Johnston, RI -- More than one-third of the nation's leading companies report they are not sufficiently prepared to protect top revenue sources and have room for improvement, according to the 2003 Protecting Value Study. In addition, one hundred percent of the companies surveyed report a major disruption to a top revenue source would have a negative impact on earnings, with 28 percent stating such an event would threaten business continuity.

The study, conducted by commercial and industrial property insurer FM Global, the Financial Executives Research Foundation and the National Association of Corporate Treasurers (NACT), polled nearly 400 CFOs, treasurers and risk managers at both U.S. and international companies from a broad variety of industries. Among the other findings of the second annual study:

• Eighty percent of companies report no significant shift in their risk management outlook post-September 11th, either strategically or operationally.
• Improper management and employee practices represent the leading hazard affecting top revenue sources.
• Property-related hazards, such as fire and natural disaster, collectively continue to pose the greatest threat to revenue sources.
• Eighty-eight percent of financial executives and 83 percent of risk managers say their companies' level of preparation to recover from a major disruption to a top revenue source is less than "excellent."
• Current business continuity plans may not be sufficiently aligned with top revenue sources at many leading corporations.

"The drive to sustain shareholder value by streamlining business processes or restructuring can lead to increased levels of risk in some cases," commented Ruud Bosman, executive vice president, FM Global. "To best protect cash flow, competitive position and profit, companies need to assess the potential hazards that can impact top revenue sources and make sure business continuity planning is sufficiently aligned."

The Greatest Hazards
Overall, 59 percent of the companies participating in the study report the greatest impact on revenue sources would derive from property-related hazards, including fire or explosion, natural disaster, terrorism, theft, mechanical or electrical breakdown, service disruption, a supply shortage, labor strike or cybercrime. However, there are differing views between financial executives, such as CFOs and treasurers, and risk managers as to whether property-or non-property-related hazards constitute the greater threat to revenues (Exhibit 1).

Exhibit 1: Primary Hazards Affecting Top Revenue Sources

Hazard	All Respondents	Financial Executives	Risk Managers
Property-related hazards	59%	48%	71%
Non-property related hazards	41%	52%	29%

Despite the combined result, a slight majority of financial executives say non-property-related hazards, including improper management and employee practices, product recall, pricing volatility and personal accidents, would pose greater threats to revenues. In contrast, risk managers overwhelmingly consider property-related hazards as posing the greater threat. This suggests business continuity planning may not be sufficiently aligned with top earnings drivers at many corporations.

"Financial executives and risk managers share a common pursuit of balancing risk and return. Yet, the study found they often have different views about their company's top sources of revenue, relevant hazards, business continuity plans and insurance budgets," said Marla Markowitz Bace, chief operating officer, Financial Executives Research Foundation. "To effectively address the large inventory of business risks, there needs to be better communication between financial executives and risk managers."

Safeguarding Top Revenue Sources
: Increasingly, companies are looking beyond insurance to protect their assets. Companies report more than one-third of any additional funding to protect one's revenue sources would be spent on business continuity planning and contingency planning (Exhibit 2).

Exhibit 2: Allocations of Additional Funds to Safeguard Top Revenue Sources

Action	Allocation
Develop, implement, and maintain a business continuity plan	23%
Invest in risk improvements	22%
Assign a person responsible for contingency planning	14%
Purchase insurance	17%
Establish a risk management department	17%
Self-insure	5%
Hire a consultant to assist	5%
Hire engineers to deal with risk improvement	5%
Other	3%

"Risk transfer and loss prevention are recognized as twin priorities at every level of our organization," offered Ken Smith, Corporate Risk Manager of Dell Computer Corporation. "Understanding the many potential threats, along with effective planning, helps us to mitigate the financial and operational impacts a disruption might cause."

"The Protecting Value Study is a tool that financial executives and risk managers can use to convey the importance of prudent risk management, and provides a framework for a meaningful dialogue about protecting the value their organizations create," added Bosman of FM Global. An executive summary of the study is available at www.protectingvalue.com.