2 Chen Products produces four manufactured products: Products 1, 2, 3 and 4. The company’s

Question

2 Chen Products produces four manufactured products: Products 1, 2, 3 and 4. The company’s risk committee recently

met to discuss how the company might respond to a number of problems that have arisen with Product 2. After a

number of incidents in which Product 2 had failed whilst being used by customers, Chen Products had been presented

with compensation claims from customers injured and inconvenienced by the product failure. It was decided that the

risk committee should meet to discuss the options.

When the discussion of Product 2 began, committee chairman Anne Ricardo reminded her colleagues that, apart from

the compensation claims, Product 2 was a highly profitable product.

Chen’s risk management committee comprised four non-executive directors who each had different backgrounds and

areas of expertise. None of them had direct experience of Chen’s industry or products. It was noted that it was

common for them to disagree among themselves as to how risks should be managed and that in some situations,

each member proposed a quite different strategy to manage a given risk. This was the case when they discussed

which risk management strategy to adopt with regard to Product 2.

Required:

(a) Describe the typical roles of a risk management committee. (6 marks)

Answer 1

正确答案：
(a) Typical roles of a risk management committee
The typical roles of a risk management committee are as follows:
To agree and approve the risk management strategy and policies. The design of risk policy will take into account the
environment, the strategic posture towards risk, the product type and a range of other relevant factors.
Receiving and reviewing risk reports from affected departments. Some departments will file regular reports on key risks (such
as liquidity assessments from the accounting department, legal risks from the company secretariat or product risks from the
sales manager).
Monitoring overall exposure and specific risks. If the risk policy places limits on the total risk exposure for a given risk then
this role ensures that limits are adhered to. In the case of certain strategic risks, monitoring could occur on a very frequent
basis whereas for more operational risks, monitoring will more typically occur to coincide with risk management committee
meetings.
Assessing the effectiveness of risk management systems. This involves getting feedback from departments and the internal
audit function on the workings of current management and risk mitigation systems.
Providing general and explicit guidance to the main board on emerging risks and to report on existing risks. This will involve
preparing reports on apparent risks and assessing their probability of being realised and their potential impact if they do.
To work with the audit committee on designing and monitoring internal controls for the management and mitigation of risks.
If the risk committee is part of the executive structure, it will likely have an advisory role in respect of its input into the audit
committee. If it is non-executive, its input may be more directly influential.
[Tutorial note: other roles may be suggested that, if relevant, will be rewarded]