Strategy & Internal Oversight

The icddr,b Strategic Plan 2020 is the organisation’s road map for the coming decade. It is actionable, measurement-based, and employee- and stakeholder-centric. An important step towards successfully implementing it is to enhance the scope of the existing performance-reporting mechanism.

Donors are increasingly concerned about the effectiveness of their aid. In light of their emerging needs, icddr,b felt that an independent, multidisciplinary team should be formed to carry out structured implementation of strategy, monitoring, good governance through risk management, internal auditing and periodic external evaluations mandated by key stakeholders.

In November 2009, the Board of Trustees approved the formation of Strategy & Internal Oversight (S&IO) Services.  In June 2010, the Board approved the appointment of the first director of S&IO, Mr. Aniruddha Neogi. The service became operational the following month.

Among the new service’s goals is to ensure that all functions align their objectives with that of the Strategic Plan. A flexible, integrated and simple framework using scorecards, dashboards and key performance indicators is being developed to help drive accountability.

A cost-effective internal audit system is being implemented through the use of appropriate technology and people.

A ‘Loss Causation Model’ will be used to analyse internal assurance findings to ensure that ‘Root Cause’ is identified.

The Internal Assurance function is expected to act as an enabler, with the goal of advising and supporting all functions on process improvement and cost optimisation initiatives.

Uncertainties and associated risks will be managed in a planned and coordinated manner, thereby enhancing our ability to successfully achieve our objectives and optimise associated risk exposure by strengthening the existing ‘Enterprise Risk Management Framework’.

Periodic reporting to the stakeholders, including the Executive Director and Board of Trustees, will be an important objective.

Efforts will be made to embed a ‘Risk Culture’ by encouraging identification, assessment and reporting of risks and opportunities on a continuous basis.