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  • research report

    Building Risk Awareness into Performance:Integrating ERM and Performance Management

    Trusted Insights for Business Worldwide

    http://www.conference-board.org

  • Building Risk Awareness into Performance:Integrating ERM and Performance ManagementRESEARCH REPORT R-1448-09-RR

    by Ellen S. Hexter and Daniel Sandy Bayer

    contents

    3 Executive Summary

    5 Planning at the Crossroads of ERM and Performance Management

    15 First Steps toward Integration

    16 Case Studies

    16 IBM

    19 An International Metals Company

    20 A Global Food Products Manufacturer

    21 A Not-for-Profit Healthcare System

    22 A Global Pharmaceutical Company

    23 About This Report

    Oliver Wyman provided sponsorship for this report.

    With more than 2,900 professionals in over 40 cities around the globe, Oliver Wymanis an international management consulting firm that combines deep industry knowledgewith specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, organizationaltransformation, corporate finance, and leadership development. The firm helps clientsoptimize their businesses, improve their operations and risk profile, and accelerate theirorganizational performance to seize the most attractive opportunities. Oliver Wymanis part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies [NYSE: MMC].

    To learn more, please visit www.oliverwyman.com

    www.oliverwyman.com

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 3

    E nterprise risk management (ERM) and performancemanagement are two complementary processesessential for the management of an organization. Both

    disciplines are designed to support organizations’ efforts

    in making decisions and meeting their goals—ERM

    through the identification and management of those risks

    that could affect business objectives, and performance

    management through the identification and measurement

    of the drivers needed to achieve results, including the link-

    ing of individual behaviors to organizational performance.

    Risk-adjusted performance metrics offer managers tools

    that strike the appropriate balance between meeting

    performance goals and achieving appropriate returns

    for the risks being taken. The application of risk-based

    performance management may also lead to incentives that

    are more aligned with an organization’s long-term success.

    The integration of risk assessment data into performance

    management provides decision makers with a dynamic

    analytical framework for evaluating operational strategies,

    acquisitions and divestitures, and capital investments

    across different business units, asset types, and risk profiles.

    This combination is most valuable for strategic planning

    and operating plans that have long-term consequences.

    A risk-adjusted performance framework offers organiza-

    tions the ability to explicitly link personal incentives with

    performance objectives.

    Executive Summary

    Performance management

    Actual and expected entity-level performance

    Performance objectives for key business objectives

    Tracks and manages corporate value

    Measures and analyzes performance usingfinancial and nonfinancial measures

    Enables shareholders to understand value drivers

    Helps inform management decisions basedon firm’s performance, value drivers, andstrengths and weaknesses

    Perspectives of the firm

    Metrics

    Value

    Performance

    Shareholder value

    Management decisions

    Optimized Corporate Performance

    Illustrated Links between ERM and Performance Management

    ERM

    Risk-based portfolio view of company

    Risk appetite

    Risk tolerances

    Identifies and assesses drivers of volatilityin corporate value

    Uses financial and nonfinancial metricsand analytics

    Allows shareholders to understandthe risks of their investment

    Helps managers anticipate, prepare,and better handle unexpected events

    Assists with capital allocation and optimalrisk-reward trade-offs across the organization

    Copyright © 2008 Oliver Wyman

    Defining Terms

    Enterprise risk management (ERM) An enterprise-wideset of processes and analytical tools to identify, assess,and manage risks so that organizations can meet theirobjectives. The forward-looking nature of ERM can helporganizations anticipate internal and external risks andunderstand the risk and reward tradeoffs of their businessdecisions. Effective ERM builds risk awareness intodecision making throughout the organization.

    Performance management A common set of processes,tools, and metrics used to monitor if a company, itsbusinesses, its processes, and its employees are on trackto meet their goals.

  • Despite these benefits, few companies have integrated

    their ERM and performance management processes.

    In a 2008 survey by The Conference Board of 97

    senior executives, only 57 percent of the responding

    organizations have both a formal ERM program and a

    performance management program. Of this group, only

    43 percent said that integration would be “extremely” or

    “very” valuable.1 When asked if their companies would

    increase their use of risk assessment data in planning

    over the next 12 months, just slightly more than half of

    the respondents from companies with both programs—

    53 percent—said that was “extremely” or “very” likely.

    Why are organizations hesitant to include risk assessment

    data in their planning processes and use them when

    making important management decisions? The survey

    responses highlighted three important challenges.

    1 The ERM program is not considered effectiveOnly 52 percent of the executives with both an ERM and aperformance management program considered their ERMprograms to be “extremely” or “very” effective at the corporatelevel, and just 30 percent rated their programs this highlyat the business unit level. But executives at companies witheffective ERM programs were much more likely to believe thatintegrating risk data into planning would be “extremely” or“very” helpful in achieving business objectives—56 percentcompared to 31 percent of executives at organizations thatdeemed their ERM programs less effective. In fact, executivesat organizations with effective ERM programs are more likelythan other executives to say that risk assessment data alreadyhave an extensive influence on management processes at their companies, specifically in strategic planning and capitalallocation. A poorly implemented ERM program provideslimited applicable information for business decision making.

    2 A lack of commitment from the top Executives cited alack of management focus as one of the greatest challengesto the integration of ERM and performance management.Organizations that do integrate these practices must workacross the traditional boundaries separating functions andbusiness units to employ new metrics and revise existingprocesses. To make these changes, senior management mustmake a clear commitment to the importance of melding riskmetrics into business planning. Seventy-two percent ofexecutives at companies where ERM is a high priority for theboard of directors expected their companies to increase theuse of risk assessments in their planning processes over thenext year, compared to 36 percent of those at companieswhere ERM is a lower priority.

    3 A need for more sophisticated performance metricsMany companies fail to recognize the fundamental linkbetween ERM and performance management because their applied performance metrics, such as return on assetsor return on equity, do not reflect the level of risk involved. Only 34 percent of the executives surveyed said that theircompanies use risk-adjusted return on capital at the corporatelevel, and even fewer—21 percent—do so at the businessunit level. When asked about challenges to the use of riskassessment data in planning, 73 percent of the executivesnoted that their risk measures were not compatible with theirplanning metrics. In many organizations, ERM programs arebased on relatively simple risk assessment processes—facilitated risk workshops or “risk mapping.” As a result,the ERM program provides information to help better managethe risk, but not the organization.

    Current performance measures are often based on pro formaassumptions about internal performance and external events.As such, the measures do not factor the impact of risks onperformance. Current risk assessments are also typicallylimited since they may illustrate the risk impact in terms ofoverall dollar impact to the organization, but do not illuminatehow the risks will affect the critical success factors of specificstrategic goals (e.g., expansion into a new market or divestitureof a business unit).

    The union of ERM and performance management is

    still in the early stages for many organizations. Given

    the dramatic losses suffered by some major companies

    in recent years, including those during the recent financial

    crisis, boards of directors and senior management will

    become increasingly interested in ensuring that planning

    processes throughout their organizations incorporate an

    explicit assessment of risk.

    As highlighted in the case studies, some organizations

    have made important strides in infusing risk information

    into planning processes and business decision making.

    By providing executives with a better understanding of

    the risks inherent in their strategic plans and better tools

    to identify performance drivers, companies will become

    more flexible and nimble in responding to changes in the

    external environment.

    4 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    1 Unless stated otherwise, the survey results provided in this report arebased on the responses of executives at companies that have both ERMand performance management programs.

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 5

    E nterprise risk management is designed to provideorganizations with a comprehensive approach toidentifying and managing risks that affect business

    objectives. In recent years, there has been an increasing

    recognition of the importance of ERM, and a series of

    losses at several major corporations has led to growing

    stakeholder expectations for enterprise risk management

    (e.g., the inclusion of risk management assessments into

    corporate credit rating assessments by Standard & Poors).

    Senior management, boards of directors, and investors

    also have much less tolerance for unforeseen risks.

    The fact that many companies that were early adopters

    have reported significant benefits—improved credit

    ratings, reduced losses, and faster identification of risks—

    has also made ERM more attractive.

    A survey by Ernst & Young of 130 institutional investors

    in 16 countries found that:

    • 82 percent of executives were willing to pay a premium forcompanies that manage risk well.

    • 61 percent had avoided investing in companies where riskmanagement was considered inadequate.

    • 48 percent had terminated investments for this reason.2Improving the understanding and consideration of risk in

    planning processes is central to the stated goals of most

    organizations’ ERM programs. In the survey conducted

    by The Conference Board for this report, 91 percent of

    executives from companies with ERM programs cited

    ensuring that risk issues are explicitly considered in deci-

    sion making as a main objective, while 88 percent chose

    avoiding surprises and “predictable” failures (Chart 1).

    Planning at the Crossroads ofERM and Performance Management

    2 “The Future of Risk Management and Internal Control,” Ernst & Young, 2008,p. 6.

    Ensure issuesare explicitlyconsideredin decision

    making

    Avoidsurprises andpredictable

    failures

    Align riskexposuresand risk

    mitigation/insurance

    Integrate riskmanagement

    in planning andcompensation

    Institute morerigorous risk

    measurement

    Use ERM as acompetitive tool

    Eliminateduplication

    in riskmanagement

    Communicaterisk programto investors

    Align risktaking with

    managementscorecards

    Align risktaking withexecutive

    compensation

    91%88

    71

    6154

    30 27 24 23

    8

    Chart 1

    Critical ERM objectives

    Base = Executives at companies with ERM programs

  • In addition, 61 percent said that the integration of risk

    management into other corporate practices (e.g., plan-

    ning, compensation) was a major goal. (For an example

    of how the biotechnology company Amgen employs risk

    tools, see the box below.) This data points to a common

    recognition of the value and importance of integrating

    ERM and performance management.

    The Uses of Performance ManagementThe objective of performance management is to provide

    metrics that organizations can use to measure progress

    toward achieving their corporate goals; not simply to assess

    what has been achieved, but also to assist executives when

    they plan corporate strategy and to help track execution.

    Many of the companies surveyed for this report said they

    use performance management data as part of important

    planning processes, a time when a consideration of

    risk—that is to say, understanding the factors that affect

    performance—is especially valuable. When asked how

    their organizations use the information generated by

    their performance management systems, 84 percent of

    the executives from companies with a performance

    management program said their organizations use these

    findings in strategic planning and budgeting, while 70

    percent use them during forecasting (Chart 2).

    6 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    Amgen: Using Financial Risk Assessmentsto Make Investment Decisions

    Amgen uses financial risk management tools to under-stand risks in manufacturing and product supply and thenevaluate mitigation options, including investments in newmanufacturing technology and plants.

    The company’s operations group has developed toolsto evaluate market impact, revenue at risk, and earningsat risk by stress testing scenario analyses based on inputfrom a cross-functional group of subject matter experts.Amgen evaluates financial risk on a rolling five-to seven-year forward-looking projection. The company uses datafrom these analyses to help support judgment-basedleadership decisions by comparing risks relative to marketcapitalization, revenues, and earnings.

    One of the company’s objectives for 2009 is the applicationof the same kind of risk-based analytical rigor to all of itscommercial products to ensure an uninterrupted supply ofproduct to patients.

    Communicatingperformanceto the board

    Strategicplanning

    and budgeting

    Forecasting Compensation Capitalallocation

    Investmentdecisions

    Acquisition anddivestituredecisions

    Enhancinghuman capital

    Quality/Six Sigma®

    process

    86% 84

    70 67

    53 52

    3833

    25

    Chart 2

    Uses of information from performance management systems

    Base = Executives at companies with performance management programs

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 7

    What Are the Benefits of Integration?It seems natural that performance management should

    explicitly consider the risks that could prevent an organi-

    zation from achieving its business objectives or that could

    be capitalized on to improve performance. The rationale

    is especially compelling when it comes to plans with a

    long-term horizon, such as large capital projects or other

    material shifts in strategy. Any argument for integration,

    however, has to demonstrate that risk management practices

    actually add value or drive improved performance. (One

    example of a company that has made this connection is

    IBM, which has actively integrated risk management into

    its planning processes and developed an ERM scorecard

    that all senior vice presidents started using in 2009 to

    assess and address risks in their planning processes.3)

    Only 43 percent of the executives at organizations with

    both ERM and performance management programs

    thought it would be “extremely” or “very” helpful to

    include risk assessment and measurement data into key

    planning processes and management decisions (Chart 3).4

    When they were asked if the influence of risk assessment

    data on planning would increase over the next 12 months,

    53 percent of these executives said it was “extremely” or

    “very” likely (Chart 4). The gap between those who believe

    that risk data would be helpful in planning (43 percent)

    and those who are likely to experience a greater influence

    of risk data (53 percent) may stem from skepticism about

    the effectiveness of existing ERM programs. Boards of

    directors, in particular, are asking for a more complete

    risk profile, which may drive the increasing influence of

    risk data.

    Extremely/very helpful43

    Chart 3

    How helpful is the inclusion of risk assessment/measurement data into key planning to the

    achievement of business objectives?

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Not/somewhat/moderately helpful

    57%

    Extremely/very likely53%

    Chart 4

    How likely is your organization to increase theinfluence of risk assessment data on key planning

    processes over the next 12 months?

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Not/somewhat/moderately likely

    47

    3 For more information on IBM’s program, see “How an ERM Scorecard CanHelp Drive Performance” on page 16.

    4 Unless stated otherwise, the survey results provided in the remainder of thereport are based on the responses of executives at organizations that haveboth ERM and performance management programs.

  • A considerable number of executives who said their

    companies were “extremely” or “very” likely to increase

    the integration of ERM and performance management

    also said that doing so would yield a number of important

    benefits (Chart 5). The top ranked benefits include an

    improved understanding and management of key risks to

    corporate value (89 percent) and an increased ability to

    meet strategic goals (73 percent). Response rates were

    lower for executives at companies that did not expect to

    increase integration. For these executives, the only quality

    that garnered broad approval was the ability to understand

    and manage key risks (70 percent). One attribute that both

    sets of executives agreed on was the need to improve

    communication to stakeholders, which 46 percent of both

    groups said was “extremely” or “very” important.

    8 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    Understandand managekey risks to

    corporate value

    Increasedability

    to meet strategic

    goals

    Improvecorporate

    performance

    Increasedprofitability

    Improvecapital

    allocation

    Align riskmanage-

    ment with managementscorecards

    Increasedmanagementaccountability

    Improvecommuni-cation of

    performanceto stakeholders

    Improveperformancethrough more

    rigorousmetrics

    Align risktaking withexecutive

    compensation

    89%

    70% 73

    50

    67 6558

    41

    50

    14

    Chart 5

    Objectives for the integration of performance management and ERM

    Results are for respondents who responded that the objective is “extremely” or “very” important.

    Reducedearningsvolatility

    More accuraterisk-adjusted

    pricing

    30

    38 36

    50

    36

    46 4639 38 37 36

    3023

    4

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERM and performance management programs

    Extremely/very likely to integrate Not/somewhat likely to integrate

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 9

    The Three Main Obstacles to IntegrationGiven these potential benefits, why aren’t more organiza-

    tions with both ERM and performance management

    programs focusing on integrating these two functions?

    Respondents pointed to a number of challenges (Chart 6),

    including a lack of understanding about how to integrate

    their ERM and performance management activities

    (90 percent) and an inability to provide the effort required

    (83 percent). The research also revealed three more

    specific obstacles.

    1 The ERM program is not considered effectiveOne of the key impediments to a broader use of risk

    assessment data in planning is that many ERM programs

    are not considered particularly effective or seen to add

    value to the company. Only 52 percent of executives

    considered their risk programs “extremely” or “very”

    effective at the corporate level, and responses were even

    lower at the business unit (30 percent) and process

    (25 percent) levels (Chart 7).

    Past studies by The Conference Board have also found

    that ERM has gained more traction at the corporate level

    than at the business unit or process level.5 Such results

    may be an indication that most organizations still have

    fairly immature ERM programs that are not integrated

    into day-to-day business practices. Since much of business

    planning and objective setting takes place within individ-

    ual business units, this lack of progress in integrating risk

    data into planning may reflect executives’ belief that their

    ERM programs are not sophisticated enough to provide

    significant value.

    Lack ofunderstanding

    of how tointegrate

    Lack ofmanagement

    focus onintegration

    Effort required

    Emphasis onfinancialover non-financial

    measures

    Risk measuresnot compat-

    ible with metrics usedfor planning

    IT systemsdo not supporttimely gener-ation of data

    Lack ofskills to

    integrate riskassessments/

    measures into planning

    processes

    Little abilityto developqualitative

    measures for hard-to-quantify

    issues

    90% 89

    53

    Chart 6

    Challenges to the integration of risk management datainto key planning processes/management decisions

    Management does not

    valueintegration

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERM and performance management programs

    Major challlenge Moderate challenge

    37

    58

    31

    83

    54

    29

    75

    50

    25

    73

    58

    15

    72

    43

    29

    69

    49

    20

    69

    50

    19

    67

    42

    25

    62

    48

    14

    59

    44

    15

    Weak linkbetweenstrategic

    objectives andperformance

    measures

    Lack of skillsto developeffective

    risk assess-ments/

    measures

    52%

    Chart 7

    Rating ERM effectivenessthroughout the business

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Results are for respondents who rated their ERMpractices “extremely” or “very” effective.

    0

    10

    20

    30

    40

    50

    60

    At theprocess

    level

    At thebusiness unit

    level

    At thecorporate

    level

    3025

    5 See Ellen S. Hexter, Risky Business: Is Enterprise Risk Management LosingGround? The Conference Board, Research Report 1407, 2007.

  • Respondents who rated their ERM programs either

    “extremely” or “very” effective were more likely to see

    the value of increasing the integration of risk data than

    organizations who gave their programs lower marks

    (Chart 8).

    Executives from companies with effective ERM pro-

    grams were also more likely to indicate that it was

    “extremely” or “very” likely that their organizations

    would increase the influence of risk data in planning

    in the next year (Chart 9).

    10 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    Respondents who considertheir programs less effective

    Extremely/very helpful56%

    Chart 8

    How helpful is the inclusion ofrisk assessment/measurementdata into key planning to the

    achievement of business objectives?(more effective versus less effective)

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Not/somewhat/moderately helpful

    44

    Not/somewhat/moderately helpful

    69%

    Extremely/very helpful31

    Respondents who considertheir programs more effective

    Respondents who considertheir programs less effective

    Extremely/very likely59%

    Chart 9

    How likely is your company to increasethe influence of risk assessmentdata on key planning processes

    over the next 12 months?(more effective versus less effective)

    Note: Due to rounding, percentages may not add up to 100.

    Not/somewhat/moderately likely

    40

    Not/somewhat/moderately likely

    54%

    Extremely/very likely46

    Respondents who considertheir programs more effective

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 11

    Many of the “effective ERM” organizations are already

    using risk assessment data in their planning processes

    (Chart 10). For example, 46 percent of executives from

    these organizations reported that risk data have an extensive

    influence on their strategic planning, compared to 27 percent

    of executives from the “less effective” group. Similarly,

    when it comes to capital allocation decisions, 41 percent of

    executives from organizations with effective ERM programs

    said risk data had an extensive influence, compared to

    23 percent of those with less effective programs.6

    It makes sense that organizations with effective ERM

    programs would use risk assessment data more broadly—

    the more rigorous assessment of risks provided by an

    effective ERM program should provide managers with a

    better understanding of the risks associated with each of

    their business plans, including mitigation strategies. The

    survey results also make clear that many companies, even

    those with ERM programs they consider effective, have

    still not taken advantage of their risk assessment

    processes to improve planning and performance

    management. Many organizations also fail to follow

    through after their risk assessment process has been

    completed. They may identify and prioritize risks, but

    not improve their understanding of how each risk affects

    their business objectives and the different options they

    are considering to achieve them.

    2 A lack of commitment from the topWhen companies integrate risk considerations into

    planning, they must often change their normal operating

    procedures to conduct business in a new way. This change

    may involve working across traditional boundaries and

    functions and the close collaboration of business unit

    leaders and business planning executives with risk

    management executives. The new direction may also

    require changes to planning processes, including data

    collection, analysis, and reporting. Such changes require

    a clear commitment from the top of the organization

    about the importance of effective risk management.

    Determiningrisk mitiga-

    tion strategies

    Strategicplanning

    Capitalallocation

    New productor service

    development

    Operationalplanning orforecasting

    Investmentdecisions

    Quality/Six Sigmaprocess

    Improvingcommuni-cation to

    board andstakeholders

    Productpricing

    M&A orpost-mergerintegration

    000000000

    71%

    58%

    27

    41 40 39

    23

    39

    8

    Chart 10

    Rating the extent of the influence of risk assessment data

    Results are for those who responded that the influence of risk assessment data is “extensive.”

    Annualbudgetprocess

    Individualperformanceevaluations

    23

    3336

    3027 25 23

    12

    21 20

    32

    94

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERM and performance management programs

    Extremely/very effective ERM Not/somewhat/moderately effective ERM

    46

    0

    20

    05

    8

    Customerservice

    manage-ment

    Managementscorecards

    6 See the profiles of a not-for-profit healthcare system (page 21) and a globalpharmaceutical company (page 22) in the case study section for examples of how the incorporation of risk data can influence capital allocation.

  • Survey participants were asked how much emphasis

    the leadership of their organizations gave ERM, and

    approximately half said it was a “high” priority for

    their board of directors (48 percent) and their senior

    management (54 percent) (Chart 11).

    Those executives whose top leaders and boards indicated

    that risk management was a high priority were also more

    likely to say that their companies would increase the use of

    risk assessment data in planning during the next 12 months.

    (See Chart 12 for a comparison of the results based on

    board priorities.)

    12 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    Highpriority48

    Chart 11

    How much of a priority is ERMfor your senior management

    and board of directors?

    Not a/moderatepriority

    52%

    Not a/moderatepriority

    46

    Highpriority54%

    Board of directors

    Senior management

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Extremely/very likely

    72%

    Chart 12

    How likely is your company toincrease the influence of risk

    assessment data on key planningprocesses over the next 12 months?

    Not/somewhat/moderately likely

    28

    Not/somewhat/moderately likely

    64%

    Extremely/very likely36

    Companies where ERMis a high priority for the board

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Companies where ERMis a low priority for the board

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 13

    Other results from the survey indicate that senior man-

    agement commitment to ERM and effective risk practices

    are highly correlated. As seen in Chart 13, executives

    from organizations in which ERM is a high priority for

    senior management and their boards were much more

    likely to say their programs are “extremely” or “very”

    effective at the corporate level. While the relative levels

    were somewhat lower, this same pattern was true at the

    business unit level.

    3 The need for more sophisticated performance metricsFew organizations use risk-adjusted metrics when

    assessing performance. Commonly used measures such

    as quarterly earnings, earnings per share, and return on

    investment (ROI) don’t incorporate the underlying level

    of risk or volatility involved. A 2007 report by KPMG

    estimated that 80 percent of the Fortune 500 nonbanking

    organizations relied on performance indicators—return on

    assets (ROA) or return on equity (ROE)—that do not take

    risk into account.7 There is a significant potential, however,

    for companies to use their key risk indicators (KRI) to

    improve their key performance indicators (KPI).

    Among the organizations surveyed for this report, only

    34 percent employ risk-adjusted return on capital at the

    corporate level, and 28 percent use risk-adjusted capital

    allocations. At the business unit level, even fewer employed

    these metrics—only 21 percent used risk-adjusted return on

    capital and 19 percent used risk-adjusted capital allocations.

    Risk-adjusted performance metrics explicitly link risk and

    performance management. Performance cannot be fully

    understood and managed without factoring in the level of

    risk. Risk-adjusted performance metrics can provide

    insight into how much risk managers are taking to achieve

    certain objectives. Roughly three-quarters of the executives

    said that one of the challenges they faced in integration

    was that their risk measures are not compatible with the

    metrics used in planning, while over two-thirds said they

    lacked the skills to integrate risk assessments into their

    planning processes (Chart 6 on page 9). Managers have

    often used a “gut-feel” approach to assess risks to an

    investment or a new project and have simply assigned

    higher capital hurdle rates to riskier projects.

    0

    10

    20

    30

    40

    50

    60

    70

    80

    Companies withsenior managementwho do not considerERM a high priority

    Companies withsenior management

    who consider ERM a high priority

    Companies withboards who donot consider

    ERM a high priority

    Companies withboards who consider ERM a high priority

    65%

    42

    20

    39%

    18

    29

    79%

    43

    22 21%

    13

    25

    At the corporate level At the process levelAt the business unit level

    Results are for respondents who said that ERM is “extremely” or “very” effective.

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERM and performance management programs

    Chart 13

    Rating ERM effectiveness throughout the business(high priority versus low priority)

    7 “Protecting Capital through Risk-Adjusted Performance Measures,” KPMG,December 2007.

  • Of course, organizations do not have to wait until they

    have a sophisticated model to bring performance and risk

    metrics together. It is possible that an instinctive feel

    about risk levels may trigger appropriate conversations

    about how to connect risk and performance management

    and the resources needed for mitigation. Those additional

    needs should be considered when calculating the risk-

    adjusted return of specific investments. More sophisti-

    cated metrics can be developed once managers have a

    better feel for the benefits that integration can provide.

    Another factor may be that organizations have always

    used financial metrics to measure their performance.

    Since financial metrics tend to be backward looking,

    more companies are now employing programs such as

    balanced scorecards that incorporate nonfinancial

    measures of such areas as employee skills, the quality and

    efficiency of business processes, and customer satisfaction.

    Nonetheless, organizations continue to rely too heavily

    on financial performance measures. When asked about

    top challenges to applying risk management data,

    75 percent of the executives said that financial measures

    are privileged over nonfinancial measures. Roughly two-

    thirds of executives felt that difficulties in developing

    qualitative measures to assess hard-to-quantify risks

    are an obstacle to the wider application of risk data.

    (For both results, see Chart 6 on page 9.)

    Almost three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) said

    that the inability of their IT systems to provide relevant

    data in a timely fashion is a major challenge to integration

    (Chart 6). However, some fundamental steps must be taken

    to build ERM within an organization before developing

    sophisticated metrics. A risk inventory and the right risk

    infrastructure provide the foundation for an effective

    ERM program. Risk-adjusted performance metrics do

    eventually require a robust risk and performance manage-

    ment IT infrastructure, which would include a central

    data repository and a reporting and analysis system.

    14 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    Performance management is often seen as a way to alignindividual objectives with business objectives, and it iscommonly used as an element in the evaluations of individualmanagers and as a guide for setting compensation. However,since few performance management programs use risk-adjustedmetrics, there is the danger that executives will be encouragedto take excessive risks in order to boost the results of theperformance metrics used to evaluate them as individuals. As the current financial crisis has made clear, many financialexecutives pursued strategies using derivatives and structuredproducts without sufficient regard to the risks involved. Theywere often amply rewarded based on short-term returns thatmasked excessive longer-term risks.

    Only 8 percent of the executives at organizations with ERMprograms said that one of the objectives was to align risktaking with executive compensation (Chart 1 on page 5).Organizations with effective ERM programs, however, appearto be taking some advantage of their risk assessments toimprove the performance evaluation process—68 percent ofthese executives said risk assessments had a “partial” or“extensive” influence on individual management evaluations,compared to only 46 percent of executives at organizationswith less effective ERM programs (Chart 14).

    Making the Link to CompensationChart 14

    Does risk assessment influenceindividual management evaluations?

    Companies with extremely/very effective ERM

    Base = Executives at companies with both ERMand performance management programs

    Companies with not/somewhat/moderately effective ERM

    Extensiveinfluence4

    No influence32

    Partialinfluence64%

    Extensiveinfluence8

    No influence54%

    Partialinfluence38

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 15

    A s might be expected from the survey results, companiesthat want to meld their ERM and performancemanagement practices must often do so without a detailed

    example to follow. Still, while practices may not be

    codified, organizations looking to improve the value

    of their ERM program and the effectiveness of their

    performance management can take the following steps.

    1 Evaluate current risk management and performancemanagement practices Have they stopped providingvalue? Are they primarily focused on compliance or

    reporting? If so, consider restructuring these programs

    to provide better information to manage the business.

    2 Educate management on the need to integrate ERMand performance management ERM can provideinsight into risks that may prevent companies from

    meeting objectives and help businesses avoid investments

    or projects that don’t provide adequate risk-adjusted

    returns. At the same time, ERM tools can also be used

    to identify business opportunities and understand their

    risk and reward tradeoffs.

    3 Reconsider the goals and purpose of the ERM programFor many organizations, the ERM program has become a

    de facto risk assessment program with limited effective

    outputs to guide decision making. Organizations should

    consider the information they provide, how that informa-

    tion is used, who receives the information, and what

    processes it informs. If it merely creates an annual heat

    map presented to management and the board and the

    10K elements, it is probably of very limited value.

    4 Keep risk thinking front and center Risks should be partof the discussion for both strategic and operating plans.

    Consider both enterprise and business unit risks when

    planning to help focus attention on how unforeseen events

    could affect those plans. Understanding where the risks

    are and openly sharing them can help managers identify

    and attract the resources needed to mitigate risks.

    5 Select a recurring and ongoing business processBuild risk assessment and risk management into the

    chosen process (such as capital allocation or new product

    launch). Consider the risk assessment process and the

    data captured. As a starting point, define and map the risk

    assessment process, redesign the forms and templates to

    capture information supporting the process and business

    initiative, and ensure that the effort to assess and rank risks

    is the same as the performance measures for the initiative.

    6 Link key risk indicators (KRIs) to key performanceindicators (KPIs) Organizations in which seniormanagement focuses on KPIs to understand how the

    business is performing can use specific KRIs to

    understand the source and scale of deviations from

    expected performance.

    7 Integrate ERM into human resources practicesCorporate performance ultimately depends on individual

    performance. A focus on human capital risks can help

    managers understand links to key process risks. If an

    organization doesn’t have people with the right skills to

    perform key processes, this human capital risk directly

    affects these key processes. In addition, building good

    risk management practices into individual scorecards and

    incentive compensation can go a long way to legitimize

    the integration of performance management and ERM.

    First Steps toward Integration

  • I n recent years, as people, processes, and systems havebecome more interconnected and interdependent, thenature of enterprise risk has been transformed. Risk that

    was once easily fenced inside a business unit has become

    part of larger systems and more difficult to address using

    traditional siloed approaches to ERM. This issue has

    been demonstrated by crises in virtually every industry—

    from counterparty risk in financial services to a lack of

    transparency and accountability in the supply chains that

    produce food and consumer products. Such crises can

    undermine or derail enterprise performance.

    All of these forces have made the creation of more

    integrated approaches to ERM more imperative. These

    new approaches should provide the tools needed to

    standardize risk management across an organization,

    enable an enterprise view of risk across businesses, and

    inform a strategy that not only seeks to limit enterprise

    risk, but also to better understand how to take advantage

    of enterprise opportunity.

    The key to advancing “smarter” ERM is to create an

    approach that integrates insight and data, applies analytics,

    monitors the effectiveness of risk management actions,

    and provides governance with insights into risks and how

    to manage them effectively. Maintaining a line of sight

    from analysis to actions to metrics and back again also

    builds business acumen.

    OverviewIBM sets clear performance expectations, starting with the

    development of the company’s long-term strategies under

    the oversight of the board of directors. These strategies are

    translated into specific goals and performance objectives

    by senior management for each of the company’s businesses

    and globally integrated functions. These are communicated

    throughout the organization and in employee personal

    business commitments (PBCs) for the year.

    Once objectives are set and communicated, processes

    are put in place to measure performance and execution

    and identify strengths and weaknesses. These assessments

    drive PBC performance, pay, and eligibility for advance-

    ment. Each business unit and geographic leader understands

    how his or her operation contributes to overall corporate

    performance. Senior executives track performance metrics

    rigorously to ensure that the company is meeting its

    strategic and operating objectives. Accountability for

    performance is a critical contributor to IBM’s success,

    and executive compensation is closely tied to the

    achievement of objectives.

    IBM’s business units have long been held accountable

    for managing business risk as part of their end-to-end

    accountability and performance management. To further

    enhance the ability to meet its objectives, IBM began

    ERM in late 2006 by expanding the risk-assessment view

    across organizations and value chains.

    ERM is something many companies only implement

    formally after a failure in their processes becomes public.

    For IBM, ERM was a natural evolution of its management

    system, which values a more systematic, transparent

    approach to risk as a way to improve business performance.

    The company is launching an ERM scorecard in 2009

    that should enable ERM to more fully integrate risk

    management activities and oversight into the company’s

    regular management systems. This scorecard will allow

    business unit leaders, senior management, and ERM

    leaders to use a common approach to apply ERM within

    and across the businesses. These ERM tools and processes

    will help management better identify and mitigate

    unacceptable risks, but they will also better clarify risk

    tolerances and appetites for further investment.

    16 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    IBMHow an ERM Scorecard Can Help Drive Performance

    Case Study

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 17

    The ERM ScorecardInitially, this self-assessment tool will allow each senior

    vice president to score his or her business area and will

    allow the ERM team to validate the scores with the

    business unit risk managers at a more detailed level. This

    tool has been crafted to eventually be used more broadly

    throughout the organization and to be validated by an

    internal audit review. Because this self-assessment

    scorecard introduces a standardized way of approaching

    and reporting risk oversight practices, all the risk

    management activities can be aggregated to provide an

    enterprise-wide view.

    There are three primary gauges of ERM progress:

    1 Progress on the journey2 Integration into strategy development and plans3 Integration into the management system

    The scorecard contains four main areas for evaluation:

    1 The definition and execution of ERM roles andresponsibilities

    2 Active engagement in managing applicable enterprise-level risks

    3 Informing strategies for growth4 Operationalizing risk management in execution plans

    and the management system

    The scorecard provides the ERM steering committee with

    a measure of progress across the enterprise, as well as

    pockets of good practices and areas that need encourage-

    ment or assistance. By tying risk management to strategic

    and operational planning processes, IBM executives will

    increase transparency and awareness at both the business

    unit and the overall enterprise levels. While risk aware-

    ness is “nice to have,” putting that insight into use by

    taking action to handle risks effectively is the critical

    payoff from ERM. Handling risks effectively includes the

    ability to capitalize on the opportunities these risks might

    present to the organization. The scorecard helps to

    determine whether content is being developed that can

    illuminate areas with the potential to further leverage the

    scale and scope of IBM’s ability to improve performance.

    Linking business unit risks and enterprise risksThe scorecard is designed to force the association of the

    business units’ role in managing enterprise-level risks

    with the execution of IBM’s overall strategy. This means

    appropriate focus must be given to enterprise-level risks

    that are particularly important to or affected by the

    business, and to business-unit-specific risks that are

    material at the enterprise level. Part of the expected

    benefit of the ERM scorecard is that each business unit

    leader better appreciates the connection between risks

    at the enterprise level and the business unit level. The

    self-assessment is a checklist for each senior vice

    president to use to determine what is needed to improve

    risk management in his or her business unit and for the

    enterprise as a whole.

    Getting the Right People in PlaceInitially, the scorecard will be used to establish a baseline

    from which progress will be measured once a year. The

    goal in 2009 is to have each business unit start the journey

    by defining its ERM roles and responsibilities, then

    document work underway to manage enterprise-level

    risks, provide explicit analysis of risk in strategies and

    execution plans, and integrate ERM into their

    management systems.

    When asked about whether or not they might meet

    resistance, Ellen Dulberger, vice president, enterprise

    risk management, noted that IBM has a culture of high

    achievement, and ERM’s goal to build business acumen is

    consistent with that emphasis. Risk management needs to

    be sustainable, so having people inside the business with

    clear responsibility and accountability for managing risk

    will allow it to grow. In addition, as the connections to

    performance become evident, business leaders are more

    likely to invest in further strengthening of risk manage-

    ment capabilities and develop a higher degree of risk

    awareness within the businesses.

    Each business unit has named an individual to the position

    of “ERM focal point.” The focal point drives risk

    management work within the business unit and engages

    with the corporate ERM department. The focal point also

    helps guide the risk management activities within the

    business unit, including communicating with and

    coaching designated risk owners, ensuring that risks are

    documented appropriately in strategies and execution

    plans, and overseeing the inclusion of risk management

    effectiveness in the management system. The right person

    for this role has a deep operational understanding of the

    business and the confidence of executives, so that he or

    she can influence the right behaviors and, if necessary,

    engage the senior vice president immediately.

  • Integration into strategies and execution plansAt IBM, there are two forums for explicit consideration

    of risk in strategy formulation:

    1 An annual spring strategy cycle that includes the formalsubmission of a spring strategy document (with required

    elements) by each business unit and a discussion between the

    senior vice president and the CEO about the submission.

    2 Timely discussions on the agendas of the strategy team betweenbusiness leaders when they develop new strategies with

    enterprise-level importance or enterprise-wide implications.

    Members of the strategy team include the CEO and a group

    of senior executives.

    Preparations for managing execution risks associated with

    the strategies laid out in the spring are formally part of the

    operational planning and budget cycle, which takes place

    in the fall.

    The scorecard documents risk in the spring strategy

    submissions, the discussions of the strategy team, and

    plans to take operational risk management actions. Each

    business is expected to have plans to manage risk as part

    of its operating plan and a way to clarify risk management

    actions that are collaborative with other parts of this

    complex organization.

    Long-Term Risk Management CapabilityBuilding long-term risk management capability requires

    integration into the regular operations of business unit

    management systems. The second major section scores

    key attributes of capability maturity:

    • identifying and ranking risks, of which the most important areformally discussed as part of the regular management system;

    • monitoring risk management effectiveness and feedback toactions and insights; and

    • discussing risks associated with the business context: executionof IBM’s strategy, changes in the external environment, andpursuit of new initiatives and activities.

    Uwe Kuehne, director of enterprise risk management,

    notes, “These measures will allow the ERM team to

    understand where business units are strengthening their

    business management capabilities through more explicit

    consideration and focus on risk, and to share insights into

    the practice of risk management and the specific insights

    produced by that practice.”

    The scorecard may change over timeWhile the scorecard allows the business unit leaders to

    see their progress to date, items that explicitly gauge

    attributes of greater sophistication and maturity may be

    added. Ultimately, the scorecard will include evidence

    of whether risks have been managed in a way to reduce

    either likelihood or impact, which will then be turned

    into an upside opportunity for the business.

    How the ERM ScorecardLinks to PerformanceIBM executives have been clear from the start that ERM

    was established to help drive performance. While most

    companies focus on limiting the downside that risks

    present, IBM wants to use ERM as a way to help leverage

    risk acceptance to enable growth while addressing

    hazards. Recognizing that there are risks inherent in

    new activities, considering those risks and preparing

    to manage them is fundamental. “Businesses miss out

    on the upside value that ERM can provide if they are

    only looking at half of the equation,” Dulberger says.

    “For example, there are risks associated with business

    opportunities in new geographic markets and developing

    and delivering new products and services. Considering

    those risks and preparing to manage them help make us

    more likely to achieve growth and economic return.”

    By building ERM into the management system rather than

    adding an additional layer of bureaucracy, the company

    can focus the intent and actions of risk activities and

    capabilities on improving business decision making. The

    scorecard, in essence, creates a common language around

    risk and risk management at IBM and is a tool to enhance

    risk awareness and communications.

    Like most companies, Dulberger says, one of the

    challenges is to develop both the “art and science of risk

    understanding.” It is clear that ERM requires a clear line

    of sight encompassing risk identification and analysis,

    risk management effectiveness metrics, and feedback as

    part of a continuous learning process to get smarter about

    managing risk. For IBM, better business outcomes

    through effective risk management are the goal.

    18 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 19

    A n international metals company wanted to determinethe economic feasibility of increasing its equityposition in a firm that held the exploration and develop-

    ment rights to a large mining project. But, given the large

    scale and scope of the initiative, the executive team became

    concerned about the project’s potential environmental

    impact. The executive team, therefore, needed a risk

    assessment methodology that could quantify how

    environmental risks could affect the project’s financial

    projections. The company had already conducted an

    internal assessment of critical environmental risks, but

    this evaluation had not linked those risks to assumptions

    about the project’s economics and what return on

    investment the project would offer.

    The methodology the company eventually developed

    included a combination of objective and subjective analytic

    techniques that the executive team used to quantify a defined

    set of key environmental risks and risks of failures in

    design components. The benefits of this methodology

    included an improved ability to determine the factors that

    would drive environmental risk, quantify the impacts of

    an environmental risk event, and estimate the likelihood

    and impact of these drivers and events. In some instances,

    the company could draw on historical data to estimate

    potential losses and their probabilities; in other scenarios,

    it had to rely on the knowledge and experience of internal

    experts to estimate losses.

    This analysis led to the development of a stochastic model

    to quantify the joint probability and impact of the risks

    identified. The analysis also delineated the overall impact

    that each key environmental risk could potentially have on

    the project’s net present value, which enabled the company

    to score and rank each risk and then focus on those risks

    with the greatest potential to significantly hurt the project’s

    economics and the company’s financial performance.

    Ultimately, this approach helped the organization better

    understand the environmental risks associated with the

    mining project and their potential impact on the perfor-

    mance of the investment. The approach also improved

    the communication of these risks to the executive team

    and the board of directors.

    An International Metals CompanyAssessing Risks in Acquisitions

    Case Study

  • T o achieve its ambitious growth objectives, a globalfood products manufacturer concluded that itsbusiness units needed to assume greater risks and pursue a

    wider range of opportunities. The executive management

    team decided to broaden its risk management focus

    beyond financial and hazard-related risks to include

    operational and strategic goals such as the expansion into

    emerging markets, new product categories, and public

    concerns over health and obesity. The company needed to

    expand the rigor and sophistication of its strategic and

    operational planning methods so the organization could

    better understand the likelihood and potential impacts of

    risks on corporate performance.

    The initial step was the development of a consistent

    strategic risk assessment methodology to facilitate risk

    reporting around each business unit’s achievement of its

    operating plan. This framework includes a management

    self-assessment tool using common risk impact and

    likelihood assessment scales, which are presented in a

    clear reporting template. This methodology leveraged

    existing planning processes and resources rather than

    adding additional layers of bureaucracy and management

    reporting. The risk assessment was designed to be “baked

    in” to the existing annual planning process to develop

    widespread support and, most important, ensure that the

    risk information was directly related to each unit’s

    business plan.

    Based on pilot tests in three of the company’s largest,

    most global business units, business unit management

    teams felt the risk assessment process could give them

    the ability to evaluate the risks and mitigation efforts

    surrounding the execution of their operating plans with

    minimal intrusion on their day-to-day responsibilities.

    By leveraging the existing strategic planning and quarterly

    reporting processes, the risk assessment methodology

    allows senior managers to forecast unit performance more

    accurately, achieve alignment of key objectives and their

    related risks, and gain a holistic view of emerging strategic

    risks across all business units. As a result of the risk

    assessments, management modified certain performance

    objectives and strategies based on a better understanding

    of the risks and opportunities within their markets.

    The strategic risk assessment is now a core element of

    the company’s annual planning process. The information

    gained from these assessments is reported to global

    executive management along with each business unit’s

    annual plan and performance forecast, which enables

    management to have a clear and explicit discussion of

    risks and their potential impact on the company’s

    performance goals.

    20 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    A Global Food Products ManufacturerIntegrating Risk Management into Strategic Planningand Operational Forecasting

    Case Study

  • Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 21

    A not-for-profit healthcare system serving over 1.5million consumers wanted to develop a decision-making model to better manage its changing risk profile,

    which is driven by such factors as rapid growth, increasing

    indigent care responsibilities, medical staff shortages, and

    the advent of consumer-directed healthcare.

    The organization developed an ERM process that

    included clear methods for risk identification, assessment,

    risk response planning, and ongoing follow-up, monitoring,

    and reporting. The organization also put in place a clear

    governance structure with a team dedicated to the integra-

    tion of ERM into selected decision-making processes.

    The primary objective was to identify and understand all

    the risks that could affect the outcome and performance

    of strategic initiatives. For example, the organization

    believed it had an effective capital allocation process, but

    this process primarily relied on an analysis of financial

    data and pro forma projections. It did not integrate such

    events and risks as competitive factors, construction

    delays, human resource issues, and the challenges of

    integrating information technology.

    The ERM process was first integrated into the construction/

    capital allocation process. After the organization mapped

    and defined its capital allocation/construction process, it

    identified where the ERM process could best be integrated.

    (The mapping process also highlighted a number of

    inconsistencies and opportunities for improvement.)

    During a full-day facilitated workshop, the organization

    drew on a cross-functional group of managers to identify

    risks to current construction projects, underlying risk

    drivers, and the organization’s capabilities to manage

    those risks. This qualitative management self-assessment

    process led the organization to identify more than $350

    million in projects that were not well coordinated. Human

    resources, IT, equipment procurement, clinical risk

    management, and other functions were not working

    together to ensure their responsibilities would be

    completed prior to commissioning the projects.

    Rather than employ a complex quantification model, the

    company successfully drew on the following features:

    • A clearly-defined and consistent methodology to identify, assess, and prioritize risks.

    • A detailed mapping of decision-making processes to identifywhere and how to embed ERM.

    • A cross-functional team of internal subject matter expertsthat provided a 360-degree perspective on the risks affectinginvestment.

    • A focus on linking identified risks to the underlying assumptionsregarding the performance of the investment (e.g., when eachbuilding would come on line, assumptions regarding servicevolumes, and staffing levels).

    • Responsiveness of senior executives to the issues identified.

    Based on this assessment of the construction process, the

    organization was able to put in place revised procedures

    to help manage the risks identified and recalibrate projec-

    tions for construction projects and associated new services.

    A Not-for-Profit Healthcare SystemLinking Risk Analysis to Capital Planning

    Case Study

  • A global pharmaceutical company wanted to improveits capital allocation process by integrating a risk-based analysis of its business units. In addition, the

    organization regularly considered acquisition opportunities.

    An effective risk-return evaluation process was required

    to support strategic planning and large capital decisions.

    Their selected approach was based on the view that

    organizations consist of a portfolio of business units,

    regions, product lines, projects, and investment options,

    each of which has its own risk and return profile. Long-

    term value creation is driven by successfully allocating

    capital between these portfolio entities to optimize the

    overall portfolio’s risk-return position.

    As a starting point, the organization established a means

    to determine the volatility of return on capital for each

    business unit. This was based on such factors as an

    analysis of key risks, quantitative measures for each risk

    drawn from historical data, peer benchmarks, subject

    matter expertise, quantification of the volatility of key

    financial metrics within each unit, and the determination

    of correlations between risks.

    This information was then built into a dynamic portfolio

    model. The model inputs include the organization’s

    current capital mix and constraints, expected returns and

    growth over three to five years, the volatility of return on

    capital, and risk correlations determined through the risk

    assessment. The model outputs include a risk-return efficient

    frontier for the current asset portfolio and a dynamic

    model of the portfolio from a risk-return perspective.

    The portfolio approach provides the company with the

    following benefits:

    • The ability to understand the risk and reward trade-offs acrossthe portfolio.

    • Increased transparency of decision making through a moreconsistent evaluation of all business units and options.

    • A systematic way of including different types of risk into thedecision-making process.

    • Analysis of the correlation and diversification effects of theorganization’s different businesses and investment options.

    • A process to identify and prioritize the portfolio entitieswhose growth will improve the overall risk-return positionof the company.

    • Better understanding of “risk-adjusted value creation”and trade-offs among investment options.

    • A risk-adjusted view that complements the traditional strategic planning processes.

    22 Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board

    A Global Pharmaceutical CompanyDeveloping a Risk-Based Portfolio View

    Case Study

  • About the SurveyThe Conference Board surveyed 97 senior corporate executivesduring the summer and fall of 2008. Of this survey population,87 percent are from companies with a formal ERM program, 70 percent are from companies with a performance managementprogram, and 57 percent are from companies with both systems.When the respondents are divided by location of company head-quarters, 72 percent are from companies headquartered in theUnited States, 24 percent are from Western European companies,and 3 percent are from companies headquartered in otherlocations. In terms of revenue, 36 percent are from companieswith $10 billion or more, 46 percent are from companies with$1 billion to less than $10 billion, and 18 percent are fromcompanies with less than $1 billion in annual revenues.

    AcknowledgmentsThe authors wish to acknowledge the following people: Alex Wittenberg and Lucy Nottingham of Oliver Wymanfor their direction and support of the research. The authors also wish to thank Prodyot Samanta for his contribution to theresearch, and Henry Silvert, Judit Torok, Wennie Lee, TimothyDennison, and Steve Petrie for their work to put all of the piecestogether. The authors also wish to thank Ellen Dulberger, UweKuehne, and Chris Sam for their input. We thank Oliver Wymanfor its financial and intellectual capital contribution to this report.

    About the AuthorsEllen Hexter has led The Conference Board’s work in enterpriserisk management, developing research and executive programson enterprise risk management. She currently manages sevencouncils at The Conference Board, including the European andU.S. Strategic Risk Councils, the Corporate Governance andRisk Management Council — India, and the Council of FinancialExecutives. She has managed The Conference Board’s researchon ERM and is the co-author of Managing Reputation Risk andReward report and Assessing the Climate in Enterprise RiskManagement in India. Hexter is the author of Risky Business:Is ERM Losing Ground? as well as co-author of From RiskManagement to Risk Strategy, and From Risk Management toRisk Strategy: Mid Market Companies. She has workedextensively with The Conference Board’s Global CorporateGovernance Research Center since its inception and is theco-author of its report, The Role of U.S. Boards of Directors inEnterprise Risk Management and Strategic Oversight. Hexter is afaculty member of The Conference Board’s Directors’ Institute.

    Hexter received an A.B. from the University of Michigan and aM.B.A. from Cleveland State University. After receiving herM.B.A., Hexter worked as an equity securities analyst for Cowen& Co. and Deutsche Bank in New York. Her career on Wall Streetincluded positions as a corporate credit analyst and a mergersand acquisitions specialist. She is a Chartered Financial Analystand serves as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry RegulatoryAuthority. Hexter chairs the Board of Ethics of New Castle, NewYork and is a member of the board of the Chappaqua SummerScholarship Program.

    Daniel Sandy Bayer is president of Bayer Consulting and has 20years’ experience conducting research projects for corporationsand non-profit organizations. He has conducted research forclients on a variety of industry issues in financial services,manufacturing, technology, media, consumer products, and realestate, as well as on cross-industry topics such as corporatereputation, taxation, litigation, mid-market enterprises, andemerging market investment. Before founding Bayer Consultingin 1996, his previous positions included vice president of theNew York City Partnership and Chamber of Commerce, and chiefof staff to the Deputy Mayor for Finance and EconomicDevelopment in New York City.

    Bui ld ing R isk Awareness in to Per formance: In tegrat ing ERM and Per formance Management The Conference Board 23

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    Related Publications from The Conference Board

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    © 2009 by The Conference Board, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. ISBN No. 0-8237-0958-2The Conference Board® and the torch logo are registered trademarks of The Conference Board, Inc.

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