Partnering with Liberty Specialty Markets to help Burger King UK monitor flood risk
Burger King UK, supported by insurer Liberty Specialty Markets, uses the Previsico Flood Intel Platform to monitor groundwater and wastewater flood risk, protecting over 500 restaurants with early warnings and on-site sensors.
The challenge
Burger King UK (BKUK) is the third most recognised Quick Service Restaurant chain in the UK, with over 500 restaurants as of June 2022. Some of these sites are at a higher risk of flooding from surface water, groundwater and wastewater. Flooding at their sites can cause a multitude of impacts including business interruption, financial loss, threat to the health and safety of staff and customers, property damage, and contamination of stock and assets.
The solution
As their insurer, Liberty worked closely with BKUK to help mitigate their flood risk, funding their use of the Previsico Flood Intel Platform. This encompasses flood forecasting, drainage, and waterbody monitoring to effectively monitor groundwater and wastewater drainage flood risk and sump pump contingency.
What did Previsico bring to BKUK?
The data provided by the Previsico Flood Intel Platform has given BKUK a new and heightened awareness of flood risk and surface water across the business. A risk analysis of their portfolio has also identified the locations that are at low, medium, and higher risk of flooding. Once these higher-risk sites were detected, BKUK made it a priority to ensure the business continuity plans for these sites were improved.
The area managers and property managers of these high-risk locations receive Previsico's early flood warnings up to 48 hours in advance, ensuring they have timely information to prepare and act in order to prevent flood impacts. Sensors were also installed in four locations at the BKUK site on Gloucester Road, London. This site was chosen because of its experience with water ingress, and it is a highly profitable site for the company. The real-time sensor data can be viewed via Liberty's Risk Reduce portal, which provides their customers access to support, guidance, and training to help them manage the risks they face in their business more effectively.
Training has also been provided to managers at BKUK to improve their knowledge and awareness of business continuity.
Results achieved
- Revenue & asset protection: Protects infrastructure, stock, and equipment from water-related damage and provides balance sheet protection.
- Employee & customer welfare: Minimises the chance of flood-related accidents and disruption for employees and customers.
- Reputation: Demonstrates BKUK's approach to proactive risk management.
- Increased resilience: Provides timely information on surface water flood risk to prepare, take action, and mitigate impacts and losses. Has also strengthened the relationship between insurer, brokers, and the insured.
- Improved insurer relationship: Working closely with Liberty Specialty Markets to help mitigate their flood risk and improve their access to proactive solutions.
- Improved business continuity: Previsico's early surface water flood warnings are linked to BKUK's business continuity plan, to ensure minimal business interruption.
- Education: Previsico's data insights and BKUK's business continuity plan provide management and restaurant managers with the knowledge and tools to prevent impacts from flooding.
Stakeholders involved and invested
- Private equity and shareholders
- Management at head office, area and restaurant level, and staff in restaurants
- Customers in restaurants
- Banks, landlords, insurers, suppliers, and the community
Previsico Team