Managing Risk, Ensuring Sustainability

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The Approach

Blue Link Consulting started by eliciting individual board members' initial thoughts and combining these into an 'influence diagram‘. This gave them a visual and intuitive display of the connections and interplay between all aspects of a complex environment. We then provided expert facilitation to enable them to reach a jointly-owned and robust view of the key risks, consequences and mitigation.

By grouping the risks into three main areas - factors affecting the wood itself; personnel issues; finance issues – we made it easier to assess the risks, and plan for their mitigation. Finally, we converted this into an Excel spreadsheet showing risks, level, impact, and actions assigned to mitigate them, so that the organisation itself could take over the process going forward.

“This work was very beneficial” - Chair of Board

“Risk management is now coming from the top down”

The Client

A community youth venture.

The Client's Problem

Needed to ensure sustainability; management needed a risk management plan which had the involvement and backing of trustees.

The Solution

  • Define and prioritise the key factors necessary to sustainability of the venture
  • Identify key risks to its continuation
  • Assign mitigating actions to specific individuals to ensure risk reduction
  • Provide an Excel spreadsheet for the organisation to take over the process

The Benefits

  • Trustees were fully involved in risk identification, enabling them to play their proper part in risk management and oversight
  • Risks were reduced through sensible and proportionate mitigation
  • The venture’s ability to remain in business was significantly improved