Professionally drafted banking & finance policies — editable Word templates for banks, deposit-taking institutions and finance companies. Documents overseen by a real former bank CEO

Policy shopCredit Risk

Credit Risk GLOBAL Policy

Hardship Policy

A professionally drafted Hardship Policy for banks, deposit-taking institutions and finance companies, covering credit risk appetite, origination and portfolio management. Global edition — written to international standards (Basel Committee, FATF, ISO, COSO, NIST and FSB) and deliberately jurisdiction-neutral, with bracketed prompts marking the points where your local law or regulator's requirements must be inserted. Supplied as a fully editable Microsoft Word document, de-identified and ready to adapt to your organisation. Typical owner: Chief Risk Officer; approval: Board of Directors.

Typical ownerChief Risk Officer
Typical approvalBoard of Directors
Length~8,602 words (approx. 22 pages)
Last reviewedJuly 2026 — verify currency for your circumstances before use
FormatMicrosoft Word (.docx), fully editable
DeliveryInstant download after purchase; re-download any time from your account
LicenceSingle-organisation licence
GuaranteeMaterially defective or misdescribed? We'll resupply, replace or refund within 30 days — see Terms

Preview the first 6 pages (PDF) See the real cover, document control page and opening sections before you buy.

What's inside

  • Contents
  • 1. Purpose
  • 2. Scope
  • 3. Definitions
  • 4. Regulatory Framework
  • 5. Policy Statement and Principles
  • 6. Recognising Hardship Notices and Proactive Identification
  • 7. Acknowledgment, Information Requests and Decision Timeframes
  • 8. Assessing Hardship Requests
  • 9. Forbearance Options
  • 10. Vulnerable Customers and Family and Domestic Violence
  • 11. Credit Bureau Reporting, Collections and Enforcement
  • 12. Prudential Classification, IFRS 9 Staging and Provisioning
  • 13. End-of-Arrangement Reviews
  • 14. Declined Assistance and Dispute Resolution
  • 15. Business and Commercial Lending and Guarantors
  • 16. Roles and Responsibilities
  • 17. Monitoring, Quality Assurance and Reporting
  • 18. Breaches of this Policy
  • 19. Training and Awareness
  • 20. Review of this Policy
  • Appendix A: Proactive Hardship Indicators
  • Appendix B: Hardship File Minimum Record Checklist
  • Policy Administration
Please note: this is a template prepared in good faith, not legal or compliance advice. Your organisation must review, tailor and approve it before use. Full disclaimer.

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