Purpose
The Executive Risk Management Group (ERMG) comprises the membership of the University Executive Board (UEB) and acts as UEB's dedicated forum for enterprise risk management.
UEB retains overall responsibility and accountability for risk management at all times; ERMG provides dedicated time and focus for the consideration of enterprise risk matters.
The objectives of ERMG are to:
- Promote a strong risk-aware culture across the University
- Ensure effective implementation of the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework
- Support the delivery of the University Strategy through effective risk oversight and management
- Align risk management with strategic planning and decision-making
- Identify and address new and emerging risks
Key Responsibilities
- Reviewing and recommending the risk management framework, policies, and procedures, and ensuring alignment with regulatory and compliance requirements
- Developing and recommending risk appetite statements and thresholds for approval by Council, and monitoring adherence to approved risk appetite and overseeing action where material breaches occur
- Reviewing significant risks to the delivery of the University Strategy and strategic objectives
- Considering significant, cross-institutional and thematic risks escalated by Executive Boards and joint Senate/Executive Committees, and determining appropriate responses
- Challenging risk assessments, controls and mitigation strategies, ensuring effective implementation and progress, and monitoring effectiveness
- Reviewing regular risk reports and dashboards, and recommending the principal risks for inclusion within the Institutional Risk Register to be reported to Audit & Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) and Council
- Providing reports and management assurances to ARAC and Council on the effectiveness of the University's risk management arrangements
- Conducting horizon scanning of the internal and external environment to identify emerging risks, trends and opportunities, and to ensure forward-looking risk analysis
- Overseeing business continuity and organisational resilience arrangements, including periodic review of business continuity plans, disaster recovery arrangements, crisis response capability and lessons learned from major incidents
Reporting Relationships
Decisions and recommendations made by ERMG are deemed to be decisions and recommendations of UEB in relation to risk management matters, unless otherwise specified.
ERMG reports to ARAC following each meeting and provides reports to Council through ARAC and other governance reporting arrangements as required.
Risk escalations are received from Executive Boards and joint Senate/Executive Committees, as appropriate.
Key decisions, risk exposures, and issues are formally documented and escalated as needed.
Procedural Rules
Meeting frequency
ERMG will meet quarterly, with additional meetings scheduled as required
Quorum
The quorum for meetings shall be one third of the membership, including the Chair or Deputy Chair
Decision Process
Decisions are made by consensus. Where consensus is not possible, the Chair has final authority.
Where urgent action is required between meetings, the Vice-Chancellor may act following consultation with relevant members. Such decisions shall be recorded and reported to the next meeting.
Membership
Ex-Officio Members
ERMG will be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, or Deputy Chair, and include all UEB members
The terms of reference and membership for UEB can be viewed here
In Attendance
- Helena Barrell, Governance Partner
- Andrew Bidwell, Risk and Compliance Manager
Version Information
These Terms of Reference are reviewed by ERMG annually or more frequently as needed
- Owner: ERMG
- Approver: UEB
- Date of last approval: 3rd November 2026