Big businesses often know they need a security audit, but the scale alone can make taking the first step seem daunting. Multiple sites, hundreds (or even thousands) of staff, endless assets – it’s a lot to keep track of.
The temptation is to either delay the process or dive in without a plan. Unfortunately, neither works well. A smarter route is to break it down into manageable starting points – here’s where to start with that process.
Define the scope before commencing
The mistake many companies make is treating “security” as one single, monolithic exercise. In reality, it covers layers: physical access controls from Traka, digital systems, staff behaviour, supply chains. A good audit doesn’t try to grab all of that at once. Instead, it asks: what are the highest-risk areas for this business?
That means mapping out what’s critical for operational continuity. For some, it’s server rooms and data, while for others, it’ll be warehouses or high-value equipment. Without this early clarity, the audit intention can drift and end up losing focus.
Get the basics on paper
Before testing anything fancy, put together an inventory. What systems are already in place? Concrete questions, like how many cameras, how many doors, what policies exist?
Larger organisations often find this step messier than expected. Records don’t always match reality, keys get duplicated, and the effects of old systems linger long after staff assume they were retired.
Documenting what you actually have in front of you, warts and all, sets a baseline that you can actually work with. Without that, you’re measuring against thin air.
Involve the right people early on
Security isn’t just a facilities issue, or an IT issue. In a big company, it spans multiple teams. HR controls hiring and onboarding, IT manages access to data, while facilities handle locks, alarms, and cameras. And of course, there’s heaps of overlap between all of these.
An audit only works if those departments come together from the get-go, otherwise, you end up with gaps. For example, digital access might be tightly monitored, but visitor passes are still being handed out with minimal checks, with records not being kept anywhere.
Check policies against practice
Most large businesses already have written security policies. The question is whether day-to-day behaviour matches them, and audits need to test both.
Are staff actually following sign-in procedures? Do contractors return temporary passes? Do the right people know what to do when alarms are triggered? This is often where weaknesses show. A beautifully written policy is useless if it isn’t lived out on the ground.
So, where do you begin with a large-scale security audit? Start by defining the scope, documenting what exists, and getting the right people around the table. Test whether policies are lived out in practice, not just written. Consider compliance needs, and then plan fixes in order of urgency. Big businesses can’t afford to treat audits as anything other than the essential exercises that they are. Done properly, they’re not just about spotting weak spots – they’re a chance to build a comprehensive security culture that lasts.