Ferma Risk Management Association

What Ferma Risk Management Association does

Ferma Risk Management Association (FERMA) is the Brussels-based federation of 24 national risk management associations across 23 European countries, representing over 7,000 individual risk managers active in industrial, commercial, financial, and public-sector organisations. Founded in 1974 and registered as a Belgian non-profit (BCE BE 0414.927.002), FERMA coordinates risk management at European level, advocates with EU institutions (European Commission, Parliament, EIOPA), and provides the rimap® registered professional certification for risk managers. Core offerings comprise four pillars: the rimap® certification programme and licensed academies (including the FERMA/Lloyd's Academy, which has trained more than 140 risk managers from 22 countries since 2012); flagship events such as the biennial FERMA Forum and the annual FERMA Seminar; thought-leadership publications including the Foresight Committee's NEXT (New EXposure Trends) report and white papers on ERM, sustainability, and cyber risk governance; and convening activity such as the European Risk Management Awards.

The federation's commercial and intellectual outputs are produced by a small central staff of 1-10 employees, supported by committees (Foresight, ERM, Sustainability) drawn from senior risk practitioners at member organisations such as Airbus Defence & Space, SAP, NCC, and Sogefi Group. Governance is exercised by a Board elected at the General Assembly (most recently 1 July 2026 under the "Together Stronger Vision") with day-to-day leadership by the CEO (Laurent Nihoul) and President (Charlotte Hedemark). Distribution is federated: national member associations deliver certification prep, disseminate publications, and represent members locally, enabling pan-European reach without owned local infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through membership dues from the 24 national associations, rimap® certification and preparatory-course fees, Forum and Seminar registration/sponsorship, and publication distribution. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Strategic partners include Lloyd's (since 2012), ECIIA (since 2010), Insurance Europe, BIPAR, RIMS, WBCSD (Open Sesame climate-resilience initiative launched 6 May 2026), and Howden. There are no subsidiaries, no M&A activity, and no external equity investors; the entity is a member-governed non-profit with no parent company.

Name

Ferma Risk Management Association

Legal name

FERMA (Federation of European Risk Management Associations)

Website

https://ferma.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ferma Risk Management Association (FERMA) is a Brussels-based federation representing 24 national risk management associations across 23 European countries and 7,000+ risk professionals. It advocates for the profession with EU institutions, delivers the rimap® certification, runs biennial Forum events, and publishes thought-leadership research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Risk Management Association Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

akta.pro primary industry

Risk Management (Enterprise, Operational, Model) (EDABAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Governance, Controls & Internal Control Frameworks (EDABAJAL), Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO)

Keywords

• Risk management association
• Professional certification programs
• Enterprise risk management
• Insurance market events
• Risk management publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Revenue from national risk management associations that are members of FERMA
2. Certification Fees: Fees associated with rimap® certification programme, including preparatory courses and examinations

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

FERMA is a non-profit federation that represents and coordinates 24 national risk management associations in 23 European countries, serving over 7,000 risk managers. Its sellable offerings are the rimap® professional certification programme (with preparatory courses and examinations), major events such as the biennial FERMA Forum and the annual FERMA Seminar, joint training programmes like the FERMA/Lloyd's Academy for Risk Managers, and research publications/white papers covering ERM, sustainability, cyber and emerging risks. The federation also runs advocacy projects (e.g., Open Sesame with WBCSD, Next Gen) and the European Risk Management Awards.

Product overview

FERMA (Federation of European Risk Management Associations) is a professional association representing risk management professionals across Europe, not a software product company. FERMA's offerings consist of professional certification programs (rimap®), educational events (FERMA Forum, FERMA Seminar), research publications (white papers, reports, guides), advocacy initiatives, and awards programs. The core offering centers on professional development and thought leadership for enterprise risk management practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• rimap®: Professional certification program for risk managers offered by FERMA
• FERMA Forum
• FERMA Seminar
• FERMA/Lloyd's Academy
• European Risk Management Awards

Products and services

• rimap® Professional Certification Professional certification programme for European risk managers, providing a recognised qualification with associated preparatory courses, examinations, learning network and resources. Aimed at risk managers in industrial, commercial, financial and public-sector organisations.
• FERMA/Lloyd's Academy for Risk Managers A FERMA rimap®-licensed training programme delivered in partnership with Lloyd's of London, offering risk managers structured sessions on risk appetite, exposure management, claims and emerging risks, with direct exposure to the London insurance market.
• FERMA Forum Biennial European conference and exhibition for risk management and insurance professionals, featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and networking opportunities for practitioners, insurers, brokers and sponsors.
• FERMA Seminar Annual European seminar addressing key themes in European risk management, bringing practitioners together for discussions on emerging trends and challenges in the profession.
• NEXT – New Exposure Trends Report Comprehensive annual foresight report providing insights into emerging risk trends for European risk managers, developed by FERMA's Foresight Committee of recognised European experts.
• Building Organisational Value Through Strategic Risk Management White Paper White paper on strategic risk management from a European perspective, focusing on Corporate Risk Management (CRM) and value creation, produced by FERMA's ERM Committee and presented by CEO Laurent Nihoul and ERM Committee Chair Ulrich Adamheit.
• People, Planet & Performance – Sustainability Risk Guide First sustainability risk guide for European risk managers, providing practical guidance on incorporating sustainability goals into enterprise-wide risk management.
• Preparing for Cyber Insurance Guide Joint guide published with BIPAR, Insurance Europe, Aon and Marsh, helping organisations understand cyber risks and prepare for cyber insurance discussions.
• GDPR & Corporate Governance Report Joint FERMA/ECIIA report on GDPR's impact on corporate governance, focusing on the roles of internal audit and risk management functions.
• Sustainability-Linked Insurance Principles Publication outlining principles for sustainability-linked insurance, intended to strengthen market integrity and transparency in how insurers price and structure sustainability-linked products.
• FERMA Student Programme Student sponsorship programme delivered in collaboration with EucA and Howden, providing students with attendance, workshops and career exploration at the FERMA Forum.
• Next Gen Project Project focused on engaging young risk professionals across Europe, including the Next Gen European Risk Council convening emerging practitioners.
• European Risk Management Awards Annual awards programme recognising excellence in European risk management, including categories such as Public Sector Risk Manager of the Year and Emerging Risk Initiative of the Year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established Foresight Committee to provide insights on emerging topics for FERMA and members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026Joint 'Open Sesame' initiative launched to develop climate resilience financing framework. Aims to unlock climate resilience finance for businesses through public-private partnerships.
• ECIIA (European Confederation of Institutes of Internal Auditing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on risk governance frameworks including Three Lines of Defence model and cyber risk governance. Joint guidance published on 8th EU Company Law Directive and GDPR corporate governance. Collaborative work on internal audit and risk management integration.
• BIPAR (European Insurance and Reinsurance Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with FERMA and Insurance Europe to publish 'Preparing for Cyber Insurance' guide to help organizations understand cyber risks and potential insurance needs.
• Insurance EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with BIPAR and FERMA on cyber insurance guidance. Collaborates on insurance market issues and non-damage business interruption coverage development.
• Lloyd'sflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, runs FERMA/Lloyd's Academy for Risk Managers - a rimap® licensed programme welcoming over 140 risk managers from 22 countries. Provides insights into London insurance market through sessions on risk appetite, exposure management, claims, and emerging risks.
• RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on joint webinar bringing together EU and US perspectives on COVID-19 risk management, sharing survey results and lessons learned across the Atlantic.
• EucA (European University College Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartners with FERMA on student programme at FERMA Forum, providing exclusive professional workshops and career exploration opportunities for students in risk management, finance, and related fields.
• HowdenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of FERMA Forum student programme, supporting students' attendance at Europe's biggest risk management gathering. Howden is a global insurance broker with presence across 57 countries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society): RIMS is the largest global risk management professional association serving individual risk managers and corporate ERM programs with education, certification (CRM), networking, and advocacy, mirroring FERMA's federation-plus-certification model on a global, US-anchored scale.
• Institute of Risk Management (IRM): IRM is a UK-headquartered risk management membership body offering qualifications (CertIRM, Diploma, Fellowship), training, publications, and policy engagement, making it a directly comparable credentialing and advocacy peer to FERMA in the European market.
• PRMIA (Professional Risk Managers' International Association): PRMIA is an international association offering the PRM (Professional Risk Manager) designation alongside training and events, competing with FERMA's rimap® for the same risk-manager credentialing wallet.

Broad incumbents

• GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals): GARP is a larger, established professional body providing globally recognized certifications (FRM, SCR) and research across financial and enterprise risk, overlapping with FERMA's certification and thought-leadership mandate from a broader, finance-rooted base.

Others

• AIRMIC (Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce): AIRMIC is FERMA's UK member association and one of its 24 national constituents, providing sector training, networking, and advocacy that directly support FERMA's pan-European federation model.
• ECIIA (European Confederation of Institutes of Internal Auditing): ECIIA is FERMA's long-standing strategic partner, jointly publishing guidance on Three Lines of Defence, cyber risk governance, and GDPR; as the European internal-audit federation it shares FERMA's federation structure and policy-advocacy engagement model.
• Insurance Europe: Insurance Europe is the European insurance industry federation and a FERMA partner on cyber insurance guidance and NDBI coverage development, occupying the supply-side counterpart of FERMA's buyer-side advocacy role.

Emerging players

• The IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors): The IIA is a globally recognized internal audit professional association with certifications (CIA) and standards that overlap with FERMA's risk governance, Three Lines of Defence, and corporate-governance advocacy work.
• ISACA: ISACA is a global professional association for IT governance, risk, and cybersecurity practitioners (CISA, CISM, CRISC), overlapping with FERMA's cyber risk governance, digitalisation, and enterprise risk membership base.

Regional players

• PARIMA (Pan-Asia Risk and Insurance Management Association): PARIMA is a regional Asia-Pacific federation of corporate risk and insurance managers, structurally analogous to FERMA but operating across Asia-Pacific rather than Europe, serving as a regional counterpart for benchmarking and partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FERMARISK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKsfZGzD7yfsNNRbNht5Qvw
• LinkedInbe.linkedin.com/company/ferma-2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ferma Risk Management Association