The document outlines the importance of risk management for organizations providing public programs, emphasizing the necessity of proactive practices to minimize potential liabilities and improve overall operational effectiveness. It discusses the processes involved in identifying, assessing, and treating risks while highlighting the legal obligations of organizations to manage risks responsibly. Key components include the establishment of clear accountability, ongoing training for personnel, and the integration of risk management into the organization’s overall strategy.

1. Risk Management Strategy & Tactics

2. Risk Management “ Any organization that provides programs to the public has a moral, legal and spiritual obligation to institute appropriate risk management practices for volunteer programs. This is not only the right thing to do; it is legally required under the principle of duty of care .” Marlene Deboisbriand Risk Management

3. Lead Organizer volunteeralberta.ab.ca Lead Organizer

4. A lberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council (AVSIC) History History Risk management being more than insurance was identified as an educational priority of Alberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council in 2005 because of the impacts of the “hard market” on nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations. Two seminars developed: Directors’ and Officers’ Liability and General Insurance funded by Insurance Bureau of Canada , Wild Rose Foundation, and Volunteer Alberta 2008 – WRF, The Co-operators, and Volunteer Alberta funded Risk Management Seminars

5. Presenter Don T. Radford MBA FCIP CCIB CRM Insurance Professional - 30 years Specialty: Commercial Insurance Management Consultant, Author, Trainer Presenter

6. Insurance is risk management Insurance takes care of everything If I don’t know about it, it can’t hurt me so I am not responsible Risk Management MYTHS

7. Buildings won’t burn Computers won’t crash Executive Director will never leave, get sick Staff would never…….!! We can’t control our volunteer’s actions, so we can’t be held liable for what they do Risk Management MYTHS

8. What is Risk? Any impact caused by internal/external situations or events that prevents: Achievement of objectives Delivery of services Carrying out projects or events Risk is: “ measured by its likelihood and consequences ” What is Risk?

9. The Process that an organization uses to: Identify Assess Control Minimize the risks of Bodily Injury or Financial Loss arising from its activities and operations. Risk Management:

10. Discipline for managing the possibility that some future event will cause harm It provides strategies and techniques to recognize and confront threats or danger Risk Management

11. Pre-Loss Loss Prevention Risk Analysis Risk Treatment Policies/Procedures What you do here affects Post Loss Mitigation Manage Media Documentation Settlement What you do here affects Future Continuity Credibility Reputation Survival Will you make it? INSURANCE / COSTS Claim Payment TIME Risk Management CLAIM/LOSS

12. What is Liability? Our laws make every person/organization liable for acts or omissions that cause damage to other’s property or injury to persons . We have a legal obligation to: Be aware of the losses we cause Compensate those who suffer as a result or consequence of our activities What is Liability?

13. What is Liability? Those who undertake an enterprise are required to take all reasonable means to reduce the risk of loss by others Demonstrate an ability and attempt to manage risks Its called: Due diligence The Greatest Risk of All: DO NOTHING

14. What is Liability? Due Diligence Effort made by an ordinarily prudent or reasonable party to avoid harm to another party Failure to make this effort is considered negligence Standard of care imposed by our courts

15. What is Liability? Due Diligence (Directors) Duty to act cautiously Must be seen to attempt to anticipate consequences of decisions or actions Obligation to foresee potential risks and take reasonable action to manage them

16. What is Liability? Negligence Legal concept of fault or who is to blame Means that someone: Failed to do something they should have Did something they should not have There is a Standard of Care our laws require

17. What is Liability? Standard of Care as defined by courts: Whether the danger was foreseeable Was the conduct within acceptable standards? Was an inspection process in effect and used? Did danger exist an unreasonable time? The ease of preventing the danger

18. Why Risk Management? Every activity has inherent risks, potential liability and opportunities Risk management is a proactive, continuous process that identifies, measures and manages those risks Enables decision making as to whether a risk is acceptable or requires further action Its Purpose : To avoid, reduce or prevent risk from imposing negative consequences

19. Projects and programs achieve better results Process leads to effective decision making Provides valuable decision making information Assists in clearly defined insurance needs

20. Enhances regulatory compliance requirements Assists in audit preparation Reducing risk creates greater confidence in your activities - encourages people to participate

21. Why Manage Risk? Gives managers the confidence to make decisions about how to manage risk to an acceptable level Creates effective planning and preparation with appropriate and adequate resource allocation Enables contingency plans to deal with the consequences

22. Managing the uncertainty of risk causes decision makers to: Think more carefully about all issues Identify the most important risks, then set priorities to manage them Prepare for contingencies with plans and training Overall : It saves time, effort and financial resources

23. Risk Management Decisions Lead, support and enable: Achievement of organizational objectives Due diligence issues Management of the uncertainty and consequences of future events

24. Risk Management Decisions Lead, support and enable: A continuous, proactive and systematic process to understand, manage and communicate risk Cost-effective procedures to prepare for and finance the consequences of a loss

25. What It Considers Risks at all levels of operations (strategic, operational and project/events) Business objectives, decision making and management framework The entire organization : from the board to senior management, employees, volunteers and members

26. What It Considers Risk Assessment (What do you need to know?) To assess potential risks, consider: Likelihood : the probability and frequency Consequences : what are they - loss, injury, disadvantage or gain? What will they cost?

27. What It Considers The adequacy of existing risk management strategies – are they working? Decide which risks are to be treated and how - accepted, managed or transferred? Determine how you pay for them?

28. PEOPLE PROPERTY LIABILITY INCOME REPUTATION

29. PEOPLE The talent, commitment and community Staff, volunteers, clients, board members, donors Injuries never fully repaired, often expensive Nonprofits help people, not hurt them

30. PROPERTY Owned, leased, rented, borrowed, loaned if damaged who is responsible? Kept in one place – office equipment, buildings In various places or travels from place to place To transport people or property – vehicles

31. PROPERTY (Specialized) Computers and data – cannot afford to lose Must have physical protection Do not rely on insurance Cash, Securities, Financial Assets Must have specific handling procedures

32. LIABILITY Arising from activities, operations, programs Supervision of staff and volunteers Transportation of people and property Decisions made by directors and officers

33. LIABILITY Occupancy of non-owned buildings or facilities Use of non-owned vehicles Injuries to staff, volunteers, participants Special events for fundraising

34. INCOME (You cannot function without $$$ ) Loss of funding Event proceeds inadequate Contract cancelled Disasters such as fire or flood

35. REPUTATION: (You cannot afford to lose) NO INSURANCE AVAILABLE Key to fundraising, volunteer recruitment, staff retention Difficult to quantify, critical to maintain Occurs in wake of a crisis

36. Main Principles Commitment of senior management to a formal, documented, integrated risk management process Clear, defined responsibility & accountability for functions, activities and associated risks Use of common risk language

37. Main Principles A process for identification and treatment of risk integrated with existing management Commitment reinforced by training Outcomes monitored by senior management

38. Strategic Objectives Risk Identification and Mitigation Ready to take advantage of opportunities Reducing uncertainty, increases confidence

39. Strategic Objectives Be a good citizen Fulfilling legal and ethical issues - reduces chances of being sued Fosters favorable public image - improves public support, attracts members and funds

40. The Risk Management Process Establish the context: Why do this? Identification: What are the risks? Analysis/evaluation: How much will it cost? Treatment: What can/should/needs to be done? Communicate: Who needs to know and when? 6. Monitor: Review results, adjust where needed

41. How It Starts With a Risk Management Statement “ To ensure ongoing, unimpeded capacity of _______ to fulfill its mission, perform its key functions and meet its objectives by:

42. How It Starts Protecting ( Your Nonprofit ) from adverse incidents by reducing its exposures to loss, preparing to mitigate and control loss should it occur, and thereby reduce the cost of risk Adopting Risk Management practices throughout Ensure all members are aware of the need to manage risk and promote participation in that process

43. Fundamental Questions What assets and resources do you rely to achieve your objectives? What risks can affect those assets and resources? What affects or consequences can those risks create?

44. Fundamental Questions How will consequences affect what we do? How much will those consequences cost – time, energy, money? How will this affect our ability to continue? How do we manage to prevent or avoid the affects?

45. Basic Risk Management 1. Identify possible risks – external/internal - consider what problems/possibilities do they contain? 2. Assess the probability of each risk, consider the potential frequency and severity of it happening 3. Create a plan that treats the critical risks - how they can be avoided, accepted, or transferred

46. Basic Risk Management 4. Implement the plan, train personnel to understand how and why they are involved 5. Monitor and evaluate the success of the risk management plan, adjust when and where needed 6. Communicate the results to stakeholders

48. Communication/Consultation Components for effective/sustainable decisions: Ensure participants understand why and where they are needed, what is expected of them , that they are engaged and contribute Gather experiences, information, ideas, input and perspectives, share the results

49. Communication/Consultation Collect and share factual information from all relevant sources Most effective where people are valued and their viewpoints respected

50. Risk Communication Critical process: Builds trust and encourages buy-in through shared decision-making Reduces misperceptions, misunderstandings Improves the technical understanding or “ science” of what needs to be done

51. Without Communication Loss of management credibility Protracted, unnecessary, costly debate and conflict with stakeholders Diversion of management attention and resources away from more valuable issues Lack of support by employees and volunteers

52. Risk Identification/Mitigation Enables decisions about potential risks that risk is either acceptable or requires treatment Minimizes the possibility that risk will go undetected – no surprises Concept: manage risk within acceptable levels

53. Successful Risk Management Aligned with an organization's overall objectives, strategic direction, operating practices and internal culture Is a factor in setting priorities and revenue allocation Integrated within existing governance and decision-making structures

54. Critical Success Factors Strong involvement by upper management Organized process for risk analysis and response Assignment of specific risk responsibilities

55. Practical Strategies Assume the risk Decide that the risk is minor and do nothing Reduce the risk Change people’s behaviour or the environment so that risk is reduced Pre-loss activity example: preparation of contingency plans before a loss occurs

56. Practical Strategies Eliminate/Avoid the risk Fix the problem Remove it or choose not to begin Transfer the risk Accept the risk - transfer the cost and responsibility to someone else

57. Practical Strategies Control - Post-loss: Keep resulting damages to a minimum Control the contingent consequences Called mitigating loss – required by insurance Examples: Effective administration of third party claims

58. Practical Strategies Contractual Risk Transfer Transfers the risk of a specific activity or project to another party through a contract Waivers, disclaimers, indemnity agreements, hold harmless agreements, work contracts Insurance is a form of contractual risk transfer

59. Transfer to Insurance Some exposures may be uninsurable Loss of reputation All Insurance policies have exclusions Losses may exceed policy limits

60. Policy Exclusions Exist to: Eliminate uninsurable loss exposures : Those not accidental, or predictable Within the control of the insured Catastrophic Manage moral and morale hazards Intentional acts Loss caused by undue care and attention

61. Policy Exclusions Avoid coverage duplication : Other insurance is available Eliminate coverage for extreme risks Those requiring special treatment – flood, earthquake Keep premiums at a reasonable level No policy can or will insure everything

62. Effective Risk Management Plans Reflect the range of stakeholder perspectives Express the belief in and support of a risk management philosophy and practice State that all personnel are vital in protecting the mission, reputation and assets

63. Implementation Assign responsibility and accountability Allocate required resources Document (record of decisions and plans) Establish criteria to measure performance

64. Implementation Strategies Define framework – Risk Management Plan Define it as policy Select Risk Champion Task people to engage Set guidelines and train

65. Proportionate : to the risk assessed Accountable : those affected should be advised how and why decisions are made Balanced: between “analysis-paralysis” by over-managing and indecision by not making decisions and taking action

66. Consistent : interpret policies consistently Transparent : open and user-friendly process Targeted : treatments focused on problem

67. Implementation - Best Practices Commitment and support from leaders Risk management plan provides roadmap Policy statement defines the commitment Risk mitigation control system in place

68. Implementation - Best Practices “Learn by Doing” Training Personnel need to know: Why risk management is important What to do and when What is expected of them

69. Implementation - Best Practices Monitor and assess results frequently, adjust where advisable or necessary Communication: make it consistent and frequent to all stakeholders

70. Monitoring Are the selected risk control and risk financing options achieving their expected results? If not, make adjustments where/when needed Example: Update values in the property insurance policy, they may have changed substantially

71. Benefits include: Identification of new or changing risks and methods to treat them Accumulation of evidence to support assumptions and results of analysis Development of a more accurate portrait of risks Reduction of costs associated with improper or redundant risk control measures

72. Operational Recommendations Conduct audit of ongoing operational risks Review, design and implement policies/procedures Empower and train personnel to address risks Ensure Board of Directors receive regular updates

73. Operational Recommendations Review insurance regularly Investigate and keep records on all claims – incident reports Review all legal agreements to identify their risks Use waivers, risk assumptions, disclaimers, indemnifications to transfer risk

74. Operational Recommendations Establish and enforce required risk management procedures – before, during and after all activities, events or programs Ensure contractors have adequate insurance – require Certificates of Insurance as proof

75. Accident-prevention programs are good due diligence: They ensure personnel and financial resources are put to their best possible use Instead of being diverted to pay for accident-related losses

76. Early, aggressive detection and management of risk is typically easier, less costly, and less disruptive to implement Strong quality-control improves goods, services, activities, reputation and credibility Reducing the potential for lawsuits conserves resources – financial and personnel

77. Quick response to situations/circumstances, if left unattended they can cause devastating affects Advance agreements with lenders offers access to cash when its most needed – in a crisis Effective contingency planning: service continues following adverse events

78. Organizations with active risk management plans report: Improved relations with clients, volunteers, staff and their communities Better planning and preparation Stability among employees and volunteers Greater credibility in their community

79. Risk management is never the responsibility of one person - involve others in your efforts It is the application of healthy doses of common sense and sound planning The simpler the strategy , greater likelihood it will be applied and sustained

80. Risk management is a process not a task Constantly review what you are doing Celebrate when things work Analyze the reasons behind a setback Adjust where and when needed

81. Don’t Get Overwhelmed Break the process into manageable steps Set priorities and realistic goals Create a timeline for developing your risk management practices

82. Don’t Get Overwhelmed Don’t attempt to do it all at once Connect with other organizations that have already gone through this process to get support and recommendations

83. Funding Organizations

84. Contact Information Don Radford Ph: 403-221-7165 Fax: 403-221-7077 M/A: 140, 6700 Macleod Trail SE Calgary, Alberta T2H 0L3 Email: [email_address]

85. www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca 1 (877) 915 - 6336 T hank You! For more information, resources or training, contact Volunteer Alberta!

86. Questions?