Case Study

Blackbaud Reduces Human Risk and Proves ROI

Industry Software

Company size 2,600 employees globally

Mission Enable billions in charitable giving while ensuring security and trust for their nonprofit clients.

Spokesperson Terry Smith, Program Director for Security Awareness

The Challenge

Blackbaud's security awareness program was stuck in check-the-box compliance, offering little proof of real risk reduction. As Terry Smith, Program Director for Security Awareness, put it: “I wanted to be held accountable—are we actually moving the needle, or just checking a box?”

The problem wasn't a lack of effort. It was a lack of visibility. Data from threat detection and response (TDR), data loss prevention (DLP), and manual employee surveys all lived in separate systems. Pulling together even a basic picture of organizational risk meant hours of manual work — and even then, the resulting story wasn't compelling enough to bring to the board with confidence.

The Solution

By adopting Unify HRM, Blackbaud centralized risk data that had previously lived in disconnected tools, tracked Human Risk Index (HRI) improvements over time, and delivered board-ready insights that proved ROI and reduced organizational risk.

“All these disparate pieces… we were able to pull together through API connections,” says Smith, describing how Unify turned scattered compliance data into a single, measurable view of risk — one that could finally answer the question he'd been asking all along: is this program actually working?

Results

Measurable Risk Reduction

Blackbaud's Human Risk Index improved from 320 to 716 — a 124% increase.

Executive & Board Alignment

Leadership gained clear, board-ready reporting that proved ROI and provided a framework for enhancements.

Operational Efficiency

TDR and DLP teams eliminated manual reporting, unifying risk visibility and accelerating actionable insights.

Impact Snapshots

ROI & Board Confidence

Blackbaud now has strong, quantifiable metrics on its security program's risk reduction. “We've got a great story to tell, and now we can show it to leadership with quantifiable metrics,” says Terry Smith. Unify centralized disparate risk data into actionable insights, giving executives confidence backed by measurable HRI improvement and proof of ROI.

Engagement & Culture Change

Before Unify, annual training felt like a checkbox. Gamified campaigns, scorecards, and nudges changed that. “I had over 300 people respond to me, asking how it ended—they were begging for more training,” says Smith. Voluntary participation and friendly competition translated into a 50-60% risk reduction in high-risk user groups.

Efficiency & Insider Risk Reduction

Blackbaud's security team previously spent hours combing through SIEM data and spreadsheets to identify risky behaviors. “I think of Unify as my insights group,” says Smith. With TDR and DLP now integrated into Unify, the team monitors behavioral risk patterns, tracks high-priority signals during offboarding, and has reduced insider risk by half.

Register now for HRMCon 2026!

Upcoming Webinars:

Upcoming Dinners & Roundtables: