2005 Annual report - Virbac
2005 Annual report - Virbac
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.