Swerma launches rimap as Ferma puts power in hands of national members

Swedish risk manage-ment association Swerma is the latest to launch Ferma’s rimap certification in its home country, following changes to the scheme’s administration that aim to put more power in the hands of the federation’s national members. Swerma announced it is launching rimap in Sweden at its recent annual forum in Stockholm. The programme will go live this month, with the first exam set for 26 October. The pan-European rimap scheme is based around a body of knowledge set by Ferma. It covers the full spectrum of knowledge, from risk analysis and mitigation through to risk transfer. The scheme aims to lift the risk management role and increase knowledge, while also delivering pan-European certification. Once certified, risk managers will enjoy recognition across Europe and soon in Asia, where Parima is also launching the mutually recognised scheme. The first 18 risk managers passed Ferma’s rimap exam and gained certification to the new designation at the federation’s seminar in Malta last October. Seven Danish risk managers also gained certification in February, through an exam organised by Ferma and Danish risk management association Darim. Ferma decided late last year to put its national association members at the centre of its rimap plans. Initially the idea was for Ferma to centrally certify education providers to further deliver rimap. But following consultation with its membership, the federation has now decided to certify national associations instead. The onus then falls on national associations to decide exactly how they want rimap to work in their country. Once certified by Ferma, national associations can choose to deliver the body of knowledge themselves or approve local education providers to do that on their and Ferma’s behalf. Swerma was accredited by Ferma last year, joining other associations such as Anra in Italy and Norima in Norway. There are several options for national associations to deliver rimap. They can choose to let risk managers access the body of knowledge and exam online, through an agreed third-party that Ferma plans to team with. There is also the potential to allow risk managers to just sit the exam if national associations believe individuals have the experience and knowledge to do so. Another route is for national associations to provide the education, either in-house or through an independent education provider, with the exam taken online. The third option is for national associations to deliver the whole programme – education based on the body of knowledge and a local exam. This is the road that Swerma has taken because it believes networking is very important, while onsite education enables risk managers to meet and discuss key issues. “I think rimap is a wonderful idea. It is great to have something across Europe. But it is a huge task to make it work everywhere. So I think this more open and modular approach is much better. It allows everyone to choose what they want. In Sweden there aren’t many comprehensive risk courses so we are filling a gap,” Athina Pehrman, one of Swerma’s board members responsible for rimap, told Commercial Risk Europe. The new, more decentralised approach to rimap looks set to make delivering the certification scheme more manageable across Europe. It ticks all the boxes because it allows Ferma to set and maintain standards through the body of knowledge and certification of member associations, while allowing locals on the ground to ensure rimap is delivered as required and as they wish, said Ms Pehrman. “Ferma can ensure standards are being met by certifying the local associations. It is up to the local organisation then how they want to do this. The point is that it is now up to us, but Ferma are the only ones that can certify and the certification is clearly from Ferma,” added Ms Pehrman, who is also group risk manager at specialist oil company Nynas. Swerma has teamed up with the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) to deliver the training. Via SSE, Swerma is initially offering rimap’s body of knowledge through three different courses. The first is the Risk Management Diploma, which consists of two three-day modules. This is based on a previous course Swerma ran with the SSE, which has been tailored and updated to meet rimap’s requirements. The course is aimed at junior risk managers who need to better understand the basics. But to cover rimap’s body of knowledge, more training is required so Swerma and SSE have launched two further in-depth courses on insurance and risk modelling. They both last two days. Swerma is also looking to deliver a two-day refresher course for risk managers with more than ten years’ experience, to prepare them for the rimap exam. It will include information on the very latest developments in risk management, such as changes to ISO 31000 and other risk standards. “We are liaising with the SEE to ensure all the material and teachers are in place. If an education provider doesn’t meet our standards we can look elsewhere. This is for our members so we have an incentive to make sure what we are delivering is good,” said Ms Pehrman. “SSE have done a lot of good work to match their material with the body of knowledge. We appreciate their experience in giving high standard courses and their dedication to this project. It has been a big job; the body of knowledge is substantial. The information on what you must cover is really detailed. You can tweak rimap for the local market but Ferma’s core body of knowledge sits behind it all and ensures a standardisation,” she added. Another requirement of rimap is for certified risk managers to top up their knowledge through continuous professional development. This will either be achieved through attending Ferma seminars or courses, with some potentially online, or locally via national associations. Full details on how this will work are yet to be finalised but the general principles are clear. “We at Swerma have not decided yet how we want to administer that and are in discussions with Ferma. But you will likely get points for attending Ferma events, the Swerma risk forum or other seminars. But the details of how many points you get and for which types of seminars are not yet determined,” explained Ms Pehrman. There remain certain requirements for all risk managers that want to sit the rimap exam, including a degree level course and three years’ risk management experience. Swedish risk managers will also need to have taken at least one of the rimap courses offered by Swerma through the SSE. Swerma is in discussion with Ferma on exactly how it will deliver the rimap exam in Sweden. “We are in the middle of discussing how to do this in detail – whether it needs to be online or you can sit in the classroom. We also haven’t decided if it is going to be like the multiple-choice exam Ferma offers today, or if it is going to be a written exam. Ferma must approve each association’s exam, so we need to supply a template with examples and they will see if they are up to standard,” concluded Ms Pehrman.

Swerma launches rimap as Ferma puts power in hands of national members

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