What is IRM? What is the difference between GRC and IRM?

Through this blog post, you’ll learn how to assess compliance, what assessing compliance means, and key considerations when starting to assess your current compliance posture.

Policies and procedures are the underpinning elements by which an organization establishes its rules of conduct. Both serve to drive compliance, but do so through starkly different methods. One puts to paper the guidelines and rules that every organization expects its employees, and every other person connected to the company, to follow. The other, procedure, presents a step-by-step process for any company specific tasks and activities, thus establishing standards.

It is said that change is the only constant, and in the context of an organization, a crucial catalyst of change is policy. Company policies promote and sustain change, ensuring that new standards and ways of working trickle down to every level of the organization. Moving from policy to practice, however, demands strategic communication. You not only need to reach out to the right persons at the right time but want to get all aboard and rowing in synchrony.

The consequences that come with being non-compliant is huge. Considering the stringent regulatory requirements, internationally agreed on industry standards, and the need for internal efficiencies, it is imperative that organizations are proactive about compliance. But, staying on track with changing laws, regulations, and standards is a tedious process. Compliance automation can help solve these complex problems – streamline business processes, automate routine tasks, generate arduous reports in seconds and most importantly… improve overall organizational efficiency.

A remote audit or virtual audit came as a boon to audit teams during the unprecedented covid 19 crisis. It is a method of conducting an audit remotely using technology. Just like an onsite audit, it covers interview with management and employees, verification of documents and reports.

Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) management is an integral part of an organization’s management strategy. Once the management identifies the benefit of adopting a GRC platform, the next question that comes up is that how to choose the best GRC platform suitable to your organization? Not all platforms are the same. The key is to set the right expectations and perform the due diligence before you choose your vendor.

Growth is something that organizations have their eyes fixed on. They are cautious of wasting precious time and money in costly lawsuits, compliance risks resulting in penalties, or reputational damage. Internal controls help establish procedures and policies to keep the organization compliant, prevent employees from committing fraud, and improve the organization’s operational and financial efficiency.

When the internet and technology are the lifeblood of modern business operations, it is no wonder that data privacy has taken the center stage. According to a Pew Research Center report, 79% of consumers have raised concerns about personal data that organizations collect. These concerns have as much to do with discrimination and law as they do with ethics and policy. Across the EU, UK, USA, China, Singapore, and virtually every other location on the planet, the regulatory landscape for data privacy has changed and continues to evolve. In the EU, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR enforceable in 2018) and its policies have effected change worldwide.

A holistic GRC management is incomplete without policy management. In an ideal world, policies guide an organization to follow the rules and regulations, prepare for internal and external audits, and finally keep the organizations away from risks. However, the reality seems to be different. Many of the organizations seem to have only very basic policy management system in place. It can cause severe consequences as it leaves you at the risk for financial losses, security breaches, and overlook the improvement initiatives.