APER 4.6 Statement of Principle 6
4The Statement of Principle 6 (see APER 2.1A.3 P) is in the following terms: "An approved person performing an accountable significant-influence function must exercise due skill, care and diligence in managing the business of the firm for which he is responsible in his accountable function." References in APER 4.6 to a significant-influence function are to an accountable significant-influence function to which Statement of Principle 6 applies.
In the opinion of the appropriate regulator,4 conduct of the type described in APER 4.6.3 E, APER 4.6.5 E, APER 4.6.6 E or APER 4.6.8 E does not comply with Statement of Principle 6.4
4Failing to take reasonable steps to adequately inform himself about the affairs of the business for which he is responsible falls within APER 4.6.2 E.
Behaviour of the type referred to in APER 4.6.3 E includes, but is not limited to:
- (1)
permitting transactions without a sufficient understanding of the risks involved;
- (2)
permitting expansion of the business without reasonably assessing the potential risks of that expansion;
- (3)
inadequately monitoring highly profitable transactions or business practices or unusual transactions or business practices;
- (4)
accepting implausible or unsatisfactory explanations from subordinates without testing the veracity of those explanations;
- (5)
failing to obtain independent, expert opinion where appropriate; (see APER 4.6.12 G).
Delegating the authority for dealing with an issue or a part of the business to an individual or individuals (whether in-house or outside contractors) without reasonable grounds for believing that the delegate had the necessary capacity, competence, knowledge, seniority or skill to deal with the issue or to take authority for dealing with part of the business, falls within APER 4.6.2 E (see APER 4.6.13 G).
Failing to take reasonable steps to maintain an appropriate level of understanding about an issue or part of the business that he has delegated to an individual or individuals (whether in-house or outside contractors) falls within APER 4.6.2 E (see APER 4.6.14 G).
Behaviour of the type referred to in APER 4.6.6 E includes but is not limited to:
- (1)
disregarding an issue or part of the business once it has been delegated;
- (2)
failing to require adequate reports once the resolution of an issue or management of part of the business has been delegated;
- (3)
accepting implausible or unsatisfactory explanations from delegates without testing their veracity.
Failing to supervise and monitor adequately the individual or individuals (whether in-house or outside contractors) to whom responsibility for dealing with an issue or authority for dealing with a part of the business has been delegated falls within APER 4.6.2 E.
Behaviour of the type referred to in APER 4.6.8 E includes, but is not limited to:
In determining whether or not the conduct of an approved person performing a significant influence function under APER 4.6.5 E, APER 4.6.6 E and APER 4.6.8 E complies with Statement of Principle 6,4 the following are factors which, in the opinion of the appropriate regulator,4 are to be taken into account:
4An approved person performing a significant influence function will not always manage the business on a day-to-day basis himself. The extent to which he does so will depend on a number of factors, including the nature, scale and complexity of the business and his position within it. The larger and more complex the business, the greater the need for clear and effective delegation and reporting lines. The appropriate regulator4 will look to the approved person performing a significant-influence function4 to take reasonable steps to ensure that systems are in place which result in issues being addressed at the appropriate level. When issues come to his attention, he should deal with them in an appropriate way.
44Knowledge about the business
- (1)
It is important for the approved person performing a significant influence function to understand the business for which he is responsible (APER 4.6.4 E). An approved person performing a significant influence function is unlikely to be an expert in all aspects of a complex financial services business. However, he should understand and inform himself about the business sufficiently to understand the risks of its trading, credit or other business activities.
- (2)
It is important for an approved person performing a significant influence function to understand the risks of expanding the business into new areas and, before approving the expansion, he should investigate and satisfy himself, on reasonable grounds, about the risks, if any, to the business.
- (3)
Where unusually profitable business is undertaken, or where the profits are particularly volatile or the business involves funding requirements on the firm beyond those reasonably anticipated, he should require explanations from those who report to him. Where those explanations are implausible or unsatisfactory, he should take steps to test the veracity of those explanations.
- (4)
Where the approved person performing a significant influence function is not an expert in a business area, he should consider whether he or those with whom he works have the necessary expertise to provide him with an adequate explanation of issues within that business area.If not he should seek an independent opinion from elsewhere within or outside the firm.
Delegation
- (1)
An approved person performing a significant influence function may delegate the investigation, resolution or management of an issue or authority for dealing with a part of the business to individuals who report to him or to others.
- (2)
The approved person performing a significant influence function should have reasonable grounds for believing that the delegate has the competence, knowledge, skill and time to deal with the issue. For instance, if the compliance department only has sufficient resources to deal with day-to-day issues, it would be unreasonable to delegate to it the resolution of a complex or unusual issue without ensuring it had sufficient capacity to deal with the matter adequately.
- (3)
If an issue raises questions of law or interpretation, the approved person performing a significant influence function may need to take legal advice. If appropriate legal expertise is not available in-house, he may need to consider appointing an appropriate external adviser.
- (4)
The FCA and PRA recognise that the approved person performing a significant-influence function will have to exercise his own judgment in deciding how issues are dealt with, and that in some cases that judgment will, with the benefit of hindsight, be shown to have been wrong. He will not be in breach of Statement of Principle 6 unless he fails to exercise due and reasonable consideration before he delegates the resolution of an issue or authority for dealing with a part of the business and fails to reach a reasonable conclusion. If he is in doubt about how to deal with an issue or the seriousness of a particular compliance problem, then, although he cannot delegate to the appropriate regulator the responsibility for dealing with the problem or issue, he can speak to the appropriate regulator4 to discuss his approach (see APER 4.6.5 E).
Continuing responsibilities where an issue has been delegated
Although an approved person performing a significant influence function may delegate the resolution of an issue, or authority for dealing with a part of the business, he cannot delegate responsibility for it. It is his responsibility to ensure that he receives reports on progress and questions those reports where appropriate. For instance, if progress appears to be slow or if the issue is not being resolved satisfactorily, then the approved person performing a significant influence function may need to challenge the explanations he receives and take action himself to resolve the problem. This may include increasing the resource applied to it, reassigning the resolution internally or obtaining external advice or assistance. Where an issue raises significant concerns, an approved person performing a significant influence function should act clearly and decisively. If appropriate, this may be by suspending members of staff or relieving them of all or part of their responsibilities (see APER 4.6.6 E).