Good decisions begin with good information. A bank's board of directors needs concise, accurate, and timely reports to help it perform its fiduciary responsibilities. This booklet describes information generally found in board reports, and it highlights “red flags”—ratios or trends that may signal existing or potential problems. An effective board is alert for the appearance of red flags that give rise to further inquiry. By making further inquiry, the directors can determine if a substantial problem exists or may be forming.

This sixth peer review of the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance analyses the corporate governance framework and practices relating to corporate risk management, in the private sector and in state-owned enterprises. The review covers 26 jurisdictions and is based on a general survey of all participating jurisdictions in December 2012, as well as an in-depth review of corporate risk management in Norway, Singapore and Switzerland. The report finds that while risk-taking is a fundamental driving force in business and entrepreneurship, the cost of risk management failures is often underestimated, both externally and internally, including the cost in terms of management time needed to rectify the situation. The reports thus concludes that corporate governance should ensure that risks are understood, managed, and, when appropriate, communicated.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) charters, regulates, and supervises all national banks and federal savings associations (collectively, banks), as well as federal branches and agencies of foreign banks. In regulating banks, the OCC has the power to:* examine the banks.* approve or deny applications for new charters, branches, capital, or otherchanges in corporate or banking structure.* take supervisory actions against banks that do not comply with lawsand regulations or that otherwise engage in unsafe or unsound practices.The OCC also can remove officers and directors, negotiate agreementsto change banking practices, and issue cease-and-desist (C&D) orders aswell as civil money penalties (CMP).* issue rules and regulations, legal interpretations, and corporate decisionsgoverning investments, lending, and other activities.Boards of directors play critical roles in the successful operation of banks. The OCC recognizes the challenges facing bank directors. The Director's Book: Role of Directors for National Banks and Federal Savings Associations helps directors fulfill their responsibilities in a prudent manner. This book provides an overview of the OCC, outlines directors' responsibilities as well as management's role, explains basic concepts and standards for safe and sound operation of banks, and delineates laws and regulations that apply to banks. To better understand a particular bank activity and its associated risks, directors should refer to the Comptroller's Handbook booklets, including the "Corporate and Risk Governance" booklet. For information generally found in board reports, including "red flags"--ratios or trends that may signal existing or potential problems--directors should refer to Detecting Red Flags in Board Reports: A Guide for Directors..

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Comptroller's Handbook booklet, “Commercial Real Estate Lending,” provides guidance for bank examiners and bankers on commercial real estate (CRE) lending activities. For the purposes of this booklet, CRE lending comprises acquisition, development, and construction (ADC) financing and the financing of income-producing real estate. Income-producing real estate comprises real estate held for lease to third parties and nonresidential real estate that is occupied by its owner or a related party.