(Bloomberg) -- A larger share of companies operating in Mexico are feeling positive about security, according to a new report from the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico.
In a survey released Monday, 39% said they consider themselves to be safer than the year before, up from 17% in the last survey released in 2022. The share of respondents that expect improvements in their safety in the coming year also grew, to 43% from 29%.
“The figures are a surprise,” given how top of mind security appears to be for firms in the region, said Pedro Casas Alatriste, executive vice president and general director at AmCham. Top concerns for respondents were security for employees and their families, and cybersecurity.
Technology may be playing a role in making it cheaper and easier for companies to protect themselves, Casas said. Of the respondents, 16% are using artificial intelligence in their security strategy, for activities like access controls or cybersecurity. Some 28% plan to use AI in the future, the report said.
Still, six out of 10 firms find themselves somewhat or very affected by delinquency, with 12% reporting that organized crime has taken partial control of the sale, distribution or prices of their products.
“That worries me,” Casas said, adding that “not all of Mexico is an unsafe country, but there are crime hot spots” that the government and private sector need to work hand in hand to address. The state of Mexico, Guanajuato and Michoacan were the top three states seen as having the biggest concerns over business security.
AmCham and partner chambers solicited responses from 218 executives, including CEOs and heads of security for companies. Some 42% of respondents were foreign firms with operations in Mexico, while 31% were national organizations with business only in the country. The remainder were international firms or Mexican businesses with operations abroad.
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