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16
Practices of administrative and management bodies
Internal Control
154
Worldline
2016 Registration Document
financial information
Systems related to accounting and
16.6.1.4
their sensitivity:
of the Group and for which a specific attention is paid due to
financial processes, that are part of the Internal Control system
The financial governance of the Group relies on a set of global
management…;
forecasting, consolidation and reporting, treasury, credit risk
Finance processes: general accounting, budgeting and
●
estate transactions, most of them being outsourced to Atos;
“Expert” functions processes: taxes, insurance, pensions, real
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business model.
Operational processes: bidding, contract execution, financial
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Local andGroup financial organization
chaired by the Group CFO:
two main committees that meet on a bi-weekly basis and are
The management of the Finance function is performed through
organization and the Finance Controllers of the Global
managers of the main functions within the Finance
critical for the Group.
Business Lines. This committee deals with transversal topics
The Group Finance Committee (FICO) gathers the
●
issues.
(“RBU”). It deals with operational topics and RBU specific
gathers in addition CFOs from the Regional Business Units
The Extended Group Finance Committee (Extended FICO)
●
This organization is cascaded down at country level.
an appropriate support to operational entities of the Group.
contributes to the full alignment of key processes and provides
functions, reinforces the integration of the financial function and
Direct reporting to Group Function, as for the other support
actions when needed.
internal control weaknesses and initiates required corrective
reviews significant accounting options, as well as potential
expertise and the control of the reported financial information. It
monitoring of financial compliance matters, the supply of
processes, especially through the financial consolidation, the
Group Finance department is in charge of piloting the financial
Group finance policies &procedures
processed in the subsidiaries. These policies and procedures
procedures to control how financial information is recorded and
Group Finance has drawn up a number of Group policies and
included the following main elements:
were discussed with the statutory auditors before issuance and
accounting rules applicable in the Operations, are regularly
Definitions (GRDs), internal guidelines for IFRS and
required for Group consolidation purposes. Group Reporting
budgets, forecasts and submit actual financial reporting
updated;
principles to be followed by Atos entities in order to prepare
and valuation standards. They also specify the accounting
information must be prepared, with common presentation
accounting principles, guidelines on how financial
Financial accounting policies cover Group reporting and
●
community.
and issues raised by members of the Worldline financial
accounting staff, which facilitates the sharing of knowledge
Group. A dedicated intranet site is accessible to all
order to circulate these policies and procedures within the
Training and information sessions are organized regularly in
●
instructions and procedures. Group Finance liaised with
a standard format and within a timetable defined by specific
forecast and financial information by subsidiary is carried out in
Instructions and timetable: Financial reporting including budget,
processes.
statutory auditors to coordinate the annual and half-year closing
Information systems
monitoring and analysis capabilities.
automated preventive controls, but have also provided
they have both strongly structured the processes and provided
system related to the accounting and financial information, as
Information systems have played a key role in the control
subsidiary reports its financial statements on a standalone basis
information (operational reporting and statutory figures). Each
A unified reporting and consolidation tool is used for financial
linked to the consolidation remain under the direct control of
intermediary consolidation level and all accounting entries
in order to be consolidated at Group level. There is no
by Group Finance.
part of the mainstream financial information and are reviewed
Group Finance. Off balance sheet commitments are reported as
Monitoring and control
In addition to the financial processes defined, monitoring and
information complies with rules and instructions.
control processes aims to ensure that accounting and financial
items.
Finance illustrate the expected level of control for the main
up to support closing positions. Templates created by Group
performed over financial cycles and provide appropriate back
quarterly basis in order to formalize key internal controls
subsidiaries to complete a standard electronic closing file on a
Control) has been deployed at local level. It requires the main
The Closing File (which is closely linked with the Book of Internal
Functional reviews are performed by Group Central Finance
sheet items or business performance and forecasts.
reporting, such as tax issues, pensions, litigations, off balance
and Controlling on significant matters relating to financial
reliability of information reported to the Group;
predictability of operations and improving the accuracy &
financial analysis & monitoring, enhancing control &
establishing a strong link with country management in terms of
the decision making process through monthly reviews and by
Controlling supports operations and general management in
Operational and financial reviews: Group Central Finance and