Event Risk Assessment Protocols

👀 What if I told you that an accessibility feature causes me physical pain, but I still defend it? Accessibility is often talked about like it’s a simple, universal fix. But sometimes one person’s access can feel like another person’s barrier. Here’s a real-world example: 👩🦯 For blind and low-vision people, those bumpy tactile tiles at the edge of pavements are critical. They tell someone “Stop. The road is right here.” Without them, someone could step straight into traffic, resulting in serious injury or even death. ♿️ For me, as a wheelchair user with unstable and painful joints, rolling over those same tiles can be painful, especially on bad days. The vibration, the jolting, the sudden uneven surface all goes straight through my body. So yes, something that protects one person can physically hurt another. And that can be hard to talk about. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: ► I don’t get to treat my pain as more important than someone else’s safety. ► My discomfort is real. ► But a blind person’s risk of stepping into a road is life-or-death. Sometimes, accessibility isn’t about finding a perfect solution. Sometimes, it’s about choosing the option that protects the most vulnerable people - even when it isn’t comfortable for everyone. ✘ That doesn’t mean we stop trying to design better spaces. ✔ It does mean we stop pretending access needs never conflict. #AccessibilityMatters #DisabilityInclusion #WheelchairUser

What’s something you wish more people understood about accessibility? Here's the thought process I go through every single time I visit a new business or city 1. Parking: Does the place have accessible parking nearby? Will it be available, or will someone without a placard take the spot? If there’s no parking, is there a drop-off zone that won’t leave me stuck in a dangerous spot? If I'm by myself how far am I going to have to push myself through a pothole-infested parking lot before I get to a curb cut> 2. Entrances: Does the building have a ramp? If it does, is it actually usable, or is it one of those afterthought ramps that feel like they were designed by someone who has never seen someone using a wheelchair? If there are automatic doors, do they work? If not, will I be able to open the door myself? How high is the lip between the pathway and inside? Are the doors wide enough, or will I have to ask someone to open a second door for me so I can get in? 3. Bathrooms: Does the place have an accessible bathroom, or is it technically "accessible" but actually too small to turn around in? Are the grab bars where they’re supposed to be? Will it be one of those situations where the accessible stall is being used as storage? 4. Medication: As a type 1 diabetic, I can’t go anywhere without emergency supplies. Will my bags get searched? If I’m traveling for more than 24 hours, will I have access to a refrigerator for my insulin? 5. Seating and Space: If I’m meeting friends, can I sit with them? Will there be tables with space for my chair, or will they all have fixed seating? Will I be stuck in a walkway with people brushing past me all night? 6. Flooring and Terrain: Are there unexpected stairs? Thick carpet that makes pushing a nightmare? Gravel, cobblestones, or sand? Do I have a backup plan if my chair gets stuck? 7. Elevators Is there an elevator? If so, does it work? Am I going to have to chase down a key? Is it being used for storage? Will I be able to reach the buttons? And if it breaks while I’m upstairs, do I have a way to get back down? 8. Weather: If it’s raining, will the sidewalks be safe or turn into a slip-and-slide? If it’s hot, will I overheat because the accessible path takes five times longer to get in? 9. Backup Plans: And my personal least favorite, if I get there and realize it’s not actually accessible, what do I do? Will I have to leave? Will I have to call someone for help? 10. Ride Share: If I am traveling out of town, how many ride-share drivers will cancel on me as soon as I tell them or they see I have a wheelchair? Yep, it's illegal. Doesn't stop them from doing it. These are just a few of the things I think about every time I go somewhere new. Accessibility isn’t just about checking a few boxes. It’s about whether I can actually get in, move around, and enjoy the same experience as everyone else. #AccessibilityMotivationalMonday #Accessibility #Disability #Inclusion #Accessible

Your Procurement Cycle is a Minefield of Risks. Are You Walking Blind? Procurement Excellence | 17 JAN 2026 - Procurement always navigates hidden risks that can derail projects, inflate costs, and tarnish reputations. Ignoring them? That’s the real risk. Here are 7 CRITICAL risks lurking in your procurement cycle + how to defuse them: #1. Performance Risk ↳Suppliers underdelivering on quality/timelines. ↳Fix: Clear KPIs. Penalty clauses. Regular performance reviews. #2.Specification Risk ↳Vague requirements lead to wrong deliverables. ↳Fix:Collaborate with stakeholders upfront & freeze specs before sourcing. #3. Supplier Financial Risk ↳Bankrupt suppliers = halted operations. ↳Fix:Run credit checks, diversify suppliers, demand financial disclosures. #4. Reputation Risk (ESG) ↳Child labor or pollution in supply chain = brand crisis. ↳Fix: Supplier ESG screenings. Audits. Sustainability clauses. #5. Price Volatility Risk ↳Market swings crush budgets. ↳Fix: Fixed-price contracts. Hedging strategies. Cost-indexed clauses. #6. Fraud & Corruption Risk ↳Kickbacks, fake invoicing, collusion. ↳Fix: Segregate duties. Whistleblower policies. AI-powered anomaly detection. #7. Contract Leakage Risk ↳Unused discounts, auto-renewals, scope creep. ↳Fix:Centralized contract repository. Milestone alerts. Spend analytics. #Bonus I: Over-Reliance Risk ↳One supplier holds 80% of your spend. ↳Fix: Strategic supplier diversification. #Bonus II: Cybersecurity Risk ↳Suppliers accessing your systems >>data breaches. ↳Fix:Vendor security assessments. Zero-trust architecture. #Bonus III: Supply Disruption Risk ↳Natural disasters, geopolitics or supplier failures. ↳Fix: Dual sourcing, Safety stock & Real-time supply chain monitoring. Risk Mitigation Playbook: ✅ Proactive: Map risks at EVERY stage ✅ Use AI for predictive analytics, blockchain for traceability. ✅ Train & empower teams to spot red flags early. ✅ Collaborate & partner with Legal, Finance, Operations. Risk-aware procurement NOT about avoiding suppliers Procurement can’t own risk alone! Build resilient, ethical & agile supply chains that drive sustainable value. What risks keep YOU up at night? ♻️ Share to help someone in your network. ➕️ Follow Frederick for more content like this. #ProcurementExcellence #RiskManagement #Leadership

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. Taking shortcuts can lead to wasted money and a world of headaches downstream. (𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵-𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘙𝘍𝘗 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴?!) 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝: 💡 𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩: Be specific about your needs in RFx docs. If you’re unclear, suppliers will be, too. Before going to RFP, always have quantifiable evaluation criteria finalized and approved by the Spend Owner. 💡 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚: The cheapest option often costs the most in the long run. Prioritize value over price. Suppliers who price things materially lower than benchmark norms usually cut corners somewhere to meet margins. 💡 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙮: Source independent references via your network. Past performance tells the real story. Ask the right questions and listen closely to the answers.  💡 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙: Can the supplier grow and evolve with your business? Are they innovative and flexible? Does their company culture and ways of working align with yours?  💡 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙨: Most suppliers come with some level of risk, the key is understanding and managing it. Conduct due diligence on short-listed suppliers. Outputs should inform the down-selection process, with material deficiency action items included in the contract. 💡 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙨: The best suppliers care about your long-term success and aligning with your goals.  Look at proposals holistically, thinking beyond the transaction and into value creation. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: Looking back, I’ve been at firms in seasons where costs were prioritized over total value, often leading to short-term gains but long-term challenges. There were times I should’ve taken a firmer stance about material supplier risks identified and bias in the selection process.  As procurement peeps, we provide recommendations based on long-term value, risk management, and partnership potential. This includes having the courage to speak up with informed and actionable guidance when things don't pass muster. The goal is to ensure sourcing outcomes build a foundation for success, not just a quick win. 📢 𝙋.𝙎. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 “𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨” 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛?

A lot of apparel brands still evaluate suppliers too simply. In unstable markets, reliability is a profit lever. Usually on: • unit cost • average lead time • MOQs That is incomplete. In current market, supplier quality should be evaluated on volatility, not just cost. Because a “cheaper” vendor becomes expensive very quickly if they create: • repeated lead time swings • inbound uncertainty • forced air freight • reactive overbuying • missed full-price selling windows The hidden cost is not just in the PO. It is in the downstream planning damage. A more strategic supplier scorecard for a $10M+ apparel brand should include: 1. Lead time variance Not just average lead time, but how often actual lead time deviates meaningfully from plan. 2. Delay frequency How often a supplier slips by more than 7 days. 3. Recovery reliability When a delay happens, how often the supplier catches back up on the next cycle. 4. Margin impact How much extra markdown, stockout risk, or emergency freight is created by that supplier’s instability. 5. Assortment criticality A volatile supplier is much more dangerous when they support your top-volume SKUs. The cheapest supplier is not always the cheapest. And the “best” lead time is not always the shortest one.

Third-Party Risk: The Hidden Cybersecurity Battlefield in Modern Supply Chains In our interconnected digital ecosystem, your security posture is only as strong as your weakest vendor. Modern enterprises rely on 100s of third-party vendors, creating an exponentially expanding attack surface. Supply chain attacks have become the preferred vector for sophisticated threat actors. Instead of targeting well-defended enterprises directly, attackers exploit vulnerabilities in trusted vendors to simultaneously breach hundreds of downstream organizations. Game-Changing Examples SolarWinds (2020): Compromised software updates affected 18,000+ customers including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, demonstrating how a single vendor breach cascades across entire sectors. MOVEit (2023): A single vulnerability led to data breaches affecting over 600 organizations globally, showcasing the massive scale of modern supply chain impacts. Why Third-Party Risk Monitoring is Critical Continuous Visibility: Traditional annual assessments are insufficient. Organizations need real-time monitoring of vendor security posture, breach notifications, and compliance status changes. Risk Amplification: When attackers target managed service providers or software vendors, the impact multiplies across all their clients. One compromised vendor can expose thousands of organizations simultaneously. Regulatory Liability: With GDPR, CCPA, and emerging supply chain regulations, organizations face increasing liability for third-party security failures. Proactive monitoring demonstrates due diligence. Building Effective Defense Continuous Assessment: Implement real-time vendor risk scoring across your entire ecosystem Zero Trust Extension: Apply least-privilege access controls to all third-party connections Incident Response Integration: Ensure your IR plans account for vendor breaches with clear communication protocols Contractual Protection: Update vendor agreements with security requirements and liability provisions The Bottom Line Organizations can no longer treat vendor risk as procurement afterthought. The question isn't whether your supply chain will be targeted — it's whether you'll detect and respond effectively when it happens. The strongest security programs extend beyond organizational boundaries to create defensible ecosystems, not just defensible enterprises. #ThirdPartyRisk #TRPM #SupplyChainAttack #CyberSecurity

Understanding and managing risk is essential for any fintech company—but Revolut is taking it a step further. In their latest blog, the team shares how they’re designing risk as a system of dynamic state transitions. Each user account is embedded in a broader risk graph, where every event—like a payment failure or a balance drop—triggers transitions between states. These transitions are driven by probabilities and associated costs, enabling real-time calculations of key metrics like expected loss and worst-case loss. What’s especially compelling is how this model is put into production. Risk evaluation is built directly into Revolut’s event-driven architecture through a reasoner component that continuously interprets user states. On top of that, they’ve integrated large language models (LLMs) to generate natural-language summaries of risk, making insights easier to understand and act upon. By treating risk as a live, evolving flow of events rather than a static score, Revolut has developed a system that’s both scalable and adaptive. Whether you're working on fraud detection or credit risk, this post offers a thoughtful approach to embedding risk intelligence into your platform. #DataScience #MachineLearning #Graph #RiskManagement #SnacksWeeklyonDataScience – – –  Check out the "Snacks Weekly on Data Science" podcast and subscribe, where I explain in more detail the concepts discussed in this and future posts:    -- Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gKgaMvbh   -- Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gj6aPBBY    -- Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gcwPeBmR https://lnkd.in/g6_y_Jxc

World Health Organization updates #laboratory #biosecurity #guidance WHO recently issued updated guidance for national #authorities and #biomedical #laboratories to manage #biological #risks. Laboratories are essential components of #health #systems, critical for patient #diagnosis and rapid #clinical #care, #disease #surveillance, #pathogen characterization, and #research and #development for #treatments and #vaccines. Appropriately designed and equipped facilities, trained #staff, evidence-based risk mitigating measures, transparent reporting and layered oversight mechanisms will safeguard the #workforce and the community from pathogenic #microorganisms and #toxins. New updates in the guidance include the strengthening of #cybersecurity measures and handling of confidential information such as patient records; reducing risks from new #technologies, including those related to #genetic modification and #manipulation of pathogens, and #artificial #intelligence (AI); and advice on keeping laboratories #safe and #secure during #emergencies like #wars, civil unrest, and #disasters from natural #hazards. WHO’s updated laboratory biosecurity guidance helps all countries, especially those lacking #regulations, establish or strengthen frameworks for handling high-consequence pathogens. It highlights the importance of strong institutional governance through an Institutional Biosafety Committee with national oversight. The updated guidance provides best #practices and #recommendations, while encouraging Member States to adopt a risk-based approach, stipulated in the resolution on ‘Strengthening laboratory biological risk management’ adopted at the World Health Assembly this year. The guidance was developed in consultation with wide range of stakeholders including WHO collaborating centres and technical advisory groups, in particular, the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Biosafety (TAG-B).    By promoting engagement and #commitment from institutions and national authorities, the guidance mitigates risks associated with high-consequence pathogens and research work. These measures aim to safeguard communities from misuse and release of biological materials, be it intentional or inadvertent, all while allowing legitimate biomedical research to continue. https://lnkd.in/enwAEeFb

𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘀 The term "Buyer Beware," or "Caveat Emptor," is particularly relevant in the medical cannabis industry, where the quality, safety, & legality of products are of utmost importance. As the industry continues to expand, the risks associated with purchasing substandard or non-compliant products have also grown. This makes it crucial for buyers whether they are distributors, retailers, or end consumers to conduct thorough audits of their suppliers to ensure that all relevant documentation is accurate & that the products meet the necessary standards. A comprehensive audit of a medical cannabis supplier is vital for several reasons: Regulatory Compliance: Medical cannabis is subject to strict regulations that vary by region. An audit helps confirm that the supplier adheres to all applicable laws & regulations, including cultivation, processing, & distribution standards. Non-compliance can lead to significant legal consequences for both the supplier & the buyer. Product Quality & Safety: With the market rife with products that may not meet safety or quality standards, an audit verifies that the supplier’s products are free from harmful contaminants & contain the correct potency & cannabinoid profile as advertised. Document Validation: Accurate & thorough documentation, including certificates of analysis (COAs), licenses, & other compliance-related documents, is critical. An audit ensures these documents are genuine & current, protecting buyers from potential fraud or misrepresentation. Risk Mitigation: Detailed audits help buyers identify & mitigate risks associated with a supplier, such as financial instability or poor operational practices, reducing the likelihood of supply chain disruptions or acquiring inferior products. Unfortunately, many companies fail to deliver quality products or comply with regulatory standards due to shortcomings in these areas. Common issues include inaccurate or incomplete documentation, lack of proper testing, non-compliance with regulations, & poor supply chain practices. These failures can have serious consequences, from legal repercussions to compromised product quality & safety. At Haffner International Ltd, we understand the critical importance of thorough audits & accountability in the medical cannabis supply chain. Our team of experts provides comprehensive audit services to validate the entire supply process. We conduct in-depth audits of suppliers, meticulously check all relevant documentation, facilitate third-party lab testing, & offer ongoing compliance monitoring. Partnering with Haffner International Ltd ensures that your medical cannabis supply chain is robust, compliant, & reliable. Our rigorous audit process & commitment to accountability mean you can have confidence in the integrity of your suppliers & the quality of your products. #MedicalCannabis #Compliance #QualityControl #CannabisIndustry #Accountability

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 & 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?   This is a question that every procurement team answers differently. It's tightly linked to risk culture and regulatory constraints.   Some organisations choose full control, documenting and actively approving every step of the process and checking compliance of all suppliers.   𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 but can be cost-prohibitive and impossible to operate due to the impact on speed and efficiency of processes. It's raising the Cost of Compliance drastically and leads to people looking for loopholes and shortcuts.   Others take 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, tailoring their controls based on the risk profile of each process. For high-risk activities, they enforce robust controls, detailed documentation, multiple approvals, and audits whereas for lower-risk activities they may follow a more pragmatic approach supporting workflow automation, speed and efficiency of processes. It's providing a leaner foundation but may expose some processes to inefficiencies and compliance gaps.   So is there a right or wrong approach to risk vs efficiency? Not really. It's about finding balance and using technology in favour of leaner processes.   Let's look at some cases i recently came across: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Should all suppliers be checked on financials & compliance? For strategic or high-risk suppliers, yes. But for low-spend or small suppliers, a lighter, risk-based approach can help maintain efficiency. 2️⃣ 𝟯-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝘃𝘀. 𝟰-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: Is 4-way match (purchase order, order confirmation, receipt and invoice) always necessary? For critical or high-value goods, this extra control mitigates quality & payment errors. In lower-risk scenarios/catalog purchases, a 3-way match may totally suffice.   3️⃣ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀: Do all procurement transactions need multi-level sign-offs? High-value/sensitive purchases might require multiple approvals. However, automating approvals for low-value, recurring purchases reduces cycle times without compromising control.   4️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Should every contract be reviewed by legal? For high-complexity agreements, surely. But using contract templates for low-risk purchases can improve process effectiveness while maintaining compliance.   For an optimal balance, a risk-based approach will need to consider process-specific risk levels and tailored controls. Technology can make a real difference here: ▪️ Automating in-process and post-mortem activities with AI, reducing manual checks and improving process efficiency ▪️ Profiling risks and determining extra checks where fraud is typical so that risk mitigation is not impacting speed. ▪️ As a Gate Checker screening for patterns, adjusting the level of controls flexibly based on pre-defined conditions How do you balance risk & process efficiency? Where can Tech help?