need to understand the context of the organization, have the analyses of significant environmental aspects and hazard assessments at hand, and know the applicable binding obligations. Other bases can be included. The task now is to determine the opportunities relevant to the company and to derive measures from them.

Risk scenario "Teaching company
Even if these topics are usually new for management system officers, they must at least find out which instruments the management uses in the area of risk management. For example, as a safety officer (Sibe), they provide scenarios from their area to the management. Because there is a lack of qualified junior staff, they consider, for example, the scenario of "becoming a training company". As a Sibe, they are aware of the increased risk of accidents among apprentices, but nevertheless consider what benefits could arise for the company. Qualified junior staff would bring stability to the company in the long term, provide new impetus and contribute to internal knowledge. Other employees would be strengthened in their responsibility. To these considerations they add those regarding the threats and discuss them with the management. Ideally, this results in more in-depth cooperation, be it in the form of workshops, bilateral discussions, contributions to meetings, etc. It should be mentioned that threats as well as opportunities should only be considered if they are relevant enough for the company. For this purpose, the scale for extent and probability is used, whereby a benefit scale is to be defined instead of a damage scale. Less significant threats and opportunities are already included in the context of the risk assessments and internal audits.

Conclusion: Risk assessments should serve to ensure that the desired results are achieved, undesirable effects are prevented or reduced and continuous improvement takes place. Cleverly used, the instruments ensure consistency between the management levels.