The Security 500 Benchmarking Survey is based on information from several sources:

• Data supplied directly by participating enterprises
• Data obtained through public resources/records

The Security 500 tracks 18 vertical markets and collects unique data where appropriate (such as the number of unique facilities in healthcare) and applies this data to key metrics. The key metrics collected this year include but is not limited to:

• Security Spending/Person
• Security Spending/Revenue
• Security Employees/Officer

“Person” is focused on the type of person the security budget is intended to protect. Examples include employees, citizens, students and patients. There is a series of general questions that all participants completed along with unique questions within each sector.

The 2014 Security 500 Survey includes the following:

• Sectors were measured and evaluated on metrics among peer organizations.
• The data requested and metrics used to benchmark within each sector were based on the input of our advisors.

The purpose of the Security 500 is to create a reliable database to measure your organization versus others and create a benchmarking program among security organizations. The results will enable you to answer the question, “Where Do I Stand?” as a basis of an ongoing peer review process. Due to the greater accuracy of the information provided by security executives compared to that of estimations, completed entries were given greater weight in the rankings than the estimations. Additionally, the sector in which a company is ranked is based on self-reported information. For example, one clothing retailer may select “Retail” and another clothing manufacturer may select “Manufacturing/Industrial” as their sectors.

The 500 enterprises and security leaders listed in this report are among the biggest and best security organizations in the world. All of them have been included in the 2014 Security 500 Report based on security metrics for their individual sectors, however, security leaders were given the option this year in the Security 500 Survey to be either listed by rank or alphabetically. This serves to provide these security organizations the recognition they deserve as members of this prestigious list without disclosing their position within the market.

Based on continued feedback and the goal of creating a valuable resource for our participants and industry, the Security 500 is spread across 18 different sectors. We recognize that as a result of continued unprecedented economic changes some organizations and their security leaders may no longer be in place. The listings are based on the information available at the time of publication. Each participating organization will receive their confidential report by November 30, 2014. For additional information, please e-mail to: S500Questions@bnpmedia.com

Security thanks all of the participants in the Security 500 Report – without their assistance and insight, this valuable resource would not be possible.