Minutes | Board Risk Committee (BRC) Meeting 24 April 2020

BRC Attendees: Harald Alvestrand, Lito Ibarra (Chair), Merike Käo, Nigel Roberts, and Matthew Shears

BRC Apologies: Akinori Maemura and Kaveh Ranjbar

ICANN Org Attendees: Susanna Bennett (SVP, Chief Operations Officer), Michelle Bright (Board Content Coordination Director), Xavier Calvez (SVP & Chief Financial Officer), Franco Carrasco (Board Operations Specialist), Samantha Eisner (Deputy General Counsel), James Caulfield (VP, Risk Management), Wendy Profit (Board Operations Senior Manager), Ashwin Rangan (SVP Engineering & Chief Information Officer), Jennifer Scott (Senior Counsel), and Amy Stathos (Deputy General Counsel)

---

The following is a summary of discussions, actions taken and actions identified:

1. Update on Zoom Videoconferencing Platform – The BRC received a presentation from ICANN org on the progress of functionality and improvements made to the security of the Zoom videoconferencing platform. The BRC discussed the information provided relating to the use of Zoom for the facilitation of ICANN meetings and an alternative platform, should it be needed.

2. Review of Risk Appetite Statement Proposed Draft – The BRC received a presentation from ICANN org on the BRC's feedback and resulting updates to the draft ICANN Risk Appetite Statement. The Risk Appetite Statement is informed by the Risk Register and identifies the types of risks that ICANN is managing, their risk profiles and ICANN's appetite for each. The BRC discussed the statement and open feedback items. The BRC also discussed and agreed to publication of a summary of the statement following the Board's adoption of the statement. Upon finalizing the draft, the statement will be shared with the Board for review and adoption, with the intended eventual publication of a summary document of the statement on ICANN org's website.

   • Action: ICANN org to update and prepare the draft Risk Appetite Statement for Board consideration.

3. Review of Long-Term Remote Working Assessment – The BRC received a presentation from ICANN org on its assessment of the impact of staff working remotely long term as it relates to both day-to-day and critical operations, and the resulting recommendations. Although the BRC acknowledged that long term remote operations are achievable, the BRC suggested for ICANN org to try to implement a social aspect into the virtual ICANN meetings in an attempt to replicate a sense of relationship-building that occurs during face-to-face meetings.

   • Action: ICANN org to consider the BRC's feedback in planning community sessions for ICANN68.

4. Review of Updates to Risk Register – The BRC received an update from ICANN org on changes made to the top risks in the ICANN Risk Register. ICANN org explained changes that have been made in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation also included how ICANN org is managing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Discussion of Alternate Chair to BRC – The BRC discussed the concept of having an alternate chair for the BRC, similar to what is being discussed in other Board Committees for contingency planning in the event the current Committee Chair is unable to chair a committee meeting. The BRC generally agreed that having an alternate chair could be beneficial and also agreed to look to the Board Governance Committee for further guidance and governance for selecting alternate committee chairs.

Published on 08 July 2020