Governance from Strategic to Tactical Level

 Governance from the strategic to the tactical level helps minimize risks, ensure compliance, and support sustainable business growth.

Governance is the complementary discipline for organizational management. It's about setting principles, policies, processes, and practices to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency. In many organizations, the GRC discipline is often reactive, characterized by a tendency to rush around and fix problems rather than prevent risks. 

How to enforce the organizational governance discipline depends on the nature, scale, and complexity of the organization, as well as understanding its risks and conducting. 

Define Objectives and Goals: At the strategic level, organizations need to establish clear objectives and goals for their GRC program. This involves understanding the organization's risk appetite, compliance requirements, and governance structures.

Develop Policies and Frameworks: Develop comprehensive policies and frameworks that align with the organization's strategic objectives. These should provide clear guidance on governance, risk management, and compliance activities.

Risk Assessment and Prioritization: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities. Prioritize risks based on their potential impact on the organization and its strategic goals.

Establish Governance Structures: Create governance structures that define roles and responsibilities for GRC activities. This includes establishing committees or boards to oversee GRC implementation and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.

Tactical Level of Governance 

Implement Policies and Procedures: Translate strategic policies into actionable procedures and processes. This involves developing detailed guidelines and instructions for employees to follow in their daily operations.

Monitor and Report: Implement monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track compliance and risk management activities. This includes setting up dashboards, key performance indicators (KPIs), and regular reporting to ensure visibility and accountability.

Training and Awareness: Conduct training programs to ensure that employees understand their roles in GRC enforcement. Awareness campaigns can help reinforce the importance of compliance and risk management at all levels of the organization.

Response and Management: Develop and implement incident response plans to address any breaches or compliance issues. This includes defining escalation procedures, communication plans, and recovery strategies.

Technology and Tools: Leverage technology and tools to automate and streamline GRC processes. This may include using software for risk assessment, compliance tracking, and reporting to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Continuous Improvement: Regularly review and update GRC practices to reflect changes in the regulatory environment, business operations, and emerging risks. This involves conducting audits and assessments to identify areas for improvement.

Given that many organizations don't view governance as "decision-making optimization" or “accountability enforcement,” their governance efforts usually devolve into time-consuming, costly, bureaucratic constructs. By effectively transitioning from strategic to tactical enforcement in GRC, organizations can ensure that their governance, risk management, and compliance efforts are not only aligned with their strategic objectives but also effectively implemented and managed on a day-to-day basis. Governance from the strategic to the tactical level helps minimize risks, ensure compliance, and support sustainable business growth.

Posted in: GRC