Crisis Management

Crisis Management Planning


FocusPoint supports clients in the development, review, and testing of crisis management plans. Our consultants work closely with clients to develop practical crisis management plans that are easily understood and implemented across an organization, regardless of the size and complexity of the client’s business. Our plans dramatically increase an organization’s ability to identify, assess, respond, and recover from crisis events.

Emergency Evacuation Planning


FocusPoint supports clients in the development, review, and testing of emergency evacuation plans for specific events, locations and/or enterprise-level plans. Emergency Evacuation Plans (EEP) developed by FocusPoint consists of general information, guidance, checklists, immediate action lists, and instructions, as well as specific information which is contained in separate ANNEXs. FocusPoint EEPs contain active links to key sections of the EEP for easy navigation. The primary purpose of each FocusPoint EEP is to provide a comprehensive, well-planned, and well-defined process for safely executing an emergency evacuation of all impacted persons from an area(s) of danger, which constitutes a threat and requires emergency action in support of some or all affected persons.

All FocusPoint EEPs provide a broad array of contingencies and information that allows for a flexible approach to the planning and execution of any Emergency Evacuation. Various immediate action lists specific to critical incidents are also included, which should serve as guidance to clients executing an Emergency Evacuation.

Kidnap for Ransom Resolution


FocusPoint provides a timely response to insured and non-insured crisis events. FocusPoint evaluates all incoming calls to determine the validity of the crisis event and assigns crisis consultants to respond to the impacted location. Once on-site, crisis consultants work closely with the affected family, organization and/or corporation to bring the crisis event to a resolution. The crisis consultant provides training/advice on interfacing with the kidnappers, negotiating the ransom, obtaining proof of life, coordinating the ransom drop, and release of the kidnap victim.

Extortion Response


FocusPoint is highly experienced in determining the validity of extortion threats and providing sound advice on how to respond. Our crisis consultants work closely with corporate decision-makers and families to develop and execute response plans that address extortion threats directed towards individuals, malicious contamination of consumable products, or critical corporate assets. When necessary, we will deploy intelligence assets to investigate the origin and magnitude of a product extortion threat and the method used to tamper with the product. Our crisis consultants will liaise with local authorities to support response strategies to the threat when needed.

Political Risks


The ability to address potential and on-going political risks requires an in-depth knowledge of the political landscape and access to proven intelligence capabilities. FocusPoint provides a bespoke service tailored to each of our client’s specific needs. Our crisis consultants leverage a life cycle risk management approach to address both macro and micro-level political risk situations that cover market entry, expansion, on-going operations, and exit strategies. When necessary, FocusPoint has global prowess and proven capabilities to address social unrest as a result of political threats. Solutions include the full provision of security services to shelter a client in place and/or plan and execute individual or mass evacuations.

Pre-Incident Briefings


FocusPoint crisis consultants have experience conducting security awareness, kidnap avoidance briefings, and simulations for policyholders, corporations, and private clients. Sessions include insight into the anatomy of a kidnapping, how to avoid becoming a victim, steps to take in the event the client becomes a victim, how kidnappers operate, express kidnappings, virtual kidnappings, and extortion threats.

Insurance Marketing Support


FocusPoint crisis consultants have experience working with brokers and underwriters on marketing presentations. FocusPoint does not discuss the details of insurance and insurance policies. FocusPoint will provide expert information and guidance to the prospective client on what happens when a victim is kidnapped, how the family or corporate employer of the kidnapped victim should support the tasks carried out in achieving the release of the victim. Our extensive experience in responding to and managing kidnap for ransom and extortion events, along with the strength and expertise of our Crisis Response Center (CRC), and the availability of and access to country risk information and intelligence for policyholders bring an unparalleled value to specialty insurance offerings.

Product Risk Management


FocusPoint, in exclusive cooperation with Texas A&M University (AgriLife), the Food Safety Science Center, and the Borlaug Institute of International Agriculture, offers access to industry-leading, multi-lingual food safety and science experts to customers faced with a product recall or (accidental/malicious) contamination.

All initial client calls are triaged 24/7/365 by FocusPoint’s Crisis Response Center (CRC), located in Plantation, Florida. All personnel assigned in the CRC can handle initial case triage involving:

• Foodborne illness / poisoning caused by food ingestion
• Food product / cargo traceability, transportation, and disposal staging preparedness

The combined expertise of crisis management and underwriting relationships (FocusPoint) coupled with food safety experts (Texas A&M) provide, under FocusPoint auspices, guidance, and response supervision to insured and non-insured clients.

Texas A&M AgriLife - Borlaug provides food safety consulting services, which include but are not limited to contamination-recall/crisis event response, advisory, research, investigation, analysis, prevention, and food safety training services.

All services described herein delivered by Texas A&M-based personnel are categorized as:

1. Expert Type A: USDA-specialized consultants, leading food safety faculty, who liaise directly with food safety testing laboratories to ensure USDA - FSIS requirements. Advice on contact with US regulatory authorities and on press, public relations, buyer-vendor, and consumer communication strategies.
2. Expert Type B: US-based food safety training, monitoring, and case management personnel qualified to handle foodborne illness, stage food safety testing, advise client traceability, disposal, product handling.
3. Expert Type C: Foreign-based food safety expert; executes tasks of Expert B and Expert A, with the exception that Expert C delivers service in local language and adheres to local laws, compliance, and food quality control frameworks established by international export standards. Effectively, this type of expert generates the value-add response capability to the product recall unit of service delivery immediately and effectively in the region of Latin America.

Pre-Incident Training and Response Offering

All services rendered in English and Spanish (and when required - Portuguese, French & Italian)

• Product recall planning & rehearsal
• Quality assurance plan audit
• Quality assurance plan training
• Food safety facility audits
• Contaminant and allergen analysis
• Legislative compliance briefing, including food labeling
• HACCP training across a wide range of industry sectors including manufacturing, dairy, meat, canning, and high-risk chilled foods
• Preventive controls under FSMA training for food products intended for export to the USA
• Assistance in developing a food safety plan including supply chain considerations, HACCP, preventive controls and allergen analysis
• Training in produce safety rules
• Product recall mock drill - tabletop simulation

Training and Awareness Workshops/ Exercises

• Elements of a quality assurance plan
• Coverage and implications of FSMA
• Food Handlers Course
• Certified Food Manager Training Program