Risk managers in the public sector can use the model to gage their organisation’s performance

Alarm, the public risk management association in the UK, has launched a performance model so that risk managers in the public sector can benchmark their organisation’s risk management performance.

The association launched the model at its annual conference in Bournemouth on June 22.

Alarm’s benchmarking special interest group designed the self assessment questionnaire which forms part of its benchmarking programme, due to be launched in 2010.

‘A detailed and comprehensive set of questions have been designed to test performance against the assessment framework,’ said the association.

The performance model breaks down risk management activities into seven strands: leadership and management; strategy and policy; people; partnership, shared risks and resources; processes and tools; risk handling and assurance; and outcomes and delivery.

The model is designed to test the extent to which risk management is having a positive effect on the organisation. Risk maturity is assessed at being either engaging (Level 1), happening (Level 2), working (Level 3), embedded and integrated (Level 4) or driving the organisation (Level 5).

Alarm said: ‘Organisation’s can use the National Performance Model Assessment Framework to undertake quick ‘health checks’ of their organisation by using the indicators within the summary of progress to come to a conclusion of their current risk management maturity level.’

More information is available at the Alarm website.