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
Key Metrics
50-60%
Risk drop in targeted high-risk user groups
- ~124% Human Risk Index (HRI) improvement
- 300+ Employees requested more training
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.
I wanted to be held accountable—are we actually moving the needle, or just checking a box?
Terry Smith Program Director for Security Awareness, Blackbaud
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?
Now we can actually show leadership that our program is working and the risk is going down.
Results
1
Measurable Risk Reduction
Blackbaud's Human Risk Index improved from 320 to 716 — a 124% increase.
2
Executive & Board Alignment
Leadership gained clear, board-ready reporting that proved ROI and provided a framework for enhancements.
3
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.
Continue exploring
See the Platform Explore how Unify brings workforce risk data together in one place.What is Human Risk Management? The discipline behind measurable, provable risk reduction.More Case Studies See how other organizations are putting HRM into practice.
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