Risk Management Initiatives

Purpose and Scope

The 2025 Inter-American Division Risk Management Committee (IADRMC) is called to action for the leadership of organizations in this territory. The purpose of risk management committees is to identify potential problems before they occur. We must provide an environment that is safe for employees, members, guests, and volunteers so the ministry of our Church can grow. We must continue to invest in risk management as a part of ministry.

Adventist Risk Management^®, Inc. (ARM) will continue working with the IADRMC each year to provide the risk management initiatives for the upcoming year. These initiatives comprise 2 main areas that the organizations in Inter-American Division (IAD) can focus on in the following 12 months. The emphasis on these initiatives in no way should take away from current and other processes and practices of safety and risk management, but if the Church organizations will make these a priority, ARM can refine the processes and resources for the current year and future years.

The initiatives are determined by using various methods to include but not limited to:

1. Past losses
2. Current “hot topics”
3. Feedback and recommendations from IAD organizations
4. Anticipation of future ministry needs and ways to carry them out safely

Each initiative will define:

1. WHY — The particular exposure or safety issue to be addressed
2. WHAT — The specific implementation/expectation and how it will be measured
3. WHO — The parties responsible

PLEASE NOTE: Items underlined below indicate a resource ARM will share with the organization’s risk management committee to facilitate implementation of the goal.

2025 Inter-American Division Risk Management Initiatives

The emphasis of the 2025 risk management initiatives will be placed on building a culture of risk management in organizational leadership to support through quantifiable actions risk management initiatives throughout their organizations. Adventist Risk Management^®, Inc. (ARM) in partnership with the Inter-American Division (IAD) indicates our focus should be on:

2025 Initiatives

1. Union Risk Management Committees
2. Safety Officers
3. Protecting the Vulnerable

WHY
It is important for leadership of organizations to set up time and resources to address the protection and stewardship of the assets entrusted. The implementation of a safety committee should set the tone that identifying risks and managing them is important to our organizations long-term ministry.

WHAT
Union Risk Management Committee

1. Members—president (chair), the president has the opportunity to set the tone from the top. The ministry of risk management is about preserving the ability to accomplish the organization’s mission, and this should be the first priority of the president. No one else has the opportunity to lead across all ministry functions as does this role.
   • The committee should include the president (chair), treasurer, secretary, union risk manager, conference risk manager, youth/children’s ministry leader, pathfinder leader, event coordinator, and ARM account executive (secretary).
   • The ARM account executive (secretary) should provide structure to the meetings through drafting the agenda for approval by the chair and providing information, data, and resources to support the committee’s efforts.
2. Meets no less than annually; 2025 schedule of meetings to be set by no later than January 31, 2025.

Standing Agenda items for 2025

1. Review loss analysis to prioritize inspection, education, and loss control efforts
2. Review safety officer duties and implementation
3. Promote emergency planning and drills in churches
4. Review and create opportunities for education presentations during 2025 meetings
5. Promote Risk Management communication
   • Increase participation in receiving ARM Solutions newsletter safety and risk management articles by proactively advising local church and school leadership to sign up for at AdventistRisk.org/Solutions.

WHO

• Top three officers of each organization
• Union Risk Manager
• Union Safety Officer
• Conference Risk Managers
• Youth/Children’s Director
• Pathfinder Director
• Account Executive from ARM (Secretary)

WHY
A safety officer can be a key part of helping a church or school stay focused on mission and avoid unforeseen pitfalls or other calamities that distract from their goals. This key role works with the church leadership team across ministry functions to educate and implement important risk management processes to avoid or control risks.

A safety officer has a big responsibility to develop and implement various risk management plan components to promote safety throughout the church.

WHAT

1. Designation of safety officer at the Union level. This person should be different from the Union Risk Manager, and it is preferable to be an employee from Ministerial Department.
2. Designation of safety officer at the Conference level. This person should be different from the Conference Risk Manager, and it is preferable to be an employee from Ministerial Department.
3. Designation of Safety Officer at the church level.

How do we achieve safety officers around the territory?

• Church Board to choose a church member who either has risk management experience, experience as a police officer, is first aid certified, or simply cares about the safety of the church.
• Walk the person through the duties of the safety officer.
• Have the safety officer present the risk management findings to the church board.
• Have the church board approve and implement the required changes as necessary.
• The pastor will report risk management improvements to the conference.
• The conference will report to the union.

1. Conduct at least one church self-inspection per year.
2. Develop an accident investigation program.
3. Develop an emergency response plan.

WHO

1. Adventist Risk Management^®, Inc.
2. Union and Conference Safety Officer
3. Pastor
4. Local Church Safety Officer

WHY
Safeguarding policies and procedures is essential to protect vulnerable adults and children. Everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or ability, has a right to participate in an organization without situations of abuse or neglect. To avoid exposing vulnerable adults or children to neglect or abuse, training is imperative, including training employees and ministry volunteers to recognize warning signs of abuse.

WHAT

• Unions and conferences will implement volunteer background screening and reference checks.
• Unions and conferences will assess the implementation of child protection plans at local churches/schools. A sample child protection plan is available from ARM.
• ARM and conferences will facilitate/provide education on the protection of vulnerable persons, the importance of screening, and the reporting process.
• Education: ARM offers the following resources on protecting the vulnerable:
  • Child Protection Plan
  • Personal and Body Safety for Your Students
  • Volunteer Reference Checks: Do’s and Don’ts

WHO

1. Organization risk management committee
2. Employees and volunteers
3. Adventist Risk Management^®, Inc.