The assassination of United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson has intensified concerns over executive safety, leading many companies to reassess their security protocols. A new HR Policy Association report, based on responses from 180 CHROs across major public companies, reveals that 73% of firms have specific security measures for executives, with 76% relying on third-party vendors or consultants for implementation. While 37% focus solely on CEO protection, 68% extend measures to all C-suite executives, 51% include board members, and 12% cover other senior leaders. Security decisions are primarily driven by job roles (91%), risk assessments (75%), and specific incidents (66%). Most firms conduct risk assessments on an “as-needed” basis (64%), with others doing so annually (19%), quarterly (4%), or monthly (5%). Ani Huang, senior executive vice president of HR Policy Association, comments “Even if you’re not extremely in the public eye, you can still be a target.” However, challenges persist: Some 70% of CHROs cite evolving threats as a key hurdle, while 30% point to budget constraints and executive resistance as significant barriers to effective security implementation.
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