FINRA 3120 Rule (SUPERVISORY CONTROL SYSTEM)
FINRA Rule 3120 requires a firm to have a system of supervisory control policies and procedures (SCPs) that tests and verifies a firm’s supervisory procedures. It is essential for a firm to recognize that FINRA Rule 3120’s requirement to have specific SCPs differs from the requirement for WSPs. A firm not only needs to maintain WSPs, but the firm also must have SCPs to test and verify, at least annually, that its WSPs are reasonably designed with respect to the firm’s and its associated persons’ activities to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations and FINRA rules, and to create additional or amend WSPs as identified by such testing and verification. Risk-based methodologies and sampling may be used to determine the scope of testing. The testing ensures that a firm’s supervisory procedures are reviewed and amended regularly in light of changing business and regulatory environments.
Pursuant to Rule 3120, a firm must designate principal(s) to be responsible for establishing, maintaining and enforcing a firm’s SCPs. The designated principal(s) also must prepare, at least annually, a report detailing the firm’s supervisory control system and submit it to senior management (Rule 3120 Report). The Rule 3120 Report must include a summary of the test results and significant identified exceptions, and any additional or amended supervisory procedures created in response to the test results.
If a firm has reported $200 million or more in gross revenue on its FOCUS report in the prior calendar year, FINRA Rule 3120 requires that the firm’s annual report include specified additional content, to the extent applicable to the firm’s business.
