31 Oct 2024

assessing-risk-management-in-marine-conseervation

In October, Azizi Consulting partnered with UNODC to facilitate a three-day forum on Corruption Risk Assessment and Management in the Southern Africa Marine Sector.

The forum, held on 22-24 October in Cape Town, South Africa was organized by South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

It focused on assessing the corruption risks impacting marine and coastal management and developing strategies to mitigate the same.

Overfishing depletes our oceans. Shrinking fishing populations affect the balance of marine ecosystems and the millions of people across Africa who depend on healthy oceans for livelihoods and food security.

The three-day forum provided a great platform for Azizi Consulting to impart risk assessment and risk mitigation tools to the marine and coastal management officers from across South Africa.

Always an honour to be of service to the personnel at the forefront of detecting and deterring illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the continent—a crucial step towards a future where marine ecosystems and the blue economy can thrive.

Related Resource: Rotten Fish: A Guide on Addressing Corruption in the Fisheries Sector by UNODC

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Anti-Fraud/Corruption Risks Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

13 Oct 2024

effective-audit-committees-training-by-azizi-consulting-kenya

Is your Board providing effective oversight over your procurement process?

In October, Azizi Consulting had the pleasure of facilitating a productive training session on Effective Audit Committees for the Council Audit and Risk Committees of Kenya Institute of Supplies Management.

The training, held in Machakos County, was organized by the Institute of Internal Auditors Kenya – IIA Kenya.

It focused on the role of the Board in providing oversight over the procurement process in a quest towards enabling more collaborative audits.

The key areas tackled in the training were:

  • Board procurement oversight
  • Procurement risk analysis, controls and red flags
  • Combined assurance mapping
    • Are we over-auditing (duplication of resources)?
    • Are we under-auditing (weak or no oversight over key risks)?

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Audit Committee Capacity Building Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

31 Aug 2024

leadership-and-risk-management-training-ICPAK-in-partnership-with-Azizi-Consulting

Are you fostering a risk-aware culture in your organization and helping your leadership have a firm grasp of the intersection of leadership and risk management?

In August 2024, we had the privilege of carrying out a Leadership and Risk Management Training for the Board of Directors and Senior Management of the National Construction Authority-Kenya.

The Leadership and Risk Management Training is a particularly resourceful investment for seasoned executives looking to gain the insights and frameworks to sharpen their acumen in strategic and resilient leadership.

The training can also be an asset to the newcomer in management seeking to gain the knowledge to lead effectively from the onset—proactively identifying and navigating risks for sustainable success.

The August training, organized by ICPAK (Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya), facilitated by Azizi Consulting and held in Nakuru, delved into the areas of:

1. Risk as part of corporate governance

The role of risk management and why corporate leadership needs to manage risk more proactively, including taking into account the risk exposure of every business activity.

2. Importance of risk governance

The benefits of incorporating risk governance as a strategic priority for the executive leadership.

3. The risk and strategy relationship

Understanding the linkage between risk management and strategy implementation.

4. Risk governance tools

Setting up the systems that help your organization manage risk, compliance and governance.

5. Risk appetite and linkage to strategy

The role of risk appetite and how the Board can better articulate your organization’s risk appetite and link it back to strategy to determine whether the organization is taking the right risks: are you assuming too much or too little risk? Should alternative strategies for reaching the goals set out be considered?

6. The role of different players in ERM 

The different but complementary roles in ERM (Enterprise Risk Management)–Board, Management and Risk Champions and how they can work together to agree on the risk appetite and strategy of the organization and align their risk management activities accordingly.

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Leadership and Risk Management Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

16 Aug 2024

GARP-workshop-2024

It was an eventful start to September for Azizi Consulting as we had the pleasure of participating in the GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals) Workshop on Financial Implications and Opportunities in Sustainability and Climate Risk.

Climate risk is no longer a distant concern for businesses, governments and economies.

If overlooked, climate risks, such as erratic weather patterns, including heatwaves or flush floods, can lead to infrastructure damage, power outages, transportation disturbances and disruption of the supply chain. These can result in disruption of operations and lost productivity, leading to reputational damage.

Climate risk assessment allows the executive leadership to identify areas of vulnerability in their operations that could be affected by climate risk and prioritize the risk mitigation strategies—be it by relocating facilities or adopting preventive measures, such as elevated foundations, to minimize losses from extreme weather.

As the world seeks to transition to a low-carbon economy, a climate risk assessment also enables the leadership to forecast the climate policies that could impact their processes and plan to transition accordingly. For example, start investing in clean technologies or even identify markets emerging from a growing demand for clean energy and capitalize on the new market opportunities.

Filling the Gap with GARP

The GARP workshop was thus timely. It provided a resourceful forum to reflect on the importance of organizations proactively managing climate risk, including undertaking a Sustainability Risk Maturity Assessment to check on:

  1. Governance: policies to guide the organization in implementing sustainability, informing the Board’s oversight and outlining the management roles.
  2. Processes: integrating sustainability into what the organization does.
  3. M&E framework: access implementation and impact of sustainability initiatives by the organization—the ratio of what we say and what we do as an organisation.

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Climate Risk Assessment and Sustainability advisory, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

13 Aug 2024

UNODC-training-Kenya-fisheries-azizi-consulting-corruption-risks-training

Kenya’s coastline, with its strategic location and ample natural coastal and marine resources, continues to grapple with the risk of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supports countries such as Kenya to devise robust measures to counter the destructive economic and environmental impacts of IUU.

These measures include building the capacity of national agencies to incorporate corruption risk management into their strategies to counter the far-reaching impact of IUU fishing.

In August 2024, Azizi Consulting, under the stewardship of UNODC, facilitated a Corruption Risk Assessment and Risk Mitigation Forum for the Corruption Prevention Committee at the Kenya Fisheries Services (KeFS).

Formulating a Corruption Prevention Policy

The primary objective of the forum held in Malindi, Kilify County, was to support KeFS’ Corruption Prevention Committee to implement high-priority activities in the KeFS Corruption Mitigation Plan launched in 2023.

Azizi Consulting led the session aimed at enhancing the capacity of the participants to develop a corruption prevention policy.

The policy helps not only identify risk areas where corruption instances are likely to occur but also develop risk mitigation plans to address those issues before they take place.

The session also imparted pragmatic skills for improved human resources management.

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Anti-Fraud/Corruption Risks Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

30 Jul 2024

UNODC-risk-management-training-mozambique-2024-by-azizi-consulting

The health of our forests directly impacts the health of humanity, as our lives depend on the large amounts of oxygen forests produce.

Forests are also home to wildlife. They host 68% of the world’s mammals, 75% of the world’s birds, and 80% of the world’s amphibians. If forests are lost, so too is the world’s biodiversity.

Risk Management for Forest Protection 
In July 2024, Azizi Consulting partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to provide Risk Management Training for forest restoration in Mozambique.

The training is geared towards enabling governmental institutions to tackle corruption risks in the forest sector across Africa.

So far, we have had the honour of holding similar training in various countries on the continent, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leonne, DR Congo, Botswana, Malawi and Mozambique.

Related Resources:

  • Click here for more information on the UNODC Mozambique forum.
  • Click here to read UNODC’s Forests in Danger: Why Corruption Drives Forests to Extinction

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Fraud Risk Assessment Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

28 Apr 2024

Risk-champions-training-IBM

As organizations increase their focus on Risk Management, they should also improve their measures to detect, deter and prevent fraud.

Azizi Consulting’s Fraud Risk Assessment Training helps organizations integrate anti-fraud initiatives into their Risk Management Frameworks.

In March and April 2024, Azizi Consulting partnered with Britam Kenya to carry out a comprehensive Fraud Risk Assessment Training for the firm’s Risk Officers, Risk Champions and Internal Auditors.

Training Overview

At the end of the extensive training, the trainees are equipped to:

  • Recognize why an effective fraud risk assessment is vital to an organization
  • Understand fraud risk management roles and responsibilities (and why everyone has a role to play)
  • Be equipped with the capacity to conduct a comprehensive fraud risk assessment across the organization

What is a key outcome of the Azizi Consulting – Fraud Risk Assessment Training?

  • The training will enhance your capacity to undertake fraud risk assessments continuously and recommend appropriate controls to management.

Who should attend the Azizi Consulting – Fraud Risk Assessment Training?

In addition to Risk Officers, Risk Champions and Internal Auditors, the training is also useful for:

  • Controllers and corporate managers
  • Forensic and management accountants
  • Financial analysts and anti-fraud professionals
  • Governance and compliance officers

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Fraud Risk Assessment Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

14 Feb 2024

introducing-our-new-logo-azizi-consulting

We are happy to announce our new brand identity, marking an exciting milestone in the evolution of the Azizi Consulting brand.

For over 15 years, Azizi Consulting has worked with leading private, public and non-profit organizations, enabling them to:

  • create uncontested market space;
  • manage risks that impact the achievement of their mandate;
  • review and strengthen their governance structures;
  • create controls to prevent/minimize fraud;
  • enhance their internal audit functions.

Our professional profile has grown immensely since Azizi Consulting was established in 2007, and now it is time to adapt our new logo to better represent who we are today and the dynamic future ahead.

New Look

Azizi Consulting’s new logo embraces a more modern and versatile look.

This is in alignment with our renewed commitment to enabling business and institutional leaders to navigate change, improve performance and continuously deliver tangible results in today’s fast-changing environment.

Same Azizi Values

We have revitalized the look while remaining true to the impeccable execution that we are known for by retaining our Red and Grey combination.

RED: We remain as energetic and as passionate about delivering actionable solutions.

GREY: Our depth of experience and our precise understanding of continental dynamics continue to ensure we remain rooted in our long-standing reputation of being your reliable authority in Strategy, Risk Management and Governance Advisory in Kenya and across Africa.

Let’s Get Reacquainted

Along with unveiling our new brand logo, we have revamped our Company Profile too.

It carries the same clean, modern and organized layout to get you quickly and easily reacquainted with the Azizi Consulting Experience.

We appreciate your engagement and partnership as we embrace this exciting change, and look to continue learning, growing and connecting.

Related Resource: Click here to download the Azizi Consulting 2024 Company profile.

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Fraud Risk Assessment Training, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For more information on branding, design and corporate communication, you can talk to our communication partners at www.jericonsulting.com

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting

10 Dec 2023

Azizi Consulting was a proud sponsor of the Institute of Risk Management East Africa Annual Conference 2023.

The Conference, held at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel, Nairobi, in December, was organized by the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) East Africa Group.

It brought together Risk Professionals from across the country, with over 160 participants attending both in person and virtually.

azizi-consulting-head-of-strategy-and-governance-at-the-IRM-Conference-2023Conference Core Focus
The 2023 IRM East Africa Conference focused on:

  • Climate Change and Sustainability presented by Edward Mungai
  • Data Privacy presented by Oscar Otieno
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity presented by Joel Onditi
  • Financial Resilience presented by Anthony S. Mwithiga
  • People Resilience presented by Evelyne Munyoki

Key Takeaways

Daniel Muondu, Head of Strategy and Governance at Azizi Consulting, had this to say about the conference:

“It was an honour to be part of the headline sponsors for the IRM conference 2023.

“Risk Management is crucial in today’s dynamic business landscape.

“It is, therefore, imperative, that leading Strategy, Risk Management and Governance Advisory firms like Azizi Consulting keep supporting efforts to bridge the gap between theory and practice by supporting risk management professionals to network and share best practices on providing hands-on risk mitigation and management training and solutions across the region.”

Risk Management Framework Launch

The Conference culminated with the launch of the Cybersecurity Risk Management Framework For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The framework, published by IRM in partnership with Serianu Limited, is a guiding resource that aims to empower SMEs with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to protect their digital assets, maintain business continuity and safeguard their customers’ trust.

Related Resources

  • Click here to learn bout the IRM East Africa Group.
  • Click here to download the Cybersecurity Risk Management Framework.

For more information on Azizi Consulting’s Risk Management Solutions and to inquire about partnership opportunities, please get in touch with us at riskmgt@aziziconsulting.com 

For updates and insights on our work and impact, please follow us on LinkedIn at Azizi Consulting