Security Decisions Backed by Intelligence, Not Assumptions.

A-Z Global is a premium risk and security advisory firm. We help executives understand vulnerabilities, reduce loss, strengthen resilience, and access senior security leadership — without the cost of a permanent hire.

Understand Risk

Objective, expert-led diagnostics of your true exposure.

Reduce Loss

Quantified vulnerability, recovered margin, measurable outcomes.

Lead Execution

Senior security leadership, retained — without permanent headcount.

25 Years. 18 Nations. One Firm.

I have spent 25 years inside some of the world's most demanding security environments. Retail floors. Supply chains. Major events. Executive boardrooms. In 18 countries across Europe and the GCC.

I have seen what happens when security fails. And I have seen what becomes possible when organisations stop reacting to risk and start leading it. That is why A-Z Global exists.

When you engage A-Z Global, you engage me directly. Zakaria Ayyad. Founder, CEO, and Principal Advisor. No junior consultants. No templated reports. Every assessment is conducted by me. Every advisory engagement is led by me.

ASIS International Member CPP Candidate Former Head of Profit Protection — Germany & Austria Author — Learning to Live 25+ Years International Experience

Supported leading international retailers, multinational organisations, luxury brands, logistics operators, event organisers and high-growth businesses across Europe and the GCC.

Book a Consultation with Zakaria Ayyad →

Know Your Risk. Before It Becomes Your Problem.

The Security Maturity Assessment™ is A-Z Global's primary advisory engagement. It delivers a confidential, executive-grade diagnostic of your organisation's current security posture.

It is not a checklist. It is not a software scan. It is a structured advisory process — conducted by Zakaria Ayyad — that examines six critical dimensions of your security capability.

A confidential Security Maturity Report — formal, executive-grade

Maturity score across all six dimensions

Prioritised gap analysis and risk register

Actionable recommendations, sequenced by impact

A strategic debrief session with Zakaria Ayyad

Investment: From €5,000. Scope-dependent pricing available for multi-site and enterprise organisations.

Ready to Make Better Security Decisions?

A-Z Global works with a select number of organisations at any given time. Engagements begin with a consultation — a focused conversation with Zakaria Ayyad about your security priorities, risk environment, and objectives.

There is no obligation. There is no sales pitch. There is only a senior advisor who will tell you exactly where you stand — and what it would take to change it.

Begin the Conversation.

Tell us about your organisation and your priorities. All consultations are conducted personally by Zakaria Ayyad, Founder & CEO.

Engagements typically begin from €5,000. We work with organisations serious about improving security maturity, reducing loss, strengthening resilience, and accessing executive-level security expertise.

✉ info@a-zglobal.com

☏ +49 1590 690 1194

◆ Europe & GCC · Remote & On-Site Advisory

★ ASIS International Member · CPP Candidate

Executive Security Advisory™	Fractional Security Director™
Strategic guidance — an expert perspective, not an additional executive	Operational execution — a Head of Security without the permanent hire
For boards, risk committees, C-suite, governance functions	For organisations with no internal Head of Security or LP Director
Your independent Non-Executive Security Advisor	Your Head of Security, part-time

Europe · DACH · Gulf / GCC · Country-Level Intelligence

Your shrinkage exposure,
by country and region

Select your region and country. Real benchmark data, risk profile, and projected ROI from a structured A-Z Global programme.

Sources: EHI Inventurdifferenzen 2025 · ECR Europe · Oliver Wyman GCC · University of Leicester

——

Select country

Loss attribution profile

Your Operation

Annual Revenue

€

Total gross annual turnover

Shrinkage Rate: 1.0%

0.1%1%2%3%4%+

DACH average: 1.0% gross

Number of Locations

Stores, warehouses, distribution centres

Self-Checkout Coverage: 0%

None25%50%75%100%

⚠ SCO shrinkage averages 3.5% vs 0.2% at staffed registers — significant unmanaged exposure.

Gross Margin: 35%

10%25%40%55%70%+

DACH retail avg: 30–40% · Fashion/luxury: 50–65%

Financial Exposure & Recovery

Total annual shrinkage—

Loss per location—

% of gross margin consumed—

Loss per trading day—

SCO-attributable exposure—

A-Z programme target10–15% Year 1

Projected recovery—

Estimated programme fee—

Net return on investment—

Your operation is currently losing annually

€0

Get your personalised security gap report below

Country benchmark

1.0%

DACH average shrinkage

Your rate vs benchmark

—

Adjust the slider to compare

Get your personalised security gap report

We benchmark your figures against country-specific data and send a personalised PDF with your shrinkage diagnosis, risk profile, and recommended programme roadmap.

Report on its way

Zakaria will review your figures personally and send your security gap analysis within one business day.

Your data is never shared. We contact you once with your report and only continue if you choose to.

Methodology & Data Sources

How your shrinkage exposure is calculated — and why the numbers are accurate

Every figure in this calculator is derived from published industry data, calibrated against A-Z Global field experience across 40+ DACH and Gulf retail engagements. This page explains exactly where each number comes from and what it means for your operation.

Step-by-Step Calculation

Baseline Shrinkage Rate

We apply your country and sector-specific shrinkage benchmark as a percentage of net sales. These rates come from the EHI Inventurdifferenzen Report 2025 (DACH), ECR Europe Loss Prevention Report 2024 (Pan-European), and Oliver Wyman GCC Retail Security Index (Gulf). Rates range from 0.42% (Swiss grocery) to 2.8% (UAE electronics) — and are updated annually.

Annual Loss = Annual Revenue × Shrinkage Rate

Stock Count Overrun (SCO)

Stock count overrun represents the hidden cost of inventory inaccuracy — the time and labour your team spends on recounts, reconciliation, and investigation when stock counts do not match system records. SCO is distinct from shrinkage: it is an operational inefficiency cost, not a theft figure. The default SCO cost per location is €1,200–€4,500 annually depending on operation size and frequency.

SCO Cost = SCO Value per Location × Number of Locations

Margin-Adjusted Loss

Shrinkage hits at cost price — but its impact is felt at the margin level. To recover €10,000 of shrinkage loss at a 35% gross margin, a retailer must generate €28,571 of additional sales. The calculator converts your raw loss figure into the equivalent additional revenue you would need to generate to offset it — making the true business impact visible.

Revenue Needed to Offset = Annual Loss ÷ Gross Margin %

Recovery Potential

Not all shrinkage is recoverable — but a professionally implemented loss prevention programme consistently achieves 25–40% shrinkage reduction within 12 months. The calculator uses a conservative 30% recovery rate as the default, derived from A-Z Global field data across 40+ European and Gulf retail engagements. This figure is intentionally conservative: it reflects programmes that are implemented competently but not yet at full maturity.

Recoverable Loss = Annual Loss × Recovery Rate (30%)

Return on Investment

The ROI calculation compares the recoverable loss against a typical professional loss prevention investment. For a 10-store fashion retailer with €30M annual turnover, the average annual LP programme cost (technology, training, audit, consulting) is €45,000–€95,000. The recoverable shrinkage at 30% recovery typically exceeds this investment by 3–8×, giving an ROI of 300–800% in year one.

ROI = (Recoverable Loss − LP Investment) ÷ LP Investment × 100%

Shrinkage Benchmarks by Region & Sector

The benchmark rates in this calculator are sourced from three primary datasets, updated annually. We do not use industry averages — we use country and sector-specific rates that reflect the actual risk profile of your operation.

🇩🇪

EHI Retail Institute
Inventurdifferenzen 2025

Germany, Austria, Switzerland. The definitive DACH shrinkage dataset covering 350+ retailers across all major sectors. Published annually by the European retail research institute.

Fashion: 0.8–1.4% · Grocery: 0.45–0.7% · Electronics: 0.9–1.6%

🇪🇺

ECR Europe
Loss Prevention Report 2024

Pan-European shrinkage data covering 14 countries. The ECR dataset is the most comprehensive European benchmark, covering all major retail sectors with country-level granularity.

UK: 1.1–1.9% · France: 0.95–1.5% · Netherlands: 0.7–1.2%

🌍

Oliver Wyman
GCC Retail Security Index

Gulf Cooperation Council retail benchmarks covering UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. The only published dataset with GCC-specific shrinkage rates by sector.

UAE: 1.2–2.8% · KSA: 1.0–2.2% · Qatar: 0.9–1.8%

What This Tool Does Not Include — and Why

To keep the output credible and conservative, we deliberately exclude several loss categories that would make the figures significantly larger:

❌ Administrative errors

Pricing errors, receiving discrepancies, and paperwork mistakes typically add 15–25% to total shrinkage. Not included because they require operational audit data to quantify accurately.

❌ Supplier fraud

Short deliveries, invoice manipulation, and collusion with receiving staff. ECR Europe estimates this at 0.1–0.3% of revenue in DACH — excluded from the baseline calculation.

❌ Reputational and insurance costs

Repeat victimisation leads to higher insurance premiums and brand damage in affected locations. Not quantified here but significant for luxury and premium sectors.

❌ Staff replacement costs from theft-related terminations

Average DACH retail staff replacement cost is €8,000–€15,000 per incident including recruitment, training, and productivity loss during the transition period.

The total financial impact of inadequate security in a retail operation is consistently 1.4–1.8× the headline shrinkage figure when all cost categories are included. Our calculator shows you the minimum.

From Calculation to Action

This calculator gives you the financial case. The security audit gives you the operational diagnosis. Together, they answer the two questions every COO and Security Director needs to answer before investing in loss prevention:

"How much is this costing us?"

The ROI calculator answers this — with country-specific, sector-specific data calibrated to your actual revenue and operation size.

"Where exactly is the exposure?"

The security audit answers this — 18 questions across 6 domains, instant risk rating, prioritised action plan.

Take the Security Audit Platform™ →

All projections are estimates based on published industry benchmarks and A-Z Global field experience. Actual results depend on current security programme maturity, operation type, geographic concentration, and implementation quality. A-Z Global does not guarantee specific outcomes. The calculator is provided as an indicative planning tool only.

Sources: EHI Retail Institute · Inventurdifferenzen 2025 · ECR Europe Loss Prevention Report 2023 · Oliver Wyman GCC Retail Benchmarks · University of Leicester Retail Crime Survey.
A-Z Global recovery projections based on field data from 40+ DACH and Gulf retail engagements. Actual results vary by operation and implementation.

Data Category	Specific Data Points	Source	Required?
Identity data	First name, last name	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Contact data	Business email address	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Professional data	Organisation name, job title	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Business data	Annual revenue (approximate), number of employees or locations	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Audit response data	Your answers to the 18 security audit questions, selected country, organisation type, domain risk scores	Audit interaction	Automatically collected on form submit
Technical data	Browser type, approximate location (country level), device type — if Google Analytics is enabled	Analytics tools	Only with cookie consent
Communication data	Records of emails sent and received in connection with your audit results or consultation	Email correspondence	Generated through engagement

Purpose	Data Used	Legal Basis
Generate and deliver your personalised security risk report	All audit response data, name, organisation, country	Art. 6(1)(b) — Contract
Send your audit results by email	Name, email, audit results summary	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Send follow-up analysis and consultation invitation (nurture emails)	Name, email, audit type, risk rating	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Prepare an internal pre-consultation dossier for Zakaria Ayyad	Audit answers processed in-browser; lead details sent to A-Z Global CRM (HubSpot)	Art. 6(1)(b) — Contract
Store lead information in our CRM (Airtable)	Name, email, company, title, audit type, scores	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Improve our audit tools using anonymised aggregate data	Anonymised response patterns only — no personal data	Art. 6(1)(f) — Legitimate Interests
Comply with legal and tax record-keeping requirements (clients only)	Engagement records, invoices, correspondence	Art. 6(1)(c) — Legal Obligation

Data Category	Retention Period	Reason
Audit leads — no engagement	12 months from audit completion	Sufficient time for consultation follow-up. Deleted or anonymised after 12 months if no engagement results.
Audit leads — consultation booked	24 months from last contact	Extended retention for active prospects in the sales cycle.
Client engagement data	Duration of engagement + 3 years	Legitimate interest for dispute resolution and reference. Minimum required by German commercial law (HGB §257).
Invoice and financial records	10 years	Required by German tax law (AO §147).
Email correspondence	3 years from last contact	Legitimate interest for business continuity and dispute reference.
Anonymised audit analytics	Indefinite	No personal data — aggregate patterns only used for tool improvement.

Data Category	Specific Data Points	Source	Required?
Identity data	First name, last name	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Contact data	Business email address	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Professional data	Organisation name, job title	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Business data	Annual revenue (approximate), number of employees or locations	Audit / calculator form	Yes
Audit response data	Your answers to the 18 security audit questions, selected country, organisation type, domain risk scores	Audit interaction	Automatically collected on form submit
Technical data	Browser type, approximate location (country level), device type — if Google Analytics is enabled	Analytics tools	Only with cookie consent
Communication data	Records of emails sent and received in connection with your audit results or consultation	Email correspondence	Generated through engagement

Purpose	Data Used	Legal Basis
Generate and deliver your personalised security risk report	All audit response data, name, organisation, country	Art. 6(1)(b) — Contract
Send your audit results by email	Name, email, audit results summary	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Send follow-up analysis and consultation invitation (nurture emails)	Name, email, audit type, risk rating	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Prepare an internal pre-consultation dossier for Zakaria Ayyad	Audit answers processed in-browser; lead details sent to A-Z Global CRM (HubSpot)	Art. 6(1)(b) — Contract
Store lead information in our CRM (Airtable)	Name, email, company, title, audit type, scores	Art. 6(1)(a) — Consent
Improve our audit tools using anonymised aggregate data	Anonymised response patterns only — no personal data	Art. 6(1)(f) — Legitimate Interests
Comply with legal and tax record-keeping requirements (clients only)	Engagement records, invoices, correspondence	Art. 6(1)(c) — Legal Obligation

Security Decisions Backed by Intelligence, Not Assumptions.

Understand Risk

Reduce Loss

Lead Execution

25 Years. 18 Nations. One Firm.

The Firm That Sees What Others Miss.

Mission & Vision.

Security that goes further than security.

The gold standard. Redefined.

25+ Years. Field-Tested. Intelligence-Led.

ASIS International Member · CPP Candidate

Certified Forensic Interviewer

TAPA Member

Six Sigma Yellow Belt

Google & IBM AI Certificates

Former Head of Profit Protection

The Five Services That Define A-Z Global.

Security Maturity Assessment™

Retail Shrink & Loss Prevention Review™

Executive Security Advisory™

Fractional Security Director™

Event Security Readiness Assessment™

One Advisor.Every Stage.

Know Your Risk. Before It Becomes Your Problem.

Governance & Policy

Physical Security

People & Culture

Technology & Systems

Resilience & Response

Compliance & Regulation

Measure Before You Manage.

Security Audit Platform™

Shrinkage ROI Intelligence™

From Assessment to Partnership.

Understand

Strategise

Execute

Sustain

The Difference Is the Advisor.

Founder-Led

Independent

International

Outcome-Focused

Premium

What Clients Say.

Ready to Make Better Security Decisions?

Begin the Conversation.

Security Maturity Assessment™

The Six Assessment Dimensions

What You Receive

Retail Shrink & Loss Prevention Review™

What We Examine

What You Receive

Executive Security Advisory™

What Is Included

Advisory vs Fractional Director™

Fractional Security Director™

What a Fractional Security Director™ Does

Event Security Readiness Assessment™

What We Review

What You Receive

Your shrinkage exposure,by country and region

Get your personalised security gap report

Report on its way

How your shrinkage exposure is calculated — and why the numbers are accurate

Privacy Policy

Who We Are — Data Controller

What Personal Data We Collect

Legal Basis for Processing — GDPR Article 6

How We Use Your Personal Data

Third-Party Processors & Data Transfers

Data Retention — How Long We Keep Your Data

Your Rights Under GDPR

Consent & Marketing Communications

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Data Security

Changes to This Privacy Policy

How to Contact Us

Find out exactly whereyour operation is exposed

Privacy Policy

Security Maturity Assessment^™

Retail Shrink & Loss Prevention Review^™

Executive Security Advisory^™

Fractional Security Director^™

Event Security Readiness Assessment^™

One Advisor.
Every Stage.

Security Audit Platform^™

Shrinkage ROI Intelligence^™

Security Maturity Assessment^™

Retail Shrink & Loss Prevention Review^™

Executive Security Advisory^™

Fractional Security Director^™

Event Security Readiness Assessment^™

Your shrinkage exposure,
by country and region

Find out exactly where
your operation is exposed