CentreforBusinessPerformanceThoughtleadershipfromtheInstitute…ImplementingTurnbullABoardroomBriefingMakingitasuccessSuggestedstepstotakeBenefitsandconsequencesEmbeddingtheprocessKeepingitsimpleandstraightforwardDisclosuresMonitoringBoardlevelconsiderationsPitfallstoavoidGettingbuy-inofoperationalmanagementImmediateactionsAddingvaluefromtheprocessCentreforBusinessPerformanceThoughtleadershipfromtheInstitute…ImplementingTurnbull–ABoardroomBriefing1ForewordWiththefinalisationoftheguidanceoninternalcontroldevelopedbytheWorkingPartyledbyNigelTurnbull,thelastpieceoftheCombinedCodeisreadytobeputinplacebylistedcompaniessubjecttoitsprinciplesandprovisions.Fordirectors,thetaskaheadistoimplementcontroloverthewideraspectsofbusinessriskinsuchawayastoaddvalueratherthanmerelygothroughacomplianceexercise.Thereisalsoaneedtogetthebuy-inofpeopleatalllevelsoftheorganisationandtofocusonriskmanagementandinternalcontrolinsuchawayastoimprovethebusiness.Thebriefing,whichMartynJonesandGillianSutherlandhavedevelopedwithinputfromotherpeopleknowledgeableinthepracticalitiesofriskmanagementandinternalcontrol,isnotintendedtobefurtherauthoritativeguidancewhichdirectorshavetofollow.Instead,itaimstobeasourceoftimely,practicalhelptothosedirectorswhowishtotakestepstoimplementthenewguidanceinastraightforwardwaywhichbringsbusinessbenefits.Icommenditparticularlytodirectorsofsmallerlistedcompanies.Wearenowinanerawhenmorefocuscanbeplacedongainingbusinessadvantagefromgoodgovernancepractices.Thenewguidancerelatingtointernalcontrol,andthisbriefing,shouldhelpinthisarea.SirBrianJenkinsGBE,MA,FCAChairmanCorporateGovernanceGroupTheInstituteofCharteredAccountantsinEngland&WalesSeptember19992ImplementingTurnbull–ABoardroomBriefingContentsExecutiveSummary1WhyTurnbull?1.1Benefitsandconsequences1.2Smallercompanies2Howtoaddvalue2.1Linkingriskandcontrolwithbusinessobjectives2.2Whatcouldtheprocesslooklike?2.3Whatisdifferenttopreviousapproaches?2.4Groupsandinternationaloperations3Immediateactions3.1Haveyoutherightattitudetoriskmanagementandinternalcontrol?3.2Avoidingunnecessarycomplexityandcost3.3Whatneedstobedonenow?4Risks4.1Whatarethesignificanttypesofriskswhichcouldbeaddressed?4.2Howmuchriskcouldyoutakeandinwhichareas?4.3Shouldyouquantifyrisks?4.4Prioritisationofrisks5Embeddingtheprocess6MonitoringandInternalAudit7Boardlevelconsiderations7.1Whencouldtheboardconsiderriskmanagementandinternalcontrol?7.2Wherecantheboardfindassurance?7.3Whatdoestheboardneedtoconsiderinreviewingreports?8Disclosures9Otherconsiderations9.1Boardcommittees9.2Benchmarkingperformance9.3Pitfallstoavoid10Conclusion–whateffectcouldTurnbullhaveonyourcompany?Page3461014192325293032ImplementingTurnbull–ABoardroomBriefing3IfyouareadirectorofacompanywhichislistedontheLondonStockExchange,orisconsideringalisting,theguidanceoninternalcontrolissuedbytheWorkingPartychairedbyNigelTurnbullshouldbenearthetopofyouragenda.ThepurposeofthisbriefingistosetoutanumberofquestionswhichyoucouldbeaskingandsomepracticalstepswhichyoucouldtaketomeettheWorkingParty’srecommendations.ThisbriefinghasbeenpreparedfordirectorswhowishtotakestraightforwardstepstowardsachievingTurnbullorareinterestedinthepracticalitiesofgoodriskmanagementandinternalcontrolandingettingaddedvaluefortheircompaniesfromtheguidance.Itmaybeofparticularusetosmallerlistedcompaniesandanumberofthecasestudies,hottipsandexampleswhichitcontainsarepreparedwithsuchcompaniesinmind.ItisassumedthatreaderswillalsostudytheWorkingParty’sguidanceinfullandthereforedoesnotgointothedetailoftheguidance.Indeed,thisbriefingshouldbereadinconjunctionwiththeguidance.However,thebriefingdoesguideyouthroughtheissuesraisedwhencomplyingwithTurnbull.Thekeymessagesareasfollows:•DonotdelayinimplementingTurnbull•Obtainmanagementbuy-inatalllevelsoftheorganisation•Prepareaplan•Identifyclearcompanyobjectives•Prioritisetheriskstotheachievementoftheobjectives•Establishaclearriskmanagementpolicyandcontrolstrategies•Consultthroughoutthebusiness•Improvethebusinessculturewhereappropriate•Keepitsimpleandstraightforward•Monitorcontinuously•Avoidauditcommitteeoverload•IncorporateTurnbullinyourmanagementandgovernanceprocesses•AimtoobtainbusinessimprovementClearlytheprocessthatneedstobefollowedmustfitthecircumstancesofthecompany.Directorsmaythereforedecidethatonlysomeofthesuggestedpracticesareappropriatetotheircircumstances.Thisbriefingisnotintendedtosuggestthatthepracticesdescribedshouldbeadoptedintheirtotality.ExecutiveSummary4ImplementingTurnbull–InternalControlinPractice1.1BenefitsandconsequencesWhatistheTurnbullguidancereallyabout?Theguidanceisabouttheadoptionofarisk-basedapproachtoestablishingasystemofinternalcontrolandreviewingitseffectiveness.ItisneedednotjustforLondonStockExchangepurposes,butbecauseitmakessoundbusinesssensetomanageriskeffectivelyandtoembedinternalcontrolinthebusinessprocessesbywhichacompanypursuesitsobjectives.WilltheintroductionofTurnbullresultinmorebureaucracyandoverhead?Ifyouturnitintojustaboxtickingexercisewithnolinkagetothepossibilityofimprovingyourbusiness,yesitcouldresultinmorebureauc