Who is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)? ANSI.com

 

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary Standards and Conformity Assessment System. Founded in 1918, the Institute works in close collaboration with stakeholders from industry and government to identify and develop Standards- and conformance-based solutions to national and global priorities.

 

What sets the BEPP's efforts apart from those of the ASIS Executive Protection Community Steering Committee?

 

The ASIS Executive Protection Community Steering Committee is focused on creating what they consider to be a "Best Practices" document. While they might have intentions of calling it a Standard or Guideline, it will not be and ANSI approved standard.

 

In contrast, the BEPP's project is specifically aimed at developing an ANSI Standard. ANSI mandates the strict inclusion of industry professionals throughout the process, from development and editing to voting on the final document before submission for ANSI approval.

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Can there be two ANSI Standards?

 

ANSI generally does not permit the development of competing standards. The Board of Executive Protection Professionals' formal submission to ANSI's PINS portal effectively prevents others from creating a similar or competing standard.

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Nevertheless, inclusivity remains a core value of the ANSI process. We have actively sought collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including ASIS and other industry experts, to ensure a broad consensus on the document before its final submission to ANSI for approval.

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What makes the BEPP document a Standard?

 

The BEPP serves as the managing entity overseeing the process. It is the diverse range of contributions from industry professionals actively involved in crafting this document that makes it eligible to become an ANSI National Standard.

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What attributes does the proposed ANSI Standard for Providing  Executive Protection Standard need to have?

 

For the proposed ANSI Standard for Providing Executive Protection to be effective and widely accepted, it needs to possess the following attributes:

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1. Reasonable and Achievable 

2. Repeatable and Consistent 

3. Clear and Understandable 

4. Measurable/Evaluable

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Will the Standard for Executive Protection focus only on large protective details made up of multiple individuals?

 

No, the Standard is designed so that a Solo Practitioner can meet the ANSI Standard requirements. It will also be written in a way that can scale for larger teams.  

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What is the benefit of creating the “Standard for Providing Executive Protection”?

 

Creating the "Standard for Providing Executive Protection" offers numerous benefits for the Executive Protection industry, including:

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Elevated Professionalism:

• Establishes clear best practices and procedures, raising the bar for professionalism across the entire industry.

• Provides a benchmark for assessing quality and competence, leading to greater consistency in service delivery.

Enhanced Credibility:

• Adherence to a recognized standard demonstrates a commitment to quality, increasing credibility and trust among clients and stakeholders.

• Provides a competitive advantage for companies and professionals who meet the standard.

Improved Training and Development:

• Serves as a framework for developing high-quality training programs, ensuring they cover essential knowledge and skills.

• Encourages continuous professional development, keeping practitioners up-to-date on evolving threats and best practices.

Risk Mitigation and Liability Reduction:

• Provides clear guidelines for risk assessment, threat mitigation, and operational planning, reducing risks and liabilities for both professionals and clients.

• Establishes a framework for accountability, ensuring that providers adhere to best practices.

Client Confidence and Industry Growth:

• Empowers clients to make informed decisions when selecting providers, knowing those adhering to the standard meet a recognized level of competence.

• Increased professionalism and credibility attract new clients and stimulate industry growth, creating opportunities for qualified practitioners.

Global Recognition:

• Has the potential to become an international benchmark, influencing practices and standards globally.

• Elevates the reputation of the U.S. Executive Protection industry worldwide.

 

In essence, the "Standard for Providing Executive Protection" will foster a more professional, accountable, and client-centric industry, leading to enhanced safety and security for those under protection and promoting the long-term growth and development of the profession.

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Will the “Standard” cause my previous training, military experience, and prior security employment to be irrelevant?   

 

No, here is an analogy:

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In the business world, companies have the choice between hiring an accountant/bookkeeper or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). While both can handle many similar tasks, there are certain distinctions. However, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants doesn't aim to eliminate bookkeepers. Its purpose is to establish a verifiable standard for those seeking to validate their expertise in the accounting field. This has no bearing on those content with being accountants/bookkeepers.

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EP training schools can and will continue to create and implement their own curricula that may or may not adhere to the Standard. It will be up to stakeholders and those seeking training to decide where to invest their training dollars. The options will be either to choose providers that do not follow the Standard or, by contrast to choose those provider who train based on the Standard, which is an established a peer-reviewed base of knowledge, validated by ANSI, and adheres to strict document production protocols.

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How long will the Standard creation and its ANSI  approval process take?

 

This undertaking is the first of its type for the Executive Protection Industry. The entire process could take as long as two years to complete.

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This process started in 2022 and the goal is to have our documents submitted to ANSI for approval by the end of 2024.  ANSI approval process can take up to 3 months to approve the document as an official American National Standard.

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How would the BEPP enforce or monitor members to ensure they’re following your industry standards?

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While all Standards are voluntary and cannot be enforced by any non-governmental organization, including the BEPP, there are numerous standards followed globally without the need for explicit "enforcement." This is achieved through industry-wide adoption and recognition, where adherence to standards becomes an expectation rather than a mandate from a single entity.  As stakeholders understand and recognize the need for the published standards, subsequent certifications will be developed to ensure EP professionals are maintaining the appropriate skill sets and knowledge base to operate professionally within the guidelines.  Certification leads to other benefits including possibly lower insurance premiums and a professionalized  workforce with common knowledge.

 

Why should practitioners or EP companies choose to adopt the ANSI standards specifically, rather than alternative options?  What distinguishes the BEPP from other organizations and standards?

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While other organizations may have intentions of creating a “Standard” or “Guideline” they will not be required to do so under the same development requirements as the BEPP.  The BEPP must follow ANSI’s rules and “essential requirements” in order to be approved as a national standard.  ANSI requires strict inclusion of industry professionals to develop, edit, and vote in agreement of a document before submitting it to ANSI for approval. 

 

The next question is why is ANSI so important?  Per the ANSI website  Per the ANSI website:

Benefits of an having the ANSI Designation 
"As the mark of an equitable, open process, the ANS designation is recognized and valued by national and international stakeholders, fostering acceptance and use of a voluntary consensus standard and the overall strength of the U.S. system."

"The ANS designation demonstrates that a standard’s development process satisfies the U.S. government’s definition of a voluntary consensus standard and compliance with U.S. policy regarding federal reliance on voluntary consensus standards: OMB Circular A-119 and the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act."

"The ANS designation indicates compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Code of Good Practice (CGP) criteria for openness, transparency, impartiality, consensus, relevance, and effectiveness in standards development, resulting in the use of many American National Standards globally when they meet an international marketplace need."

"American National Standards serve as the basis for many ISO, IEC, or other international standards."

 

While other organizations or individuals might develop their own versions of what they deem a standard, they often do so without adhering to any third-party validation requirements and often operate in secrecy. In contrast, the BEPP maintains a dedicated website www.ep-board.org that provides transparent updates and offers opportunities for anyone interested to participate in the process.

 

Lastly our standard is not written and set in stone in perpetuity.  Every 5 years the standard must be reviewed and updated following the same rigorous development process to ensure the information is current and up to date.

 

What impact do you see the standards making in 5 years? Which challenges do you need to overcome to accomplish your standardization goals?

 

Over the next 5 years, we anticipate widespread adoption of the standard by Executive Protection teams of all sizes. A verified standard brings significant benefits to any industry, and Executive Protection is no exception. Our Standard is poised to make a substantial and positive impact by elevating professionalism, establishing standardized practices, enhancing credibility, improving training and development, reducing liability, increasing client confidence, and ultimately fostering growth within the industry.

 

The primary challenges ahead are raising awareness about the standard and emphasizing that the BEPP itself didn't write it, but rather serves as the managing body overseeing the process. It's the collective contributions from a diverse group of industry professionals participating in its development that qualifies this document to become an ANSI National Standard.

 

How will your organization expand globally and bring the standards outside of the US?

 

Currently, the standard development process actively includes volunteers from outside the US. Their input is crucial to ensure the information we incorporate isn't solely focused on US practices. For example, while the standard addresses the use of firearms, it does so from an awareness perspective, avoiding tactical employment details or discussions of specific types or calibers. Instead, we focus on legal awareness and other vital considerations before integrating firearms into a protective detail.

 

ANSI serves as the US representative to the International Standards Organization (ISO), and numerous ANSI standards are recognized and utilized globally because of their rigorous development process.  Once our standard is ANSI approved it will be easier to demonstrate to those outside the US that some terminology may be different the concepts are the same.

 

Furthermore, our ESOC attracts attendees from a multitude of countries worldwide. Our inaugural conference saw representation from six countries, while our 2024 ESOC boasted participants from 15 countries across multiple continents. This clearly demonstrates the global interest in elevating professionalism and standards within our industry. This international 

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What are the benefits provided by the BEPP compared to other organizations?

 

While we don't have a formal "membership," the BEPP offers unique benefits to the Executive Protection industry. Unlike other organizations, our non-profit model allows us to give back to the community without considering the financial issues or industry leveraging. Here are a few examples of how the BEPP benefits the industry:

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1. We have created a resource page that has hundreds of free helpful educational and EP resource links, documents, and references for all levels of Executive Protection Professionals.  https://start.me/p/aN5Q9n/bepp-executive-security-resource-library

2. We have created and published the Executive Protection Advance and Logistics Guidebook, which has been recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) as a new product of the year. The book is modestly priced  to cover the printing and to allow access at all levels of the industry. 

3. Through a private donor we have been able to offer three free Scholarships to attend our annual ESOC for Women in Security, Young Professionals, and LEO/Veterans.  These scholarships award the recipient ESOC conference admittance and pays for their hotel room for the duration of the conference.  

4. The BEPP stands out as the only organizations that provides professionally printed and bound copies of every presentation to all attendees at our annual conference. This invaluable resource allows participants to take detailed notes during presentations and then retain both the book and their notes as part of their professional library.

5. The primary benefit the BEPP provides is the development of the only American National Standards Institute (ANSI) "Standard for Providing Executive Protection." This standard will benefit the industry significantly from the moment it's approved, and its impact will extend far into the future in the United States and abroad. 

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Is a Standard different than individual state licensing requirements?

 

This Standard will establish the platform for competently, professionally, and ethically providing this specialized service.  However, it has no connection to individual State or Federal licensing requirements yet.

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What are some of the common titles for those in the Executive Protection industry?

 

There are several titles associated with those who provide Executive Protection.  These titles indicate a level of knowledge, experience, qualification and proficiency necessary for performing protection duties effectively. Common titles include: ​

• Certified Executive Protection Professional(™) 

• Certified Executive Security Specialist(™) 

• Certified Protection Specialist(™) 

• Close Protection Officer​(™) 

• Close Protection Professional(™) 

• Executive Protection Agent(™) 

• Executive Protection Professional(™) 

• Executive Protection Specialist(™) 

• Executive Security Specialist(™) 

• Personal Protection Specialist(™) 

• Personal Security Specialist(™) 

• Protection Specialist(™) 

• Protective Detail Specialist(™) 

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These titles are often assigned or assumed without thorough verification of an individuals abilities. Without a ANSI National Standard and validation of the training organization it is impossible to ensure that these titles accurately reflect the individual's qualifications and worthiness.  The BEPP's goal is to make each title verifiable and validate that the person using these titles actually meet or exceed the standard for providing executive protection.

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It's also crucial to note that these titles are often granted by training organizations upon payment, with virtually no risk of failure. Once earned, individuals retain these titles indefinitely, regardless of whether they remain active or updated in the field.

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Are there any training organizations that the BEPP recommends for those entering the industry or those who are in the industry and looking for more training?

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Currently, the BEPP does not endorse any organizations offering Executive Protection-specific training. Due to the lack of nationally approved or recognized Standards for Executive Protection, there is no metric to evaluate the content, delivery, or testing provided by training organizations. As far as we know, no training organization has undergone third-party verification to validate their training programs.

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The BEPP will address this issue in the future. More information will follow.

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Do training organizations that are authorized to accept Post GI Bill or other Veteran Administration (VA) Benefits payments count as a validation of their training program?

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No, being approved by the VA does not validate the training, course content or instructors.  According the VA Benefits Administration website on Education and Training The VA depends on State Approving Agencies (SAA) who "are generally responsible for the approval of education and training programs in their respective states. They are the pathway into VA for a program's recognition and identification as being eligible for the payment of VA education benefits." 

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Accredited Institutions

Accredited programs must meet the requirements of 38 USC §3675 and 38 CFR 21.4253.

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Non-Accredited Institutions

Non-accredited programs must meet the requirements of 38 USC §3676 and 38 CFR 21.4254.

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Neither Accredited or Non-Accredited Institutions are required to prove the content being taught is accurate, or that the instructors are qualified and competent to instruct the course material.

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Each SAA has different requirements however one of the SAA's responsibilities, which is fairly typical for most states, is that they "determine whether a school or training establishment at all times complies with established standards" - In Nevada where the BEPP is headquartered this statement can be referenced on the NV VA Education Benefits website 

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The question becomes, How can any training organization meet that requirement when there are no "established standards"?

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The truth is that if a training organization completes the necessary paperwork and pays the applicable application fees, they will be approved. There are no regular site visits, training course reviews, instructor evaluations, or any other means of assessment.  Once approved by the SAA, they apply to the VA, which, recognizing the SAA approval, will also grant their approval.

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In our view, many Executive Protection schools exploit veterans by acquiring their education benefit dollars without providing a meaningful return on the veterans' investment. 

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Will there be a Board Certification for Executive Protection?

 

The BEPP will create a Board Certification.  The goal is to create a nationally endorsed Board Certification as opposed to a generic, non-validated certificate of attendance, completion, or training.  

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Individuals would apply for Certification then schedule to take an exam consisting of multiple-choice questions administered by a designated third-party professional proctor.   

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After completing a background check, meeting a predetermined minimum experience requirement and passing the exam an individual would earn their Board Certification in Executive Protection Designation.  

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The designation would be valid for three years.  Individuals would be required to submit documentation of professional development (attending industry-related conferences, workshops, classes, authoring published articles, teaching, etc.) during those three years that would count toward recertification. 

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What is the benefit of the Board Certification Designation?

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A board certification in executive protection offers several significant benefits:

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For the Individual:

• Validation of Expertise: Provides a recognized credential that validates an individual's knowledge, skills, and experience in executive protection.

• Enhanced Credibility: Demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and adherence to industry best practices, boosting credibility and reputation.

• Career Advancement: Opens doors to new opportunities and career advancement, as employers increasingly seek certified professionals.

• Increased Earning Potential: Certified professionals often command higher salaries due to their demonstrated expertise.

• Personal Satisfaction: Provides a sense of accomplishment and pride in achieving a recognized professional milestone.

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For Employers:

• Quality Assurance: Ensures that employees meet a recognized standard of competence and professionalism.

• Risk Mitigation: Reduces the risk of hiring unqualified or inexperienced personnel, safeguarding clients and assets.

• Client Confidence: Enhances client confidence in the expertise and capabilities of the protection team.

• Competitive Advantage: Sets the company apart from competitors by demonstrating a commitment to high standards.

• Employee Retention: Can contribute to employee satisfaction and retention by recognizing and rewarding professional development.

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For the Industry:

• Elevated Professionalism: Raises the overall professionalism and standards of the executive protection industry.

• Standardized Practices: Establishes clear benchmarks for training and performance, promoting consistency and quality across the industry.

• Public Trust: Enhances public trust in the profession by demonstrating a commitment to accountability and ethical conduct.

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Board certification in executive protection benefits individuals, employers, and the industry as a whole by promoting professionalism, expertise, and accountability, ultimately leading to a higher level of safety and security for those under protection.