In The Boardroom™ With...

Mr. Danish Thanvi
CEO & President

Background Check Pte Ltd, Singapore
www.RiskDiscovered.com

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us again today, Danish. It was a pleasure discussing  Xcluesiv Cloud Technology Pte Ltd with you recently. Today, we appreciate the opportunity to learn about RiskDiscovered.com. Let’s begin with a brief corporate history – we understand that you launched this enterprise in 2007.

Danish Thanvi: Thanks for the opportunity once again. Yes we started this background screening and verification company back in 2007 in Pakistan.  It was formed by the visionary entrepreneurs of one of the world largest due diligence firm Integra Screen which was later acquired by Thomson Reuters. At the time of its inception, we were faced with multiple challenges including economic uncertainty, ever increasing law & order risks and concerns in region, but most important of all “the lack of awareness”. There was a notion in terms of employee background screening among firms and people in general that “we know how to conduct background screening and hence we’ll do this ourselves” without realizing that they were not even near the crux of background screening. For them in-house reference check was the best they thought they did when screening an employee. Being a start up with zero base, it could not have been worse than what we went through during that phase – so we remained committed and focused towards our business objectives and kept nurturing the ground and spreading the awareness with all cylinders burning. This strategy helped us tremendously as we started capitalizing on this uncertain market through our commitment towards making the recruitment process rather less risky and enabling companies to comply with international standards. Our technological expertise helped us a lot and the technological solutions we introduced made entire processes hassle-free ultimately making organizations realize the benefits and also the fact that doing in-house verification is not completely unbiased and reliable after all. So the progressive organizations started using background screening as a “must have” rather than “good to have”, It was a matter of time that most of the companies started adopting this as a good business practice and here we are right now in front of you one of the major background screening service provider in the Asian region.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: The growth of RiskDiscovered.com has truly been impressive.  Hundreds of clients, from corporations to governments and individuals, trust RiskDiscovered™ today as their partner in mitigating risks and your staff has grown from 6 to over 100 in a relatively short time. Please share with us the significant milestones of RiskDiscovered.com along the way.

Danish Thanvi: Yes it’s been a great journey so far. We started with zero clientele but with our commitment and “no-compromise on quality” attitude we turned into the largest background screening company not only in Pakistan but also emerging as one of the major service providers in the Asian region. There are lot of milestones we have achieved during the course of 7 years but to mention a few I would like to start with RiskDiscovered as the sole verifier of all the doctors, engineers, management professionals who have moved to Middle East to pursue their careers. Number of ministries and councils are longstanding client of RiskDiscovered. If we talk about corporate sector, we have achieved the target of expanding our clientele by three times in last 3 years with 100% retention ratio, which means there is no client who has been lost till now. Serving corporate and other stakeholders in Pakistan and other countries of Asia is by no means an easy task and one can understand this by realizing the fact that RiskDiscovered has been able to complete approximately 10,000 verification cases per month which is a result of culture and environment that RiskDiscovered has provided to its valued employees. As you said yourself from 6 employees to 100 employees is a proof in itself.

Biggest news of all is that we are on a verge of acquiring ISO 9001 certification which will be yet another feather in the cap.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com:  Your business model seems to make perfect sense in these times when fraud is, unfortunately, pervasive. And, we read with great interest at RiskDiscovered.com that, “Our mission is simple - we spread awareness about the risks, discover and mitigate those for our clients.”  Please summarize for us the different types of risk for which your company provides a solution.

Danish Thanvi: Truly said you see because our mission is to spread awareness regarding the risks and making sure that the lives of many remain safe and secure by providing them with up to the mark and advanced mitigating solutions. An employee of an organization is the most valuable asset but any employee can turn out be a biggest liability or the greatest threat for the company’s reputation, its corporate image, property, assets and lives of other employees as well. Therefore, our employment verification is the most leading component of all, despite the fact that all levels pose different threats. In order to make sure no loop hole is left unnoticed that can become a big problem, we suggest our clients to scrutinize all levels that is from top to bottom.

Lower level force that has less influence on overall organization’s decision making and which costs employers way too low in term of salaries as compared to executive staff can cause enormous problems because “you can expect blue collar crime from a blue collar employee”. Their ambiguous and possibly criminal history can be a threat to an organization. So, we can say that leaving labor staff unnoticed and unchecked can prove to be a silent volcano for any organization which could erupt anytime.  

Moreover, if I ask you a question, will you do business with anyone unknown to you? I bet you won’t. Vendors and business partners can be a risk for any reputed organization. Not just risk it can cause a big damage to their corporate image and can besmirch the organization in its respective industry. So verifying partners/vendors reputation and legitimacy should be a top priority before going into these types of business relationships.

Similarly an employee moving abroad can move mountains to get what it wants. Here it’s not about moving mountains but it’s only about creating fake documents to move abroad. Our solutions try to limit such forgers and are available for our valued clients to ensure no fake candidate/ employee enters into their country and create nuisance.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com:  How does a customer or client engage with RiskDiscovered? What is your value proposition?

Danish Thanvi: Our business strategy revolves around our clients. As I stated earlier, we never compromise on quality, we really mean it. In our industry service quality for a customer comprises of authenticity of verification proof, turnaround time, reporting format and diligent customer support. Due to our integrated strategy, we are exceptionally good in all stated areas, but above all, to facilitate our clients at maximum level and in order to maintain our quality of service we never hesitate to go extra miles to meet required SLA.

This is our core value proposition which set us apart from competition and positions us as a most reliable background screening company in the industry. Along with that we have set up the infrastructure based on innovative technology keeping in mind the plans we have for the next 2 decades. The programs we have designed so far are unique in nature when it comes to background screening industry. It provides reporting and updates in real-time, reduces documentation handling and hassle as low as to zero percent.   

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: How do you carry out verifications? Would like to share with us any customer case study?

Danish Thanvi: We verify all credentials from primary source and attain verification proofs in writing.

Our process may seem simple but it is actually not! As we are focused on Asian region specifically South Asian region, here most of the institutions are working on old manual patterns, and seeking verification from piles and piles of paper-laden data is always a big challenge, especially verifying criminal record from local police station is no piece of cake!

But our strong presence in background screening industry, our in house and on the field capable resources and expertise enable us to bring verification proofs in a standard timeline no matter how much difficult a case be. We have designed SOPs and procedures to follow before initiating any verification process to ensure no mismanagement and negligence appears at the time of reporting. Generally, we are a primary source verification provider that verifies the documents provided by the client from the issuing authority of that particular document. It will be a breach of confidentiality to mention any specific name here as we are obliged to protect client data with utmost sincerity but to give our readers an idea I would like to share one example that we have experienced and initially we were shocked when we found out that one of the department head himself had unsatisfactory background and had inducted a number of his own relatives having fake qualification documents.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com:  What are your customer challenges? Normally what are their concerns that turned out to be a hurdle that limits them from realizing why it’s important to have background screening?

Danish Thanvi: Challenges are part of business and it’s actually an opportunity for an organization to innovate and produce something new in the market. As I said earlier that Asian background screening industry is comparatively less mature and organized than that of USA and Europe so, we face challenges related to budget constraints and in-house verification practices. These are normal reasons for not acquiring expert background screening services in Asian region. This is one of the reasons why we have selected our mission to spread awareness regarding the risk.

Lack of awareness was one of the major challenges we had faced at the time we started our operations, but with the help of vibrant awareness campaigns we have created value of background screening in the corporate sector and amongst stakeholders in the regions we are operating.

Secondly, budget issues are logical but organizations and employers have to realize the fact that saving few thousands today actually make their organizations vulnerable to losses of millions in future because of the negligence or engineered negligence of incompetent, inexperienced or ill-intentioned employees who entered into organizations without going through an expert and organized background screening. Even, if we accept for the moment that any organization is equipped with formidable capability of running in-house verifications but then who will guarantee that the decisions made are unbiased. Strong relations between two employees can influence any decision which has direct effect on an organization’s reputation in both short and long term perspective.

To curb the budgetary issues we have introduced PAY BY APPLICANT program that answers both of these major arguments that organizations normally have at the time of selection. This service reduces the burden of approving big budgets for screening from the shoulders of an organization.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Budget challenges are always a headache for business and you have figure out a decent solution in face of Pay By Applicant program. Don’t you think that management will face resistance from its employees? And how well this program can be useful and beneficial for both parties? 

Danish Thanvi: Pay-By-Applicant is a revolutionary mechanism. A mechanism which is designed after considering all the problems, hurdles and difficulties that organizations usually face with when deciding to go for background screening of their employees. Pay-By-Applicant is a ZERO COST background verification program for organizations that are interested in verification of their employees but abandon because of high cost and budget approval issues.

This program expedites you to not pay even a single penny but to ask your employees to pay comparatively a minimum amount for their verification hence, categorically letting no burden on employees as they need to prove their background is immaculate for the position they are being considered for.

In similar manner, icing on the cake is that HR departments don’t have to manage tons of documents. You might find this surprising but to distribute the financial and operational burden this program allows employees to process their verification by simply creating an account, uploading documents and remitting the amount (service charges).

One last thing to mention is that employees will be awarded with a certificate of clean background, a verifiable document from RiskDiscovered website. This certificate is an asset for an employee and a value addition in their professional profile.

SecurityWatchSolutions.com: Your Business focus seems to be on managerial staffs only or I should say for white collar employees. We also know that proportion of labor staff (Blue collar employees) are larger in manufacturing and industrial sectors compared to white collar staff. What measures your company has taken to mitigate risk attached with such workforce? 

Danish Thanvi: You have raised the right question. Yes, majority of the manufacturing sectors are unaware of the threats and risks that can be posed by blue collar staff. Organizations have to realize it’s important to take preemptive measures to ensure that no such troublesome labor or blue collar employee be hired that might have been involved in any criminal activity in the past or may have committed fraud in his previous life and have ill intentions for the  organization he is working for. Most of the time it’s very difficult to track background of such employees because the information required for them is related to their addresses, identities and criminal records. We all know nowadays its more than easy to have fake identities and documents. To let our readers understand this problem, I have a real life case study where a machine operator was found involved in attempting extortion money threat to an owner of the same factory where he worked. Further inquiry revealed that he got information from someone within finance department and looted millions of extortion money crime against his owner.     

Keeping these problems in mind we have initiated a project to unlock manufacturing sectors in Pakistan that constitutes heavily to the GDP of Pakistan by employing thousands of employees or I’d be right if I say millions of labor force in their organizations. They serve as a back bone to the economy. Having said that they are kind of volcano that can erupt anytime for any organizations. So, without wasting any minute we have introduced LABOR VERIFICATION services for manufacturing sectors that are highly cost effective and one cannot undermine its efficacy when it comes to unveiling the background of blue collar employees

SecurityWatchSolution.com: As your organization’s main focus is Asian Region which constitutes large part of total world population. Do you think your background screening skills and expertise can help you in serving these masses? If yes, than what services do you have for common individual?

Danish Thanvi: It’s a very good question you have raised at this point of time as we know that situations in this world are changing at a rapid pace. We have seen that people are going abroad to pursue their professional and academic careers. Normally, these immigrants have to face number of verification problems in these countries after reaching there especially when they are applying for jobs and enrolling themselves in universities and educational institutions.

In order to further elaborate this case, let me mention here that we receive numerous calls every day from Pakistani nationals who are living abroad for the above mentioned reason and all have same problems i.e. the verification of their educational and professional documents. RiskDiscovered has introduced an individual verification service to aware the masses and make them realize that it’s better to have your documents and credentials verified before going abroad. For this, we have our separate department operating to meet the needs of such applicants and provide them a hassle free service of individual verification.   

SecurityWatchSolutions.com: NAPBS, why it’s important to have its membership and what role you are actually playing and what privileges do you have under the umbrella of its membership?

Danish Thanvi: RiskDiscovered being the founding member of NAPBS in Asia Pacific region extended his support and joined hands with NAPBS in designing and implementing standard policies related to protection and privacy of client’s data, code of conducts and prevailing legal bounding in particular states where business is operating. Moreover we are also obliged and encouraged to support and take newly emerging background screening companies under our mentorship to ensure the exact implementation of designed guidelines.   

As far as the goals are concerned, NAPBS is an organization that exists to promote ethical business practices, promote compliance and foster awareness of issues related to consumer protection and privacy rights within the background screening industry. On an international level NAPBS has its members from almost every country though large part is from North America and Europe as we know they have mature and more organized background screening industry compared to other regions of the world.

NAPBS membership and privileges?? No these two things have no connection at all in fact it’s a responsibility for any member of NAPBS to comply with all the designed policies and procedures. Being a member we are required to follow principles such as promotion of ethical business practices, promotion of compliance with appropriate legislation with in the region we are operating in and fostering awareness of issues related to client’s data protection and privacy within background screening industry.  

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: You mentioned earlier that RiskDiscovered is seeking ISO certification. How ISO 9001 would help your organization and your customer in background verification given the fact the fact that you are already a NABPS member? Do you think it’s important for a background screening industry?

Danish Thanvi: Acquiring ISO certification itself is a boost to background screening industry in Pakistan. Having NAPBS membership already in our bag, ISO will provide those sectors and business circles a sense of trust and credibility over RiskDiscovered because of which they were reluctant to invest on their human resource. Now, it will be easier for the HR think tanks to understand that RiskDiscovered stand for quality, managing business operations with precision and to guard the data of clients.

As we know that ISO 9001 main area of focus is quality management system and it can be applied to any organization regardless of its size and nature of business. The reason why RiskDiscovered opted to go for ISO certification was to ensure the standards are set and met for quality and establish a culture of following quality management principles, strong customer focus and Kaizan (Continuous Improvement) mentality within our organization.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Utilizing technology in background screening seems to be a new trend in industry.  Your product Backgroundcheck365.com is an innovation in Background Checks... not available anywhere else. Care to elaborate?

Danish Thanvi: BackgroundCheck365.com serves as the cornerstone in providing our clients with hassle free business operations. Our ability to adapt to the dynamics of technological advancement helps both RiskDiscovered and its clients enjoy hassle free, highly optimized and cost-effective business operations simultaneously.

BackgroundCheck365.com system serves as a cornerstone in overall verification service delivery process. It’s an online 24/7 365 days system that can be accessed from anywhere in the world and provide real time progress reports of verification cases ultimately brushing off concerns and difficulties of handling tons of documents, follow ups, report writings and what else it saves time.

BackgroundCheck365.com product is just a beginning. We have a plan to utilize technology and fully transform our solutions into digital.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Any other resources at RiskDiscovered.com that you would like to discuss?

Danish Thanvi: I would like to talk about Awareness360 here. Awareness360 is a part of our greater risk awareness mission. It is a pool of risk awareness blogs and each blog is dedicated to provide news, information and case studies from around the world on a specific risk area.

This strategy really helped us in spreading awareness of those risks which are usually not known to people until a disaster happens. Now, people from both corporate and consumer side are subscribing to our blogs network, reading regularly and gaining knowledge of the risks which can cause damages to their life, property, reputation, corporate image, and learning how and when to take preventive measures to avoid such disasters.

Moreover, over RiskDiscovered website we have a corporate blog where our research team publishes research based articles to keep our subscribers and clients informed and aware regarding developments in background screening industry with respect to different organizational levels.    

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you again for joining us today, Danish. Are there any other subjects you would like to discuss?

Danish Thanvi:   As we know that there are a lot of emerging markets in this world. There are countries that are growing at a staggering pace and providing thousands of employment opportunity. This includes countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and other South Asian countries. With increase in employment opportunity the market is open for forgers and fake documents holders to impersonate themselves as to whoever they want.  

With an increasing economy, companies are going digital at a rapid pace. Hence, things will be totally different in these regions and markets in coming years and RiskDiscovered with aim to transform into a digitally equipped firm can definitely serve these markets with its expertise in mitigation employment and business related risks.