Global Food and Beverage Manufacturer Unifies DSPM and DLP to Mitigate AI Risks

Navigating Data Security in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape

For modern security teams, the pressure to protect sensitive data has never been greater. As organizations expand their digital footprint across hybrid environments, the complexity of managing data risk grows exponentially. Like many Forcepoint customers, this organization was concerned about the complexity of managing sensitive information dispersed across departments, each with its own workflows and risk profiles.

The IT team found itself at the intersection of rising data volumes, evolving compliance requirements and the need to support business agility. They needed more than just visibility of their data, they needed a way to unify data protection efforts across the enterprise. This meant enabling collaboration with business leaders in departments like finance and HR, where critical data was being generated and shared daily.

Complicating matters further is the rise of AI. As the organization explored new technologies to drive innovation, the risk of exposing sensitive data to AI models, intentionally or inadvertently, became a real concern. To meet these challenges headon, they identified the need for a more holistic and proactive approach to identify, classify and control access to sensitive information everywhere.

They needed a solution that could scale with their growth, bridge the gap between IT and business stakeholders, and lay the foundation for secure AI adoption. That’s where Forcepoint’s Data Security Everywhere approach, featuring Forcepoint DSPM and Forcepoint DLP, came in.

A Unified Approach to Data Security

The organization’s journey toward an industry-leading data protection strategy led them to select Forcepoint DSPM and Forcepoint DLP solutions.

This strategic decision came after a competitive evaluation, where Forcepoint’s unified approach stood out against Trellix, whose offerings lacked the depth and integration that was required.

What made Forcepoint the clear choice was its ability to deliver Data Security Everywhere with deep visibility into sensitive data across both cloud and on-premises environments, paired with automated, AI-driven classification that reduced manual overhead and human error. Unlike siloed tools that operate in isolation, Forcepoint DSPM and DLP work in concert, enabling the organization to not only identify sensitive data but also enforce policies that prevent its misuse or exposure.

In a world where AI is rapidly reshaping how businesses operate, this integration is more than a convenience. It’s a necessity. As AI tools become embedded in everyday workflows, the risk of inadvertently exposing sensitive data to these systems increases. Forcepoint’s solution gave them the foundation to move forward securely and strategically.

“We’re growing our install base because we see the value. It’s not just a tool, it’s a long-term strategy.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Scaling with Confidence: Turning Early Wins into Enterprise-Wide Momentum

This organization’s approach to data security reflects a deep understanding of how transformation happens through deliberate, scalable steps. Rather than attempting to overhaul its data protection strategy overnight, the company began by focusing on visibility and classification. This foundational phase allowed them to understand where sensitive data lived, how it was being used, and who had access to it.

By starting with this insight-driven approach, the organization was able to build internal trust in the solution. Business leaders saw tangible results early on, which helped secure buy-in across departments. As confidence grew, so did adoption. What began as a 500-user deployment quickly expanded to 1,300 users, demonstrating not only the solution’s effectiveness but also its alignment with broader business goals.

This phased rollout allowed the IT team to demonstrate value incrementally, reduce disruption and ensure that each stage of the deployment was aligned with the company’s evolving needs. In doing so, the organization positioned itself to scale securely, adapt quickly and stay ahead of emerging risks, including those introduced by AI and automation.

“We started small to prove the value, and once our teams saw the impact, it was easy to scale. This effort expands beyond deployment to a shift in how we think about data security.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Breaking Silos: Building a Culture of Shared Data Responsibility

One of the most transformative achievements was the cultural shift. Rather than treating data security as an isolated IT function, they embraced a collaborative model that brought together stakeholders from across the business. Leaders in departments like legal, marketing, finance and HR were engaged early in the process. The goal was to help them understand the importance of data classification, secure sharing practices and the broader implications of data exposure.

By equipping department heads with the knowledge and tools to identify and protect sensitive data, the organization created a ripple effect. These leaders became advocates within their own teams, reinforcing best practices and helping embed data protection into everyday workflows

“We’re working with leaders across different business areas, such as Operations, Sales, and Marketing, to help them understand the importance of data classification and secure sharing.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing

This cross-functional collaboration helped foster a company-wide culture of data responsibility. Every employee, regardless of role, now understands their part in protecting the organization’s most valuable information. It’s a model that strengthens security, builds trust and supports long-term resilience.

Outpacing the Competition: Why Synergy and Insight Won the Day

The shift to Forcepoint was a strategic move to align data protection efforts with a more integrated and forward-looking security model. After evaluating their options, it became clear that fragmented capabilities from other vendors couldn’t meet the demands of a growing, data-driven enterprise. What this organization needed was a solution that could unify visibility, classification and enforcement across its entire data landscape.

Forcepoint delivered exactly that. The synergy between DSPM and DLP allowed the organization to move beyond reactive security and toward a proactive approach tailored to its specific requirements for sensitive business data. Unlike alternatives that lacked robust classification and labeling features, Forcepoint offered a cohesive platform that supported both IT and business stakeholders in managing sensitive data effectively.

• Forcepoint DLP: Delivers advanced protection that prevents sensitive data from leaving the organization (from the endpoint to the cloud) for both intellectual property and regulated data while minimizing false positives.
• Forcepoint DSPM: Provides automated discovery, classification and risk assessment of sensitive data across cloud and on-prem systems, enabling organizations to proactively secure data, govern access, support compliance, remediate permissions and prepare for safe AI adoption.

“Forcepoint’s unique combination of DSPM and DLP gave us the visibility and control we needed—something we didn’t see with other vendors.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing

DSPM in the Age of AI

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everyday business operations, the stakes for data security have never been higher. Preparing for AI meant more than adopting new tools; the organization needed to ensure that the data feeding those tools was properly governed, classified and protected.

The Forcepoint DSPM solution plays a critical role in this transformation. By automating the discovery and classification of sensitive data everywhere, the organization is better equipped to reduce the risk of exposing proprietary information to AI systems, whether through internal experimentation or third-party integrations. Real-time visibility into data flows and access patterns gives the IT team the confidence to support innovation without compromising security.

This capability is especially important in a world where AI models can inadvertently absorb and divulge sensitive or regulated data. With DSPM, the organization is not only protecting its present but also future-proofing its data strategy for the AI era.

“With DSPM, we’re not just reacting to threats. We’re preparing our data for the future, including AI.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Looking Ahead

This organization’s journey with Forcepoint is a model for how global companies can modernize data protection. By securing data everywhere with DSPM and DLP, they’ve not only improved security but also strengthened internal collaboration and laid the groundwork for secure AI adoption.

As a trusted partner, Forcepoint continues to help them evolve their data protection strategy from compliance readiness to AI governance through to consistent enforcement on a platform built to secure what matters most.

“DSPM helps us automate security and bring departments together. It’s not just about finding sensitive data. We are ensuring that everyone agrees on what’s sensitive and how to protect it.”
— IT Team, Global Food and Beverage Manufacturing