Mission & Objectives
Our Mission:
To support Chief Risk Officers, other executives and risk management practitioners to:
improve their organization’s capabilities to handle the risks in their business environment and
embed a risk lens into their firm’s strategic decisions.
Our Objectives:
To establish and nurture a community of ERM professionals in Canada
To support the knowledge and skills development of ERM professionals at every phase of their career. This is accomplished by facilitating the exchange of ideas and knowledge through talks by ERM practitioners and thought leaders in related decision support disciplines
To support ERM professionals to enhance their organization’s strategic risk management capabilities and integrate a risk lens into decision making
What We Do
We provide peer-to-peer networking and education through in-person and online events.
Our events are focused on bringing ERM professionals groundbreaking ideas, and innovative perspectives, tools, and techniques they can use to enhance their enterprise risk management skills and their organization’s ERM practices.
All events also have a networking component to foster relationships and community among ERM professionals.
LEADERSHIP
The Society is governed by a volunteer Advisory Board that was established in early 2025 to act as the interim management team responsible for transitioning the Society from an informal network to a formal not-for-profit structure.
The interim Advisory Board will be replaced by a duly elected set of directors and officers in 2026, i.e., once the incorporation of the Society as a not-for-profit entity is completed. The election will create opportunities for interested members to serve the Society and contribute to its growth and ongoing development.
The interim Advisory Board is comprised of the following volunteer members:
Our History
The group had its start in January 2016 at an informal networking event in Toronto. The aim was to bring together local ERM professionals from a wide range of industries and disciplinary backgrounds. Given that most organizations tend to have only 1- 2 people in an ERM role, the event participants appreciated the opportunity to compare notes with their peers. The group quickly grew into the Toronto ERM Community Network with over 175 ERM leaders and risk management practitioners.
In the early years, the network held three to four meetings a year to enable ERM professionals to exchange ideas and experiences with their peers. Later, in response members’ requests for more opportunities to learn about how organizations are improving their ERM practices, speakers were added to the networking sessions. In 2020, online meetings were added to accommodate restrictions on gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From its inception, the network was supported by a small core of volunteers. This model limited the network’s ability to meet members’ needs. Thus, in early 2025, an Advisory Board was established to transition from an informal network to a formal professional society. The formal not-for-profit structure will provide a stable basis to grow the network and enhance its ability to provide members high-quality peer-to-peer networking, professional development events, and other resources to support their development as ERM professionals. The interim Advisory Board will be replaced by a duly elected set of directors and officers when the not-for-profit entity is launched in 2026.
The Society of ERM Professionals will host its inaugural event in the fall of 2025. We look forward to welcoming ERM Professionals to join the Society and attend its in-person and on-line events.