As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance TLC’s operations, and continue to strengthen our organizational base, TLC recently enlisted the help of Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”), an international management consulting firm. Deloitte were asked to review our operations and the supporting policy and governance framework to help us determine whether there are gaps or deficiencies in our systems that could lead to undue or unnecessary risks to the organization, our assets or our members.

Deloitte spent two weeks working with TLC staff and interviewing key personnel to get a broad understanding of all our operations. They reviewed policies and documentation, monitored daily staff activities and procedures, probed into areas of planning and management strategies and reviewed key transactions. With this information, they then assessed the areas where they felt there should be adjustments made or additional work done to mitigate any potential risks.

Overall, Deloitte felt that we were doing things right; however, as we’d expected, there was also a number of areas requiring attention as follows:

  • Deloitte felt that TLC’s governance polices need to be more detailed in a number of areas so that they can provide greater clarity and more specific direction for the organization;
  • They felt, also, that TLC’s strategic plan needs to be updated to better reflect current operations and to provide clear operational goals/objectives that can be monitored and measured on a go forward basis;
  • Due to the complexity of the organization and the recent turnover of the TLC Board, we were advised to ensure that all incoming Board Members receive more orientation to the organization and its operations, with the goal to provide clarity for everyone with respect to the organization’s infrastructure, roles, responsibilities and information needs so that both Board and Management can flourish in their roles in supporting TLC;
  • There were a number of recommendations to improve the security of our office, enhance our records management processes and strengthen our electronic systems to prevent unauthorized access to data;
  • There were also a number of suggestions to improve some of our property management record keeping as well as our cost and maintenance projections and tracking;
  • And finally they offered some suggestions to help us address our chronic challenges with cash flow management including providing recommendations on cost management and discussing strategies for fundraising to ensure that we can continue to keep our promise to our members.

“We certainly appreciate the analysis that Deloitte & Touche have done,” says Alastair Craighead, the Chair of TLC’s Board of Directors. “I am very pleased that there were no unpleasant surprises or areas of severe difficulty. Their findings validated what we are already working on, and their recommendations will help us make the enhancements and improvements we are seeking. Many of the gaps identified are in areas where work has been ongoing, but has not been completed – often due to resource shortages. We will now re-double our efforts to address all of the issues that Deloitte & Touche identified, and I am confident that by the end of the year we will be in a stronger position than ever.”

As the report contains detailed analysis of TLC’s operations, and addresses matters of security, confidentiality and privacy. Deloitte & Touche has recommended that the report itself not be made public, but that we provide further details of our plans to address the issues raised in the report, as they are developed – which we will do.

As indicated above, we have now developed and begun to implement a work plan to address the issues raised by Deloitte & Touche in their Control/Risk Assessment.  Please view the work plan we will be implementing over the coming weeks.