The Value of Risk Management: Inside the RIMS 2025 Compensation Survey

Описание: Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.





In this episode, Justin interviews Kristen Peed, RIMS Ex Officio, and RIMS Board Member, John Kline, about the results of the 2025 RIMS Risk Professional Compensation Survey, covering Risk Professionals in North America. They discuss the growth trend in base salaries for risk professionals in the U.S. and Canada and what this growth represents. They also dig into the median salary of Chief Risk Officers in both nations and how that reflects on the perceived value of the risk profession today. They discuss the worth of experience and certifications for a risk career. They cover the variety of assignments attached to the roles of risk professionals, and the value of expanding the responsibilities of your role over your career. They discuss the rising generation of risk professionals and the need to ensure the transfer of knowledge as the more experienced risk managers retire.


Listen for thoughts on incentives for contributing to the long-term stability and growth of your organization.





Key Takeaways:


[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast.


[:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will review the results of the RIMS 2025 Compensation Survey with Kristen Peed and John Kline. But first…


[:40] RIMS Virtual Workshops. On March 17th and 18th, RIMS will align with AFERM for a two-day RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Course.


[:51] The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Course will be on April 21st and 22nd, and then again on June 9th and 10th. Registration links are in this episode's notes.


[1:00] On April 15th, we have a virtual workshop covering "Emerging Risks" (https://www.rims.org/education/online...) , led by Joseph Mayo.


[1:12] Register today and strengthen your risk knowledge. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops.


[1:19] Webinars. On March 12th, Global Risk Consultants returns with "Don't Waste the Soft Market: Where to Reinvest Insurance Savings Before the Window Closes" (https://www.rims.org/education/online...) .


[1:34] We had to reschedule the "Hard Hats & High Stakes: Women Leaders Shaping Construction Risk Management" Webinar that was scheduled for March 6th. Registrants should have received an email about the rescheduling. We will soon confirm the new date.


[1:51] Register for these and other webinars by visiting RIMS.org/webinars (http://rims.org/webinars) and the links in this episode's show notes.


[2:01] On with the Show! We are delighted to be joined by RIMS Ex Officio, Kristen Peed, and RIMS Board Chair, John Kline, to discuss the findings of the RIMS 2025 Compensation Survey.


[2:15] This biannual survey provides detailed compensation analysis for virtually all risk management positions, as well as the impact that education, experience, and other demographic data have on salaries.


[2:27] The report also provides data about risk management reporting structures, team size, benefits, and additional cash compensation programs. It's a North American study. There are some positive trends that we're going to explore with Kristen and John, so let's get to it!


[2:42] Interview! Kristen Peed, John Kline, welcome to RIMScast!


[3:01] As Ex Officio, Kristen hasn't seen the inside of airports as often. Last year, Kristen was on 98 flights.


[3:54] John has been on the RIMS Board for five years. He says the Board is a great team of people. It's a privilege to serve.


[4:31] As Kristen and John both have a vested interest in RIMS and the future success of the profession, Justin wanted them together on the show to review some of the high-level points of the Compensation Survey. The survey is available through a link in this episode's show notes.


[4:51] Justin states that the median salary for U.S.-based risk professionals is now $160,000; it's $140,000 in Canada. Both figures are up over the last decade and since the last survey, in 2023.


[5:20] Kristen sees the sustained salary growth as a clear signal that risk management has moved from a support function to a strategic function. Organizations aren't just paying us for insurance placement or procurement but for our insight, foresight, and decision support.


[5:42] Kristen says that over the last decade, risk professionals have been pulled into conversations around cyberresilience, operational continuity, regulatory exposure, capital strategy, and reputation. Those are board-level issues.


[6:00] When compensation grows steadily and not in spikes, it reflects the recognition that good risk management is necessary to protect enterprise value and enable smarter growth.


[6:16] Kristen is seeing that the market is saying risk leaders are not cost managers anymore; they are people protecting the value of their organization and creating that value, as well.


[6:29] John agrees ...