---
title: How to develop an event risk management strategy
description: Most event organizers are actively managing known risks, but many have not yet implemented a structured approach to ensure that foreseeable risks are identified, assessed, evaluated and documented.
---

[Blerter - Blog](https://www.blerter.com/blog)

# [How to develop an event risk management strategy](https://www.blerter.com/blog/how-to-event-risk-management-strategy)

 Written by [Blerter Team](https://www.blerter.com/blog/author/blerter-team) | Jan 12, 2021 12:45:58 AM

The need for effective risk management is particularly relevant for the events industry, as organizers and host cities are operating in a complex, multi-stakeholder landscape, and facing challenges from the economic to the environmental, behavioural to digital and beyond. 

According to the Risk Management Institute of Australasia, risk is:

*"\[...\] the loss (or gain) arising from people, systems or external events which have the potential to cause the organization to deviate from its objectives."*

Risk management is defined by the US Department of Homeland Security (2011: Risk Fundamentals) as:

*"the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks, followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events."*

Intrinsic to the concept of risk, therefore, are the ideas of likelihood (the chance of something happening, the potential probability that a given risk will occur), and consequence (the impact outcome of an event, which has an effect on objectives). The unavoidable face is that all organizations and endeavours face a range of risks. 

Most event organizers are actively managing known risks, but many have not yet implemented a structured approach to ensure that foreseeable risks are identified, assessed, evaluated and documented.

The survey results from the [**Event Preparedness and Resilience Report**](https://www.blerter.com/lp/event-preparedness-resilience-survey-report-full) suggest that, while a small percentage of organizers have an up-to-date plan, most are not carrying out regular reviews, or being effective in deploying the plan across the wider workforce. 

One method for approaching risk management is to work with a recognized framework, setting out the stages in developing a risk strategy. The ISO 31000 diagram below illustrates a series of steps, shows the linkages and ongoing requirements for monitoring and reviews, and the requirement for communication and consultation throughout the journey. 

There are also three proven concepts that a team can work through, to enhance their resilience and build knowledge and capability for addressing the known, and the unknown risks to their organization and event.

These are:

1. 1. Risk-based event planning and decision-making
2. 2. "Secure by design" principles for enhancing safe and secure guest experiences
3. 3. Operational-readiness exercises, education and training. 

By taking a structured approach to developing a proactive risk management strategy, and by sharing the learning journey with event works, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, exhibitors, medical teams and the wider events community - event organizers have the opportunity fo influence the events industry culture as a whole, as well as empower their people to be ready and able to respond if, or when, the moment calls.  

*If you haven't used an event delivery platform before, get a [quick overview of Blerter. ](https://www.blerter.com/lp/preparedness-resilience-survey-overview?utm_campaign=2019%20-%20Event%20Preparedness%20%26%20Resilience%20Survey%20Report&utm_source=asset)*

[View full post](https://www.blerter.com/blog/how-to-event-risk-management-strategy)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Blerter Team"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2021-01-12T00:45:58.888Z",
  "datePublished" : "2021-01-12T00:45:58Z",
  "headline" : "How to develop an event risk management strategy",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 1680,
    "url" : "https://www.blerter.com/hubfs/iStock-172206277.jpg",
    "width" : 2240
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.blerter.com/blog/how-to-event-risk-management-strategy",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://www.blerter.com/hubfs/logos/blerter-logo-dark.png",
      "width" : 295.2381
    },
    "name" : "Resources"
  }
}
```