Business Risk Assessment Interview Topics
The following questions and topics are intended as an overview of the type of discussion we would
like to foster through our risk assessment interview process. Please use this information as a guide
for our discussion. It does not have to be filled out in advance.
Overview
1) Discuss business strategies for your area of responsibility.
2) Discuss key business processes performed within your area of responsibility.
3) Discuss key business initiatives: current, upcoming, and/or ongoing.
Risks
1) What business risks do you see within your area? (See attached list of potential business risk
factors.)
2) Can you estimate the likelihood of these risks occurring? (Example: high – very likely this will
happen; medium; low)
3) Can you estimate the impact of these risks? (Example: high impact; medium; low)
4) Do you have a process for measuring and identifying these risks?
Controls
1) Briefly describe what controls are in place to protect against these risks.
Other Items
1) Do you have other areas of concern outside your immediate responsibilities?
Business Risk Categories and Risk Factors (for discussion)
Risk Category Risk Factors
External Environment • competition • industry
• financial markets • owner relations
• political • business interruption
• regulatory
Control Environment • support • legal
• measurements • strategic
Infrastructure • leadership • information management
• human resources
Marketing & Selling • product branding • product development
• satisfaction • products
• services • marketing
• competition • distribution channels
Supply Chain • purchasing • raw material management
• cost • vendor management
Liquidity • cash flow • exchange rates
• assets • taxation
• cost of capital • funding requirements
Operations • processes • finished product management
• production cycle • contingency planning
• capacity • incentives
Next, the CAE weighs and prioritizes potential projects across all the business units, while
giving consideration to the volume of their activities and their importance to the company’s overall
strategic plan (see Exhibit 6 for a graphical representation of an overview of the risk assessment
objectives, process, and results).
RISK-BASED METHODOLOGY
The risk assessment framework closely incorporates the concepts of risk and control. The
Schwan Food Company establishes business objectives at all levels of the company, from the
corporate level down through each business unit. To achieve these objectives, the company puts in
place core business processes, which are groupings of related business activities (e.g., procure
materials, manufacture products, distribute products, sell products, serve customers). The core
business practices are upheld by support processes that provide resources and services to the core
business processes. Risks threaten the achievement of business objectives at all levels, while