March 10, 2003—In response to a concerted need for guidelines regarding security issues in the U.S., ASIS International has created the ASIS Commission on Guidelines. The Commission is tasked with “advancing the practice of security through the development of risk mitigation guidelines.” The Commission wrote a General Security Risk Assessment Guideline, which is available on the ASIS Web site.
“ASIS previously had chosen not to promulgate guidelines and standards, but we felt that whatever concerns we’d had in the past paled in comparison to the need for a professional security organization to be at the forefront of this initiative,” said Chad Callaghan, co-chairman of the Commission. “After all, America’s private sector controls 85% of the critical infrastructure that makes our economy run—we needed to stand up and take this initiative.”
ASIS also has established a working relationship with the Department of Homeland Security, and was approved by the American National Standards Institute as an accredited standards developer. In addition, the Society has been invited to participate in the Security Industry Standards Council, which was created by the SIA to assist in reviewing standards that are being developed by other organizations.
The Guidelines Commission has invited other groups, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), to collaborate on future guidelines. It also has established procedures for how additional guidelines will be submitted, reviewed and developed. The Commission hopes the entire 32,000-person member base of ASIS will eventually assist in the development of guidelines through its multiple councils.
