Oriola-KD's Board of Directors has approved the company's risk management policy in which the risk management operating model, principles, responsibilities and reporting are specified. The Group's risk management seeks to identify, measure and manage risks that may threaten Oriola-KD's operations and the achievement of goals set. The roles and responsibilities relating to risk management have been determined in the Group.

Risks and uncertainty factors  

Oriola-KD's risks are classified as strategic, operational and financial. Risk management is a key element of the strategic process, operational planning and daily decision-making at Oriola-KD.

Oriola-KD Corporation's principal strategic and operational risks in its business:

• Amendments to pharmaceutical market regulations may weaken Oriola-KD's profitability.
• In the Swedish retail business, the free establishment of pharmacies has led to increase in the number of pharmacies. The number of pharmacies may continue to grow, which could further increase the fierce competition.
• In the Russian retail business, tough competition resulting from the large number of pharmacies may lead to a further decrease in the gross margin and a rapid turnover rate of key personnel.
• Extra capacity ensuing from a change in the Swedish wholesale market will intensify competition, which may weaken the profitability of operations. The share of single channel distribution in the pharmaceutical wholesale market may decline rapidly, which may weaken the profitability of operations and lead to the restructuring of wholesale operations.
• As a result of the tough competition in the Russian wholesale business, the gross margin may decline further, which will lead to a continued need to intensify operations and restructure wholesale operations over the longterm. The payment behaviour that is typical to the Russian market, combined with the regional expansion of operations may increase credit risks.
• Strategic development projects involve operational risks
  
  

The major financial risks for Oriola-KD involve currency exchange rates, liquidity, interest rates and credit. Currency risks are the most significant financial risks in Russia and Sweden, as any changes in the value of the Russian rouble or the Swedish krona will have an impact on Oriola-KD's financial
performance and equity.

Goodwill and intangible rights are subject to impairment testing at least once every year. Changes in cash flow forecasts based on strategic plans, or in the discount rate or perpetuity growth rate, can cause a goodwill write-off, which would weaken Oriola-KD's result. The impairment test of the goodwill of the Russian cash-generating unit, in particular, is sensitive to changes in the discount rate or cash-flow forecasts.

Near-term risks and uncertainty factors

A decrease in gross margin resulting from intense competition and an increase in credit risks concerning customers may have an impact on the profitability of the wholesale business in Russia. Oriola-KD's strategic development projects in the wholesale business in Russia and the operations in Sweden involve operational risks which may have an effect on Oriola-KD's profitability.

Risk Management system

The purpose of risk management is to help the Group to achieve its objectives. The risks threatening the achievement of the objectives can only be managed if they are identified and assessed.

The Board of Directors of Oriola-KD Corporation approves the company’s risk management policy and the risk management objectives and guides and supervises the planning and implementation of the risk management. The Board-appointed Audit Committee supervises risk management in the Group.

The management of the Oriola-KD Group has the operative responsibility for risk management. Risk management and the principles governing risk management and their development, coordination and monitoring are the responsibility of the Risk Management Steering Group, which is chaired by the Oriola-KD Group’s CFO.

Oriola-KD’s risk management policies  are part of the Group’s management process and its different components. The purpose of the policies is to ensure that risks can be comprehensively identified, assessed, managed and monitored throughout the Group.  Risk management is an integral part of Oriola-KD’s planning and management system, decision-making, daily management, monitoring and reporting.

The principle governing the risk management policy is illustrated above. The risks that may interfere with the achievement of the objectives in the sector in question are identified and assessed as part of business operations planning. Risk management is also an integral part of the Group strategy process.

The first steps in the risk management process are:

1. Risk identification
2. Evaluation of the likelihood of the risks occurring if the risks are not accounted for  
3. Evaluation of the consequences of the risks occurring, by calculating the cumulative financial losses during the strategy period
4. Preparation of a risk management plan (measures helping to avoid risks, to make them less likely or to mitigate the consequences)
5. Risk management is incorporated into the monitoring reports regularly submitted to the management

The Group Management Team and the Board of Directors receive yearly reports on the risk management situation.