Mittelstandspresse
02.11.2026
Human Risk Score: Validato and FHNW Develop Scientifically Grounded Model for Risk Assessment
Following a successful interim presentation in October 2026, the joint score on a scale from 1 to 100 is taking shape — enabling risk-based background checks and targeted Human Risk Management.
Zürich, 02.11.2026 (PresseBox) - How can the risk potential of a job function be assessed objectively and transparently? That is the question Validato AG and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) are tackling together in a joint applied-research project. The goal is a scientifically grounded Human Risk Score on a scale from 1 to 100, designed to give companies a solid basis for risk-based background checks and focused Human Risk Management. Since a successful interim presentation on October 20, 2026 at FHNW in Olten, the model has been steadily taking shape.
Why companies need to understand functional risk
Not every job function carries the same level of risk. Some employees hold access to highly sensitive information or critical IT systems, while others carry significant financial decision-making authority or bear responsibility for safety-critical operations. In regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare and energy, Validato notes, systematically assessing these risks is becoming increasingly important. So far, such assessments have typically relied on internal policies, generic job titles or individual experience, and a consistent, evidence-based methodology has largely been missing. This is precisely the gap the joint project between Validato and FHNW sets out to close.
Four risk dimensions, grounded in research
The model rests on one guiding principle: it does not assess an individual's personal trustworthiness, but rather the risk potential attached to a specific job function. To capture this, the FHNW project team is building a risk taxonomy spanning four dimensions. Information Technology covers exposure linked to access to IT systems and privileged permissions; Information Security addresses access to confidential information and business-critical knowledge; Compliance captures risks tied to fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and regulatory obligations; and Operations reflects accountability for critical business processes and safety-relevant activities. The scientific framework combines established research and structured risk assessment methodologies with company-specific information on access rights, financial authority, management responsibilities and existing security controls. These factors are collected through a standardised company questionnaire to ensure a comprehensive and context-specific assessment of role-related risks.
Transparency instead of a black box
Validato and FHNW place particular emphasis on making the score explainable: companies should not simply receive a number, but should understand which factors drive the risk rating of a given function. Alongside an overall score, the model is therefore designed to provide granular sub-scores and to flag the main risk drivers. The project team is also examining the use of Monte Carlo simulations to make uncertainty in the assessment methodologically visible. On the legal and ethical side, the project is being developed in line with Switzerland's Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Swiss employment law and the requirements of the EU AI Act. A clear distinction between function-based risk assessment and person-based judgment is central to this design: the Human Risk Score is not intended to make any statement about an individual's integrity or reliability, but to give companies an objective basis for understanding the risks tied to a role.
Next steps through early 2027
“With the Human Risk Score, we want to give companies an objective, traceable basis for identifying risk-relevant functions and applying background checks more precisely and proportionately,” says André Naef, CEO of Validato AG. In the coming weeks, the team will focus on further refining the assessment model, building a prototype and testing its practical applicability; the applied-research project is scheduled to conclude in early January 2027, with final results expected in early 2027. Validato thanks the student project team and FHNW for a professional and scientifically rigorous collaboration, and sees the model as an important long-term foundation for advancing a risk-based approach to background screening.
Ansprechpartner
André Naef
+41 44 515 77 78
Zuständigkeitsbereich: CEO
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Human Risk Score: Validato und FHNW entwickeln wissenschaftlich fundiertes Modell zur Risikobewertung
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