Ubisoft 2013 Annual Report Download - page 190

Governance and Internal Control
2013
185
INTERNAL PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION
1.8.2.2
To effectively communicate strategic goals and provide the resources needed by teams to fulfill their
duties, Ubisoft encourages information-sharing through internal collaborative tools. In addition to local
briefings and an organized internal communications network, a portal accessible to all Group
employees was set up in 2007. This portal ensures permanent and up-to-date access to all information
relating to the Group, the market and its developments, and to other intranets. These frequently
updated intranets facilitate knowledge-sharing between the Group’s various business lines, for
example:
o Operational:
- Workspaces dedicated to sharing information on projects, developments, technologies,
studies and analyses.
o IT:
- A shared database comprising functional and technical documentation on applications
and projects led by IT departments.
o Accounting, finance and management control:
- A shared database, only accessible to the relevant employees, providing procedure
manuals, Group contacts and information on the financial reporting cycle.
The various departments also organize regular training and briefing sessions to ensure the
dissemination of information.
RISK IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT 1.8.2.3
In the course of its business, the Group is exposed to a series of risks that could affect its performance
and the achievement of its strategic and financial goals.
In order to implement mechanisms to manage its risks, mainly in the production and support
companies, the Company has identified the risks through a proactive approach: Upstream with
management teams and downstream with the operational and functional teams.
The main risks were identified by executive management in conjunction with operational and Group
management.
The nature of the main risk factors and means of prevention or action are outlined in the chapter of the
management report entitled “Risk factors”.
These risks were grouped into five categories:
- Risks linked to the business and the video games market
- Legal risks (lawsuits, regulatory environment, intellectual property, licensing agreements)
- Operational risks (associated with dependence on customers and suppliers, information
security, financial information)
- Market or financial risks
- Industrial or environment-related risks
At the management’s request, these risks, for which the level of control is insufficient or could be
improved, can then be analyzed by those involved in the control system. Internal control procedures
are then designed or reviewed in collaboration with operational teams to improve efficiency.
The procedures implemented form an internal operating framework for the Company and are
constantly changing so as to ultimately provide effective risk management tools for use at all levels of
the organization and, in particular for analyzing IT and extra-financial risks.