Panorama Newsletter

Roberto, you are one of the most skilled managers on Risk Management in the Lab Animal Science industry. What do you think about a Statement of Confidence document?

A Statement of Confidence addresses the very core of any Enterprise Risk Management initiative: Business Continuity.

It is a concise, but comprehensive statement by which a Supplier declares, supported with proven evidence, its capability to ensure enterprise risks (financial, operational, environmental etc.) are duly assessed and mitigated, as well as the strong commitment in making its Value Proposition a tangible thing.

As such, it is an unmistakable sign of what being close to Customers and striving for excellence really mean.

Is a Statement of Confidence Document an important factor in the evaluation of a Supplier?

Sure, it is a very good starting point.
Gathering thorough information about Business Continuity is always a time-consuming endeavour, and a Statement of Confidence that makes the point on proven evidence of Business Continuity and sticking to the promises made provides useful clues in properly performing a Supplier evaluation.

Is a Statement of Confidence Document a reliable document? What you would like to see written in it, to increase the reliability? Are there some misleading topics related to a statement of Confidence?

It must be a reliable document. It must bring unquestionable evidence.
By issuing a Statement of Confidence, a Supplier formally communicates with its Customers, and such a communication must be bold and honest: it’s all about trust and business ethics.

Providing unreliable, or misleading, information will backfire, as sooner or later the truth will come to light.
So, my advice about Statements of Confidence is very simple: “If you have nothing to say, say nothing!”.       

Do you think that due to the COVID-19 situation companies without a Statement of Confidence document may have problems in guaranteeing their operations?

The key is not the Document itself: it’s about what lies behind a Statement of Confidence, i.e. a comprehensive and multi-faceted Enterprise Risk Management System, and an enduring effort in systematically scanning and assessing the environment and unfolding situations.

We live in a highly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous business eco-system. We must be ready to expect the unexpected. COVID-19 is definitely a disruptive event, but it was not the only in the past years, nor it will be the only in the future.

Companies must accept this, mitigating the consequences and exploiting disguised opportunities. A Statement of Confidence is not the answer, but it is the evidence that an answer has been put to work, effectively. 

LEOPOLDO ZAUNER - MARKETING & COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, TECNIPLAST S.P.A.