GROUPAMA / 2020 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT
6 EARNINGS AND FINANCIAL POSITION Management report of the Board of Directors
Consolidated financial statements 6.1.6.2 and combined financial statements The internal control procedures used to establish the reliability of the consolidatedfinancial data for the shareholdersof Groupama AssurancesMutuellesare based on five basic principles:checking the adequacy of skills (internal check), integrated control, parallel control tests, hierarchical control, and Group benchmarking. Security and Internal Checking Procedures (a) They are applied for the departmentspreparing the consolidated and combined financial statements in the same way as described in the section on the parent company financial statements (see above). Integrated Control (b) The Group’s system for developing condensed financial data has been implementedthroughout the entities. It is based on a single consolidated data production base. All the entities supply this database with data through secure links. It contains a large number of controls designed to guarantee the quality of the financial data: the first level of verification entails checking the standardisation ❯ of the data (all the Group’s data is presented in a format that follows a single standard); at a second level, a series of automatic checks is built into the ❯ entities’ individual data-gatheringphase. These checks mainly relate to the overall accuracy and consistency of the items entered. Dependingon the types of control, the data input may either be blocked automatically (which can only be cancelled if the exact data is input), or else the control returns an error, which must be corrected. An audit trail of these controls is maintained centrally. The software allows a fairly high level of automatic control through the development of interfaces with the upstream systems; at the central level, additional controls are carried out. These ❯ mainly involve the necessary consistency of the data between the different entities in the Group ( e.g. for internal reciprocal transactions) and central transactions (conversion of foreign subsidiaries, consolidation entries, etc.). The system has an audit trail that can run any cross-checksthat might be desired, to identify and monitor any data item and trace the source of any elementary data, from the parent company to the consolidated level. This set of parameters is tested regularly (particularly by republishing old scenarios). Control Tests (c) A set of verification and control tests has been put into place to ensure that transactions are executed reliably whether they are electronic or not. In addition to the electronic processes, these tests have two main objectives: checking the origin of the data (from the standpointof accuracy ❯ and applicationof the standards);this check is basedmainly on consistency checks with the estimates, with the parent company analytical notes (or the management report) of each entity, and on a managementquestionnairedesigned to ensure
that the Group’s most sensitive accounting standards and methods are properly applied; verification of central processing: accuracy checks are carried ❯ out to guarantee that central consolidation transactions are correctly processed (sharing of Group's equity, dilutions/accretions, etc.). The control tests are documented in a review manual. Hierarchical Control (d) Hierarchical control seeks to ensure that the principal items affectingthe truthfulnessand accuracyof the financial data, as well as the asset position and the profit/loss (parent company and consolidated) disclosed to the shareholders, are captured in the data presented. This control involves the use of several procedures: checking for consistencywith the estimates and with any item ❯ used to cross-check the data appearing in the financial statements; meetings to approve the financial statements with the ❯ employees producing the financial data (with a review of any problem subjects encountered during the approval process); approval meetings with the statutory auditors of the ❯ consolidated financial statements; meetings with the Steering Committee to review the ❯ consolidated financial statements; meetings of the Audit and Risk Management Committee to ❯ review the consolidated financial statements. All of these tasks are aimedat enhancingthe quality of the financial data, particularly the consolidated financial statements as well as the management report to the Board of Directors. The Group Standard (e) The accounting standards for the consolidated financial statementsare the IFRS. They are distributedat Group level, and instructions for using them are given in a consolidation manual containing remindersof each line item in the balancesheet and the income statement: IFRS reference text and a summary of the standard; ❯ the area of application and possible options selected by the ❯ Group wherever the IFRS leave the possibility of applying options; methods of application. ❯ The consolidationmanual is availableonline. It can be accessedby all the entities in the Group (French and English versions). It is updated regularly based on any changes in the IFRS. This consolidationmanual also includes instructions (French and English versions) issued at every closing to all Group entities. The instructions emphasise the specific items applicable to each approval process. These instructions are sent to the statutory auditors for information. Training in both methodologyand operations is given regularly to all the players involved in the Group so that the requirements introduced by the IFRS are properly understoodand incorporated into the financial statements.
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Universal Registration Document 2020 - GROUPAMA ASSURANCES MUTUELLES
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