From crisis response to strategic management: EU4PFM Experts conduct Risk Management Workshop

On 28 January, a two-day management workshop was launched as part of the second phase of the pilot on internal control initiative. The key focus of the session was risk self-assessment and the identification of events that may affect the institution’s strategic objectives.

The pilot is implemented by the EU4PFM Programme at the Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance. The first day of the session focused on identifying risks linked to strategic objectives, with discussions held internally among representatives of the pilot institution.

In a brainstorming format, the management of the Coordination Centre, together with EU4PFM experts and representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance, defined and grouped the organisation’s strategic objectives, identified and assessed internal and external risks, and set priorities for further mitigation and response.

The main goal of such sessions is to shift the management mindset – from reacting to problems after they arise to making preventive, forward-looking decisions.

Manfred van Kesteren, EU4PFM International Expert on Public Internal Financial Control, stressed the importance of top management engagement: “If senior management is not involved in risk assessment, a ‘firefighting culture’ emerges – where organisations respond only to incidents that have already occurred. Our goal is to help management act proactively. The greatest value of these sessions lies in live discussion. When each manager shares their view of risk areas, we create a shared action map that strengthens institutional resilience.”

The pilot on internal control aims to transform theoretical requirements into a practical management tool. The initiative seeks to move beyond formal compliance and integrate internal control into the daily processes of public institutions. The experience of the Coordination Centre will serve as a basis for developing practical case studies to be scaled up across other public sector bodies.