Why Corporate Security Should Be in the C-Suite: Making the Business Case for Executive Protection to Your Board

Corporate executives face heightened security threats that require strategic leadership intervention. The median amount spent on executive security among S&P 500 companies doubled from 2021 to 2023, reflecting the growing recognition that executive protection is essential for business continuity. 

The business case for C-suite security leadership rests on three fundamental pillars: legal and fiduciary obligations creating direct executive accountability, an evolving threat landscape requiring strategic coordination, and compelling business value propositions demonstrating security’s role in organizational success.

The Legal Case for Executive Protection: Fiduciary Duties and Compliance Requirements

Corporate directors and officers have clear fiduciary duties that extend to workplace safety and security oversight. The Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause, for example, requires employers to protect executives from workplace violence hazards. Additionally, corporate directors may have a duty of care obligation in certain states to provide executive protection, particularly when executives represent shareholder interests publicly.

California’s SB 553, effective July 1, 2024, represents a watershed moment for corporate security. The law requires virtually every California employer to establish comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans, including:

• Workplace violence hazard identification and evaluation
• Incident reporting and logging systems
• Emergency response procedures
• Post-incident investigation protocols
• Employee training requirements
• Detailed recordkeeping for minimum five years

This legislation signals broader regulatory trends that may eventually expand nationwide, making proactive C-suite engagement essential for compliance readiness. 

The Evolving Threat Landscape: Why Traditional Security Isn’t Enough for the C-Suite

Today’s executive threats extend far beyond physical security concerns. The threat landscape now encompasses:

• Cyber-enabled harassment through social engineering and data scraping campaigns designed to extract personal information
• Online reputation attacks via coordinated disinformation campaigns targeting executives and undermining corporate valuation
• Geopolitical exposure for multinational operations, where executives may become targets for surveillance, extortion, or state-sponsored threats
• Sophisticated insider threats that blur the lines between internal and external risks

Modern executive protection requires intelligence-led strategies that integrate multiple security disciplines. 

Protective intelligence enhances corporate executive protection through:

• Continuous monitoring of online data sources for threats
• Real-time threat assessments and risk analysis
• Proactive mitigation strategies
• Enhanced situational awareness for security decision-making 

The Strategic Business Case for Executive Security

Executive security failures create cascading organizational risks. A sudden leadership vacuum or violent incident involving company executives can:

• Disrupt operations and decrease productivity
• Cause significant reputational harm
• Create substantial legal exposure
• Impact stock price and market confidence

Corporate security functions possess sophisticated intelligence capabilities that extend beyond traditional protection. These capabilities can provide valuable insights for:

• Strategic business decisions
• Crisis leadership development
• Competitive intelligence gathering
• Market risk assessment

Federal Government Guidance: CISA’s “Shields Up” Initiative

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency provides specific guidance for corporate leaders, emphasizing several critical steps:

Empowering Chief Information Security Officers

• Include CISOs in enterprise risk decision-making processes
• Establish clear authority for security investments
• Ensure organization-wide understanding that security is a top priority

Lowering Reporting Thresholds

• Document clear thresholds for reporting potential incidents to senior management
• Establish expectations for reporting any malicious activity indicators
• Create direct communication channels with federal agencies

Executive Participation in Response Planning

• Include senior business leadership and board members in cyber incident response plans
• Conduct regular tabletop exercises for major incident scenarios
• Test supply chain disruption responses

Overcoming C-Suite Resistance

Reframing Security as Strategic Investment

Security leaders must position their programs within enterprise risk management frameworks rather than as isolated cost centers. This requires:

• Translating security risks into clear business terms
• Demonstrating how threats impact revenue, productivity, and competitive advantage
• Showing measurable security outcomes linked to business objectives

Governance and Board Oversight

Boards have increasingly recognized security as a governance issue requiring direct oversight. Directors and officers must:

• Treat executive security as a form of risk mitigation, not insurance
• Position security investments to prevent higher costs associated with crisis response
• Ensure adequate budget allocation for protective intelligence, privacy services, and qualified personnel

The Compliance Imperative for Organizational Security

OSHA has declared workplace violence a “recognized hazard” and continues expanding enforcement expectations. Federal agencies are increasing scrutiny of organizations that fail to adequately address security risks to leadership. 

Financial services organizations face particular regulatory pressure, with approximately 70% of firms providing regular security program updates to boards. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council explicitly requires insider threat programs with board-level oversight. 

The Strategic Imperative to Secure the C-Suite

Organizations that recognize security as a strategic enabler rather than operational constraint will be best positioned to protect assets, maintain competitive advantages, and fulfill stakeholder obligations. The question for boards and C-suites is not whether to integrate security into strategic planning, but how quickly and effectively they can execute this transformation.

As threats continue evolving in complexity and sophistication, executive leadership participation in security decisions represents essential risk management, competitive advantage, and fiduciary responsibility in an increasingly complex global environment.

Organizations need specialized expertise to navigate the complex intersection of legal compliance, threat intelligence, and executive protection strategy. At Convoy Group, our experienced security consultants understand that integrating security into strategic business planning requires more than traditional approaches – it demands intelligence-driven solutions that translate security risks into business terms, develop comprehensive threat assessment frameworks, and create board-ready compliance strategies that align with fiduciary responsibilities. Our team helps corporate leaders transform security from a line-item expense into a strategic business function that protects both executive leadership and organizational continuity, ensuring that your C-suite security program meets evolving regulatory requirements while delivering measurable business value in today’s multi-vector threat environment.