Few organizations are driven by a bolder mission than RTI International, a research institute dedicated to improving the human condition across the planet. RTI International's 2,600 researchers, scientists and technicians are deployed in more than 40 countries, undertaking projects in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, survey and statistics, advanced technology, democratic governance, economic and social development, energy and the environment.

The wide range of projects draws upon the institute's extraordinary depth of multidisciplinary resources and most are funded by various federal agencies. For example, RTI International was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish local governance systems in postwar Iraq.

While adept at satisfying client needs, the institute was challenged by the need to better understand, identify and manage the risks posed by its diverse scope of work. "The question asked by our board of governors was the types of risks RTI faces," says Ward Sax, the institute's vice president, treasurer and chief risk officer. "Because our organization and our work is so deep and broad, answering such an extraordinary question was not easy at the time."