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2005 Annual report - Virbac

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53<br />

This organisation, put in place in 2004 was completed in<br />

<strong>2005</strong> and makes it possible to position the Financial<br />

Controller as a key partner for Group managers in the taking<br />

of strategic and operational decisions so as to:<br />

◆ ensure the controlling of operations and be a key player in<br />

internal control,<br />

◆ measure and analyse the performance of the businesses,<br />

◆ anticipate short-term events,<br />

◆ act as a conduit and signal for identified risks<br />

(operational, financial...).<br />

The budgetary and <strong>report</strong>ing tools as well as performance<br />

analyses and indicators developed by the Group help to<br />

drive the whole.<br />

❖ Communications<br />

A few years ago, the Communications department, at the<br />

urging of the Executive board, put in place a system to<br />

anticipate risks to handle any crisis that could affect the<br />

Group’s image and impair its share capital.<br />

This system consists of:<br />

◆ quickly mobilising those working in this field,<br />

◆ putting in place the logistics to ensure optimum<br />

responsiveness,<br />

◆ applying a methodology drawn up together with<br />

professionals and written down in a crisis manual,<br />

◆ enabling remedial actions to replace preventive actions.<br />

This system will be updated during 2006.<br />

❖ Insurance<br />

The Legal department continued its policy of exhaustively<br />

reviewing insurance risks and their financial coverage with<br />

the assistance, moreover, of a broker that is part of an<br />

international network.<br />

Visits to various Group sites continued in order to check that<br />

insurance programmes match requirements and to update<br />

certain cover.<br />

With regard to the management of industrial and commercial<br />

risks, the Legal department is also more generally asked by<br />

the Group to:<br />

◆ identify and put in place measures designed to cut<br />

insurable risks and their financial coverage,<br />

◆ monitor insured losses having a material impact on the<br />

Group,<br />

◆ support the subsidiaries in putting in place local insurance<br />

policies,<br />

◆ support the subsidiaries in monitoring contractual clauses<br />

relating to insurance and liability.<br />

As part of the information system, development of which<br />

started in 2004 (Legal information system), an information<br />

management module is being completed and should be<br />

operational in 2006 thereby allowing for information on<br />

insurance and loss management to be shared with our broker.<br />

A procedures and “Best insurance practices” manual has been<br />

published internally, and will also be used by all local and<br />

general brokers.<br />

❖ Hygiene, safety, environment<br />

The hygiene, safety, environment (HSE) process, faced with<br />

increasing regulatory requirements, covers the management<br />

of risks stemming from the handling of raw materials,<br />

working conditions and the environment.<br />

The Technical services department responsible for HSE<br />

issues sets outs the goals and underlying principles to be<br />

implemented within French units and in line with the<br />

strengthening of the regulatory framework. Raising<br />

awareness and empowerment are coordinated within the<br />

subsidiaries by the central industrial departments normally<br />

working in the field.<br />

The strategy of implementing a comprehensive policy<br />

covering health, safety and the environment is designed to<br />

ensure the safety of persons, property and compliance with<br />

legal obligations.<br />

The main actions taken in this domain are on the following<br />

lines:<br />

◆ implementing an ongoing monitoring programme making<br />

it possible to quickly adapt to new regulatory<br />

requirements and to make HSE issues part and parcel<br />

of the Group’s expansion,<br />

◆ making preventive investments such as increasing the<br />

security of fire detection systems or automating waste<br />

treatment units at our French sites,<br />

◆ training personnel,<br />

◆ implementing a process to analyse risks at our production<br />

sites which resulted, for example, in <strong>2005</strong> in the<br />

completion in France of an intranet database containing<br />

safety datasheets for products and raw materials.<br />

2.2.2. Frameworks<br />

The effectiveness of the internal control system within the<br />

Group largely depends on the various policies and operating<br />

rules that were progressively drawn up in line with the<br />

company culture. This is based on a set of strong values,<br />

encouraging initiative, trust in people and their<br />

empowerment. These operating rules and policies were drawn<br />

up in the forms of directives, procedures and “Best practices”,<br />

in line with Group values.

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