Comprehensive Geospatial Risk Management and Sustainability Strategies in Business

Strategic Risk

Risk a business voluntarily accepts in order to generate superior returns from its strategy

External Risk

Risk that arises from events outside a company's control, such as natural disasters, pandemics, or economic fluctuations

Business Continuity Plan

A plan that outlines how a company maintains operations during and after a disruption or crisis

GIS as Unified Source of Truth

A GIS that combines internal organizational data with public data to provide accurate, timely risk guidance to leadership

Contingent Business Interruption (CBI) Insurance

Insurance that protects a company against financial losses caused by disruptions at supplier facilities

Conflict Minerals

Raw materials such as gold, tin, tantalum, cobalt, and tungsten whose mining may fund armed conflict; GIS traces their origins to ensure ethical sourcing

Tier 1 Suppliers

Suppliers that ship parts or materials directly to a manufacturer's production plants

Tier 2 Suppliers

Suppliers that provide parts to Tier 1 suppliers, one step removed from the manufacturer

Risk Management Step: Planning

Descriptive visualization of facilities and assets exposed to risk; geostatistical models predict which areas are most likely to be affected

Risk Management Step: Mitigation

Protective or preventive spatial actions taken in areas exposed to risk to reduce potential harm

Risk Management Step: Preparedness

Planning for optimal asset deployment in at-risk areas to minimize response times using prescriptive optimization models

Risk Management Step: Response

Post-emergency activation of disaster response plans using GIS layers to guide navigation, evacuation, and coordination

Risk Management Step: Recovery

Restoration of utilities and services after a disaster; location intelligence identifies safe zones and high-need areas

Which Risk Management steps use Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics?

Planning, Mitigation, and Preparedness

Which Risk Management steps use Descriptive Analytics?

Response and Recovery

Control Variables / Competing Constraints

Six interacting project constraints — Scope, Quality, Time, Cost, Staff, and Risk — where changing one affects the others

General Motors (GM) Case Study

Used a GIS-based SCRM platform to map 5,500 tier 1 and 23,000 tier 2 suppliers; identified suppliers in Hurricane Harvey's path and pre-shipped parts 2-3 days early

Travelers Insurance Case Study

Used location analytics for insurance underwriting, risk assessment, and modeling exposure to natural disasters

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A voluntary business model where companies integrate social, environmental, and economic concerns into their operations and stakeholder interactions

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

A structured investor-facing framework used to measure and report performance on environmental stewardship, social equity, and governance

Key difference: CSR vs. ESG

CSR is a company's voluntary commitment to positive impact; ESG is the formal measurement and reporting framework investors use to evaluate that commitment

How many UN Sustainable Development Goals are there?

17, adopted in 2015, to be achieved by 2030

Sustainable Supply Chain

A supply chain managed to minimize environmental and social impact using GIS to monitor global supplier locations and practices

Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI)

Crowdsourced geographic data where citizens act as sensors by identifying and submitting location-based phenomena

Climate Resiliency

Using location analytics to assess climate risk exposure and build adaptive strategies for long-term business asset protection

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in GIS

Using GIS to visualize disparities in job access, racial and ethnic distribution, and community resources across locations

Natura Case Study

Brazilian cosmetics company that used GIS to sustainably source biodiversity-rich ingredients from the Amazon while supporting local communities

AT&T Case Study (Ch. 7)

Used GIS to assess climate-related infrastructure risk and build resilience across its telecommunications network

JPMorgan Chase Case Study

Used location analytics to identify underserved communities and direct community development investments to areas lacking financial services

Nespresso Case Study (Ch. 7)

Used the AAA Sustainability program and FARMS system to track farm-level environmental and social performance across its coffee supply chain

Johns Hopkins COVID Map

A real-time GIS dashboard that tracked global COVID-19 cases, deaths, and recoveries — a landmark public health CSR application

Spatial Maturity

The degree to which an organization has embedded location analytics into its business strategy and day-to-day operations

Stage 1 — Analytically Impaired

Organization has some data and management interest in analytics but no systematic application

Stage 2 — Localized Analytics

Functional management builds analytics momentum and executive interest through basic analytics applications

Stage 3 — Analytical Aspirations

Executives commit to analytics by aligning resources and setting a timetable to build broad analytical capability

Stage 4 — Analytical Companies

Enterprise-wide analytics capability is under development and top executives treat it as a corporate priority

Stage 5 — Analytical Competitors

Organization routinely reaps the benefits of enterprise-wide analytics and pursues continuous analytics renewal

Terminal Stage (Spatial Maturity)

When a company's analytics efforts stall permanently at Stage 2 due to lack of management support

Prove-It Path (Spatial Maturity)

The slower path from Stage 1 where managerial-level support must be demonstrated before advancing

Full-Steam-Ahead Path (Spatial Maturity)

The faster path from Stage 1 driven by strong top management support, enabling rapid progression toward Stage 3

Geospatial Technology Competency Model — Order (Bottom to Top)

Personal Effectiveness → Academic → Workplace → Industry-Wide Technical → Industry-Sector Technical → Management / Occupation-Specific

Entry-Level Spatial Analyst

Undergraduate degree; 1-3 years preferred GIS experience; no management experience required

Mid-Level Spatial Manager

Advanced degree preferred; 3-5 years required GIS experience; 1-3 years supervisory experience required

Senior-Level Spatial Director

Advanced degree required; 5-10 years required GIS experience; 3-5 years management experience required

Priority → Strategy → Implementation Framework

Three-phase spatial management model: Understand priorities → Plan the strategy → Act through implementation

Geospatial Strategy

A formal plan that integrates location intelligence into a company's overall business strategy to create competitive advantage

How many steps are in the Geospatial Strategy development process?

7 steps

Geospatial Strategy Step 1

Self-assessment — identify the business issue or opportunity that location analytics will address

Sustainable Advantage

Long-term competitive advantage maintained through continuous location analytics, ESG/CSR commitments, and spatial leadership

KFC Case Study (Ch. 9)

Used geospatial strategy for global site selection — analyzing competitor locations, traffic patterns, and market conditions before opening new outlets

Location Value Chain

The series of key business activities — Marketing, Sales, Site Strategy, Operations, Supply Chain, Risk Management, and CSR — where location analytics adds value

Spatial Business Architecture

The integrated system of business goals, human talent, location analytics, data, platforms, and location intelligence enabling spatial operations

Business Resilience

A company's capacity to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt to disruptions with minimum operational impact