Stockholm hosts Swerma

The Swerma (Swedish risk management association) Forum opened in Stockholm on Wednesday (March 25) and continues today.

Attendance was down slightly compared with previous years. Of the roughly 240 Swedish risk association members around 50 were in attendance, compared with approximately 60 in previous years.

Organisers put the drop down to restricted travel budgets.

Swerma president Charlotte Barnekow, who is also risk manager for Ericsson, was pleased with the turnout: “Swerma has been very busy this year and we have been helping Ferma prepare for its Forum in 2011.”

The Federation of European Risk Management Associaitons (Ferma) is planning to host its bi-annual risk summit at the Stockholm Waterfront Centre in 2011.

Hans Brandt, Swerma board member and Ferma representative, told StrategicRISK that the arrangements were proceeding well.

Peter den Dekker, president of Ferma, plans to take part in the 2011 run of the Vikingarannet, an 80km ice skating race between Uppsala and Stockholm, to promote the Ferma forum.

Swerma successes

At the Swerma Risk Forum StrategicRISK took the opportunity to ask Swerma’s vice president Torgny Bogarde about the associations achievements over the past year.

Bogarde, who is formerly a risk manager for Heidelberg Cement and now works in consulting, said the association’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Insurance focus groups have been particularly active.

He said an increased emphasis on corporate governance and pressure from boards was encouraging risk managers in Sweden to look more closely at ERM.

Commented Bogarde: “One impact of the financial crisis has been to increase the initiatives coming from the top level to ensure there is a uniform and systematic risk management methodology within the organisation.” Regulatory reviews, like the UK’s Walker Report, and more attention from the rating agencies, have encouraged this, he said.

“The problem,” he continued, “is finding a suitable person in the organisation that can communicate this and be credible amongst top managers. That’s not an easy task.”

Some risk managers don’t feel comfortable in that role but Bogarde urged them to prepare for it by undertaking training. “It should be done by a senior person who knows the business and is respected by top managers and who understands that he is a support function and not a risk owner himself.”

Other Swerma initiatives of the past year include a major overhaul of the association’s website and the publication of newsletters, around 6 times yearly. Swerma has also been organising field days, where members visit a particular risk manager’s workplace, factory or business facility, and are given a tour to demonstrate risk management in action. “We have been doing this for three or four years and these visits are very successful and popular amongst our members,” said Bogarde.

In addition, the Swedish risk association launched a Risk Management Diploma. The certificate consists of a five day course followed by a 2 hour exam. Swerma has also partnered with the Swedish internal auditors association to try to foster better collaboration between the two functions.

“We plan to be even more active this year to increase our activities and have more seminars and themes. We also plan to invite sponsor’s to the association’s events, including one audit firm, a broker and an insurer,” said Bogarde. “But we are committed to retaining our sovereignty, stature and board composition.”