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Do you know the difference between risk appetite and risk tolerance?

A metaphore from Ramadan to explain this could be: You are hungry just before Iftar time and you see a table full of many kinds of food and you tell yourself that you are going to eat from each kind (appetite) ,but in practice there is a limit to what you can actually eat ( tolerance) otherwise you will stuff your stomach and end up in hospital ! Do you think this is a good way to explain the difference between the two terms for those who are not familiar with it ?

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Question added by Deleted user
Date Posted: 2013/08/03
Ali Rehman
by Ali Rehman , Internal Audit Director , University of Central Asia

Well it is good example but only for those who are aware of Ramadan proceedings and its related rules.
Furthermore this definition could be beneficial for those who want to obtain initial knowledge only.
The best and easy definition is as follows: Risk Appetite: The level of risk that an organization is ready to accept, prior of any action is deemed necessary to reduce it.
Risk Appetite represents a balance between the potential benefits of enhancements and the threats that can alter the business objectives.
Risk Tolerance: Is the amount of risk that an Organization is ready to tolerate before any action is required

venkatakrishnan narayanan
by venkatakrishnan narayanan , Consultant , self employed

Risk Appetite in a simple term denotes the boundaries within which an organisation  desires to consider it can factor the risk involved in any business decision.

Risk tolerance is occurs when there is a issue in which  the enterprise has found the risk associated with it but the degree of risk is within the risk reward relationship.

Mohamed   Ali Abd El-Ghaffar Hibah
by Mohamed Ali Abd El-Ghaffar Hibah , Business Innovation Senior Manager (Corporate) , El Araby Group

risk appetite

is the amount and type of risk  that an organization is willing to pursue or retain

risk tolerance

is the organization's  readiness to bear the risk after risk treatment in order to achieve its objectives

Note risk tolerance can be influenced by legal or regulatory requirements

Ref. ISO

Nancy Refai
by Nancy Refai , Health, safety and environmental management Trainer and consultant , Freelancer

risk tolerance is the maximum level of risks a company can accept without causing them to fail. risk appetite is a margin within the tolerance level were companies seek and are willing to accept and take risks. example would be person X can left a50 km weight if must however that will harm his back on the long run. on the other hand he can left10 easily and without thinking more it might help him building his tolerance. The50 kG is the presentation of tolerance level while the20 is for the appetite one.

emesha navaratne
by emesha navaratne , Leasing Coordinator , Homes2Rent Real-estate

Risk Appetite This is the high level subjective description of the degree of risk which is acceptable to an organization  or to stakeholders. Risk Tolerancevery term ‘Risk Tolerance’ indicates the ability to measure since the definition included, “amount or volume of risk that an organization or individual will withstand.”Risk Thresholdmeasures along the level of uncertainty or the level of impact at which a stakeholder may have a specific interest. Below that risk threshold, the organization will accept the risk. Above that risk threshold, the organization will not tolerate the risk.” Risk Tolerance, we were primarily speaking about impact of risk in a measurable unit, however, Risk Threshold we are also including the “level of uncertainty.” This means that we are further quantifying the Risk Attitude.

I'd say:

Risk appetite is the sense of adventure

Risk tolerance is the fact of adventuring safety, some choose to be careful & realistic, others choose to be reckless

Rehan Khan
by Rehan Khan , Assistant Vice President (AVP) , Sindh Bank Ltd

The term ‘risk appetite’ is often used for forward-looking view of risk acceptance while ‘risk tolerance’ is often taken as the amount of risk an organization has accepted in the past.

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