By Blandine CORDIER-PALASSE, La Revue RH&M, n°81 p.50 - 04/2021
Risks are becoming increasingly diverse, frequent and harder-hitting. These include the omnipresence of teleworking, which facilitates cyber attacks, and the intensification of sanctions for tax evasion, corruption, etc.... As we saw in 2020, the occurrence of risks can have a major impact. We believe that one of the best ways to deal with this is to focus on people and organisation, working in three areas.
I / Anticipating
We can't predict the future, but we can prepare for it. But how?
- Making sure we are connected to the outside world. We think in terms of technology (monitoring tools, data processing and analytics to identify recurring scenarios, etc.), but the human element remains fundamental. Have diversity on the Board and Comex, keep yourself informed to anticipate major trends.
- Strengthen internal communication by thinking of it as a two-way street. Ensure the circulation of ideas and feedback from teams on the one hand, and transmit information between management and employees on the other. The sinews of war are the speed with which information is circulated between operational staff and governance bodies.
- Design and implement a corporate culture that encourages cross-functional communication.
II / Establishing a risk and compliance culture
- For risks that have already been anticipated and identified, measures and processes are needed as far upstream as possible. This requires people with the right skills and soft skills. Talented people are capable of developing and deploying plans with pedagogy, leadership and courage. They also need to be sufficiently mature to get their teams on board for a lasting transformation.
- This acculturation to risk, and in particular to non-compliance and extra-financial risks, requires training and raising awareness among the Board, management and teams to change the "we've always done it this way" attitude. This involves aligning strategy with these new paradigms by understanding the issues and, if necessary, inflexing the business model. This virtuous circle of performance and even excellence through operational and functional iteration will give us a head start, thanks in particular to innovation and the trust placed in the company's stakeholders.
III / Managing risk through a robust human organisation
The HR Director now has a critical role to play in risk management. First and foremost, he or she is the guarantor and driving force behind the development of the company's culture. Added to this is the integration of business ethics and the alignment of the meaning given to everyone's actions with the general interest. This is also the company's raison d'être. Secondly, by working to strengthen the commitment of employees so that their behaviour quickly adapts. Whether by hammering home the company's values, increasing training and awareness-raising, or incorporating ethical clauses and clear penalties for breaches into employment contracts, the HR department is one of the key levers for transformation. They also play a leading role in managing communications. To this must be added the encouragement of self-expression and trust within the organisation.
Lastly, HR departments help to recruit and promote talent from a wide range of perspectives and sources of innovation, in the interests of the company's excellence and sustainable performance. Finding these profiles, ensuring that positions are the right size, and that teams are appropriate and effective, can mean seeking advice from external experts. Calling on specialist firms is an increasingly popular solution in these times of heightened risk and risk-based management.
Blandine Cordier-Palasse
Chairman BCP PARTNERS, Co-founder Le Cercle de la Compliance
