Balancing conformance & performance in a volatile environment

THIS year got off to a rocky start: plunging oil prices, fluctuations in major economies, and terrorist threats will have an ongoing impact through 2015 and beyond.

At the same time, regulators around the world are attempting to step up the quality of corporate governance, and investors are subjecting board compliance programmes to greater scrutiny.

Boards may therefore feel that a good strategy for 2015 is to adopt a risk-averse approach, and focus on compliance instead. This is, in many ways, a sound approach. A robust enterprise risk management (ERM) framework, solid risk mitigation policies, and business continuity plans are all strategies that contribute greatly to the strength of a business.