ASIS International, the US-based association for security management people, has released the Executive Protection Standard. This document sets forth industry best practices for the protection of executives and other high-profile people, for their safety and security in what the industry body calls an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Joe M Olivarez, Jr, 2025 President of ASIS said: “The Executive Protection Standard represents a critical advancement in our profession’s ability to safeguard leaders who drive global commerce and innovation. As threats to executives become increasingly sophisticated and complex, this standard provides the comprehensive framework our members need to deliver world-class protection services while maintaining the highest professional standards.”
The standard was developed by a team of industry practitioners, drawing on their experience and knowledge to create a framework that addresses the challenges faced by executive protection people. The authors say this standard establishes a framework that aligns strategic objectives with protective operations using a structure approach that encompasses leadership, strategy, operational functions, and resource management to address specific security needs for executives, their families, and associated assets.
Charles Tobin is chair of the technical committee that developed the standard. He said: “This standard reflects the collective expertise of seasoned executive protection professionals who understand that effective protection requires more than just physical security. It demands strategic thinking, meticulous planning, and seamless coordination. We’ve created a practical roadmap that will elevate the entire executive protection industry while ensuring consistent, professional approaches to safeguarding our most valuable assets; the people who lead our organizations.”
Executive Protection represents a security discipline focused on safeguarding high-profile individuals through threat identification, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies. The authors say executive protection requires structured leadership and strategic planning that encompasses intelligence gathering, physical and digital security integration, close protection operations, transportation security, and emergency response protocols. The foundation rests on thorough security risk assessments that evaluate an individual’s visibility, organizational value, and threat history to determine protection scope and resource allocation. Success depends on operational planning, regulatory compliance, continuous monitoring, and regular evaluation to adapt to evolving threats. The standard includes:
- needs analysis and security risk assessment methodologies to determine protection requirements and evaluate threats to executives and their families.
- a framework to include leadership commitment, policy development, resource allocation, and operational scope definition.
- Personnel management and operational planning guidelines covering selection criteria, training requirements, legal compliance, ethics, and communication protocols.
- Protective operations procedures addressing intelligence gathering, close protection operations, security advances, transportation, and emergency response coordination.
- evaluation and continuous improvement processes through monitoring, compliance assessment, auditing, and management review.
“ASIS International is committed to advancing the security profession by providing our members with the tools and resources they need to excel in their roles,” said Susan Carioti, CAE, CSP, Vice President, Certifications, Standards and Guidelines at ASIS. “The Executive Protection Standard is a testament to our dedication to promoting excellence and professionalism in the field of security management.”
