Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) has gained “critical mass”acceptance, making it clear that the risk management discipline andthe role of the risk professional has become a valued part ofcorporate culture and business practices. Value clearly isdemonstrated by the 2013 ERM Award of Distinction and HonorableMention winners. RIMSpresented its 2013 ERM Award of Distinction to Harley-Davidson, Inc.(NYSE:HOG) for its success in implementing ERM and in creating arisk-aware culture throughout its organization.

The award, presented at the RIMSERM Conference 2013 in San Francisco, recognizesHarley-Davidson for its forward-looking ERM program. Starting witha systematic risk management framework, the program hascontinuously improved over time to integrate ERM into strategicplanning and business processes. Harley-Davidson exhibits aresults-driven, structured risk management capability thatregularly identifies and manages risks as part of its normalbusiness practices.

“We are honored to receive the ERM Award of Distinction,” saidRob Gould, Harley-Davidson director of internal audit. “Through ourdrive for continuous improvement in Harley-Davidson's riskmanagement strategies and processes, we can better anticipate andmitigate potential risks and ultimately, better serve ourcustomers.”

Honorable mention for this year's ERM Award of Distinction wentto Infosys BPO Ltd., thebusiness process outsourcing subsidiary of Infosys (NYSE:INFY). As a result of its ERM implementation, the company hasseen a direct correlation between its risk program and highercustomer satisfaction scores.

“The success of these two programs well-illustrate thescalability and distinct value that enterprise risk management canachieve,” affirmed Carol Fox, RIMS Director of Strategic andEnterprise Risk Practice. “As evidenced by our winners, ERM as adiscipline has been accepted globally, while practiced locally.RIMS is pleased to honor both Harley-Davidson and Infosys for theirremarkable programs with these awards.”

Judging criteria for the ERM Award of Distinction includes thescope of the ERM program and how it engages different levelsthroughout the organization; the program's link or connection tothe company's overall mission; and its ability to create additionalvalue for the organization.

According to the newly released 2013 RIMS Enterprise RiskManagement (ERM) Survey, ERM has gained “critical mass”acceptance with 63 percent of the respondents having either fullyor partially integrated an ERM program to address theirorganization's strategic and operational risks. The report exploresthe risk manager's role in implementing ERM, ERM program drivers,the value of ERM, ERM expectations and effectiveness, strategiesfor measuring the maturity of an ERM program and riskreporting.