FERMA PRESS RELEASE: Risk managers are developing strategic role and wider view of risks, survey finds
Risk managers are developing strategic role and wider view of risks, survey finds
European risk managers are taking a more strategic role in their companies with increasing access to top management levels and the board. Against this background, they have a wider vision of the risks that could affect the ability of business to achieve its objectives.
These are the key conclusions of the 8th European Risk and Insurance Survey conducted by the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) and reported today in the FERMA European Risk and Insurance Report. The report is published today at the FERMA Seminar taking place in Malta.
More than half the 634 respondents to the survey are becoming:
involved in implementing risk culture across the organisation (68%),
developing risk management as a part of business strategy (62%) and
developing business continuity and other crisis response (59%) programmes,
and two-thirds report to the board or top management level.
The survey shows rising concern among risk managers about economic conditions and business continuity disruption since the previous FERMA survey in 2014. Together with political and country instability, these are regarded as the three top risks to businesses. Digital risks – cyber attack/data privacy and IT systems and data centres – also increased in importance in 2016.
The President of FERMA Jo Willaert commented: “From this survey, we see that risk managers are moving into a position where they are helping embed risk management into the business model and culture of their organisations. They are taking an enterprise wide vision of risks, including the wider business environment, and the majority report to a chief officer or the board.”
Respondents also indicated they want additional expertise and techniques, such as scenario analysis and post-event lessons learned, to enhance insight into the nature of the complex risks facing their companies. As a result, they are looking for their advisers, brokers and insurers to go beyond transactions and provide support in such activities. For example, risk control and transfer remain a day-to-day responsibility for the great majority of risk managers (86%), but loss prevention has become the top priority.
Digital and cyber risks are, not surprisingly, a rising concern and risk managers are looking for a greater partnership with insurers on loss prevention and incident management. The purchase of standalone cyber risk coverage has grown since 2014, but two-thirds of companies still do not buy such protection.
“There is work to be done here in strengthening our resilience to these constantly evolving risks. FERMA has always emphasised that they are enterprise risks, and the survey shows that we need closer relationships between the risk management and IT functions. We are also looking for a partnership with our advisers, brokers and insurers to strengthen our resilience and management of incidents,” said Jo Willaert.
In terms of risk managers’ European objections, the survey revealed three clear priorities for FERMA: establish official recognition of the risk manager, advise on data protection regulations and present risk managers’ views on increased corporate reporting and transparency requirements.
Said Jo Willaert: “The findings of this report, combined with FERMA’s mission and strategy adopted at our general meeting in June, will shape our activities over the next two years, including the continuing development of our professional certification programme rimap®.”
The full European Risk and Insurance Report and supporting documents will be available on the FERMA website at www.ferma.eu and via social media.
Notes to journalists
The fully online FERMA European Risk and Insurance Management Survey took place between April and June 2016. In total 4407 invitations were sent to FERMA’s 22 member associations and contacts from AIG. There were 634 responses, which is a good representative sample of 14%. An independent research company Toluna collected the responses and analysed the results. The survey has taken place every other year since 2002, making this the eighth edition.
FERMA thanks our survey partners AIG, Chubb, EY, Marsh and XL Catlin for their support in this important project.
Press contacts
Lee Coppack
FERMA media coordinator, +44 (0) 7843 089904 (to 6 October) and +44 (0) 208 318 0330
Typhaine Beaupérin
CEO FERMA, +32 (2) 761 94 31
About FERMA
FERMA represents the interest of more than 4700 European risk and insurance managers, of whom around one third work in companies that use a captive to cover some risks for their operations.
Member associations are from the following countries: Belgium (BELRIM), Bulgaria (BRiMA) Czech Republic (ASPAR CZ), Denmark (DARIM), Finland (FinnRima), France (AMRAE), Germany (GVNW), Italy (ANRA), Luxembourg (ALRiM), Malta (MARM), Netherlands (NARIM), Norway (NORIMA), Poland (POLRISK), Portugal (APOGERIS), Russia (RusRisk), Slovenia (Sl.RISK), Spain (AGERS and IGREA), Sweden (SWERMA), Switzerland (SIRM), Turkey (ERMA) and United Kingdom (Airmic).