What kind of reporting obligations do firms have to the FCA?

Firms have a responsibility to provide the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with regular financial reports and compliance reports to ensure ongoing transparency, accountability, and adherence to regulatory requirements. These reports serve multiple purposes, including maintaining the integrity of the financial system, assessing the firm's ongoing viability, and ensuring that they remain compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

Regular financial reports provide the FCA with insights into a firm's financial health and risk exposure, which is critical for effective supervision. Compliance reports, on the other hand, demonstrate that firms are following regulatory mandates and implementing proper controls, thus helping to prevent misconduct and protect consumers.

The other options do not encapsulate the full scope of reporting obligations firms have. Annual financial reports alone do not capture the ongoing nature of regulatory oversight that the FCA requires. Incident reports are essential but are typically focused on specific events rather than routine oversight. Reports on employee performance do not fall within the realm of what the FCA monitors, as they are more relevant to internal management rather than regulatory compliance.