Risk Management Initiatives

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

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WHY

It is important for the 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 the long-term ministry of our organizations.

WHAT

1. Schedule/creation of a risk management committee by no later than January 31, 2020.
   • Members—The president (chair) 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 this role.
     • The committee should include the executive secretary, treasurer, and ministry leadership such as youth and education.
     • The ARM account executive (secretary) should provide structure to the meetings, draft the agenda for approval by the chair, and provide information, data, and resources to support the committee’s efforts.
   • Meets no less than semi-annually; 2020 schedule of meetings to be set by no later than January 31, 2020.

WHY

Pastors serve as key leaders in our churches. Those areas that the pastor values and understands become the priorities of the church. If our churches are going to be more effective in risk management, we must raise our pastors’ awareness and knowledge in this area. This initiative is focused on providing pastors the knowledge and resources to be prepared to lead their church in risk management. The goal is to educate in the following areas:

• Local church big-picture issues such as apparent authority of the pastor, contracts and contractors, child protection planning, streaming video and copyright, crisis communication, physical plant maintenance, and insurance.
• Delegating with a system of accountability and follow-through by electing Safety Officers/Committees that report to the board. Prioritizing self-assessments, follow-up on recommendations, and emergency planning.

WHAT

1. Support Pastor’s Learning
   • ARM will prepare new course of study that addresses key risk management information for Pastors. To be available by November 2020.
   • ARM is a sponsor of the 2020 Called Convention and will present key risk management topics.
2. Conference to encourage pastors to guide their churches to elect a safety officer (and committee, where possible) to provide a risk management voice and support for all church/school ministries.

 

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. They can develop and implement various risk management plan components such as:

• Emergency plan
• Seasonal maintenance schedule
• Self-assessment and follow up
• Security plan
• Child protection plan

WHAT

1. Support Safety Officer Learning.
   • ARM will prepare course of study that addresses risk management for Safety Officers to be available by November 2020.
2. Each church or school should elect a safety officer (and create risk management committee, where possible).
3. Conference to make opportunities to provide risk management training (invite ARM Account Executive to provide training) for lay leaders.

WHY

Fifteen-passenger vans are dangerous and should not be used to transport our members or children. Do not use 15-passenger vans any longer. In support of NAD working policy S 60 31 Vehicle Insurance - 7. Fifteen-Passenger Van Use—In the interest of safety, denominational organizations are advised against the purchase, lease, rental or use of fifteen-passenger vans for sponsored activities....

The 15-passenger van was identified as early as 2001 as a significantly dangerous vehicle for transporting passengers. The use of 15-passenger vans has been greatly discouraged and, more recently, actively prohibited by the Adventist Church across the North American Division for a little over 15 years. While the Church has taken steps to remove them from use, many churches continue to use, buy, or rent them.

WHAT

1. Remove all 15-passenger vans from use (owned, hired, or borrowed).
   • Communication
     • Letter to all pastors/superintendents from organization's president; ARM will provide a template to be sent by no later than March 31, 2020.
     • ARM provides resources about 15-passenger vans via our Solutions e-newsletter and website.
     • ARM (if possible will provide a list of current (known) 15-passenger vans insured with us. This will be provided by no later than March 31, 2020.
     • When bringing a new church into the sisterhood of the conference, a thorough review of the assets must be conducted to prevent 15-passenger vans from coming in that way.
     • Each local church/school audit should include risk management questions regarding the use of 15-passenger vans. This information should be relayed to the conference risk management committee for follow-up.