Exclusive: Security from around the world – Part 8

In the eighth instalment of the series, Matthew Porcelli, CPP catches up with several ASIS International Mexico City Chapter members who share their personal, regional insights and expertise for success for young security professionals, and women in security in the Mexico City region private security sector:

• Midori Llanes, CPP – ASIS Mexico City Chapter Chair
• Brisa Espinosa – ASIS Mexico City Chapter Vice Chair
• Yolanda Bernal – ASIS Mexico City Women in Security Committee
• Karina Sánchez – ASIS Mexico City Young Professionals Committee

A message from the Chapter Chair (Midori):

The Chapter has been operating for more than 25 years and is integrated by around 350 security professionals. Twenty years ago, we were pioneers in the promotion of certifications and at the moment there are 120 certified in the Chapter, of which ten are women and eight of our members hold all three certifications of ASIS International.

Even with the pandemic we have continued with our monthly meetings, virtually when the number of cases does not allow face-to-face attendance at our breakfasts.

The heart of our Chapter are the Communities, which actively generate meetings, documents and conferences. So far, we have conducted 28 webinars on topics as diverse as supply chain security, crisis management, active shooter, intelligence, femicide.

Mexico is one of the countries with the biggest challenges in terms of security, we currently have the highest number of homicides in the history of the country; the security industry throughout the last decades has shown a constant evolution and we are currently a mature industry that has had to assume in many fields, such as security in the supply chain, functions that in other countries oversee the authorities.

Against this backdrop, the Supply Chain Security Community, headed by Ana Santos, CPP is working hard to update its knowledge, search for new technologies and communication of new modus operandi.

Training new generations in corporate security is a task that the Chapter believes should start from childhood and that is why we have begun comprehensive training for physical and theoretical self-protection, fire prevention and firefighting as well as cybersecurity for children and teenagers.

The WIS have a preponderant role in the Chapter and within the framework of Women’s Day we held our first face-to-face meeting with 120 members in attendance. We invited private security professionals, authorities, lawmakers, judges and coaches to converse with us, all of whom have contributed with their feminine vision to generate better synergies for and with women security professionals.

A Message from the Chapter Chair (Brisa), Chapter Women in Security Committee (Yolanda), and Young Security Professionals Committee (Karina):

Despite our professional experience and preparation, which are the only parameters that should matter, women are not considered for decision-making, nor do we hold positions of power in the business world. At home, we are faced with the dilemma of having to choose between family or career, whether to be successful at home or in professional life.

Today, in the Mexico City Chapter 217 of ASIS International, we broke with that dilemma – today, we are three women on the board of directors who make decisions; the figures do not lie, there are analyses proving that organisations led by women have higher rates of profitability and better conditions in all aspects of their operations.

Women have this duality that makes us strong but at the same time sensitive, we possess qualities that allows a capacity for meticulous analysis and our sense of commitment, loyalty and honesty are fundamental standards to face challenges and responsibilities in a holistic manner.

In the chapter we preside today, more than a dozen CPPs have been certified. We launched the challenge because we continue to believe that only by preparing more women with knowledge and leadership tools we will not only reach management positions, but also become entrepreneurs and independent in every way.

You can connect with Matthew on LinkedIn here