Trustees are ultimately responsible for a charity and should take the lead in ensuring that risk management is approached comprehensively and considered in all aspects of the charity’s operations and culture.
It's important that trustees understand the main risks to the charity and its risk appetite, and that they make sure there are controls to manage these risks.
All registered charities in England and Wales must provide a trustees’ annual report that includes describing the main risks facing them and a summary of their risk management plans.
Risk management can be done in participation with staff, volunteers and users; this is likely to create a better analysis and stronger ownership of the results than a ‘top-down’ approach.
The complexity and extent of your risk review will depend on the size and nature of your charity’s operations.
Template risk register
A risk register is a framework for identifying, assessing and recording the risks that your organisation faces.
This template should be used as a starting point for your own risk register and be adapted for you organisation.
