Banking institutions must prioritize governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) in the current landscape, where technology and customer demands continue to evolve. A strategic approach to GRC, therefore, becomes crucial in the banking sector, where numerous potential risks are at play.
According to Deloitte, 78% of companies are concerned about their ability to adapt to changing regulatory requirements. The dynamic environment, fueled by digital innovation, the emergence of social banking, and the advent of Web3 and blockchain technology, has compounded this process’s complexity. Therefore, a well-structured GRC strategy can act as a guiding force for banking institutions navigating these shifts and striving to achieve their objectives.
In this article, we will explore the foundational components of an integrated GRC strategy. Our aim is to provide your banking institution with insights into aligning governance, risk management, and compliance efforts to enhance your decision-making capabilities.
An overview of GRC in banking
What is governance, risk, and compliance (GRC)?
Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) constitutes a structured approach that assists banking institutions in aligning their IT strategies with various business objectives, prioritizing risk management, and adhering to regulatory requirements. The primary aim of GRC is to facilitate responsible decision-making in a risk-aware environment. By aligning organizational goals and digital transformation initiatives with GRC, businesses can reduce wastage and improve efficiency.
Understanding the individual components of GRC
Role of governance in banking: Governance is vital for modern banking institutions. Emphasizing governance, risk, and compliance in banking entails equipping key decision-makers and stakeholders with the necessary support. For instance, governance can assist banking institutions in supervising audit processes, from planning to evaluation. This approach simplifies the tracking of policy creation, implementation, and review cycles for banks.
Role of risk management in banking: Regulatory compliance risk management involves identifying, analyzing, and avoiding potential risks that could disrupt day-to-day operations. These risks could be internal, such as non-compliance with new regulatory standards, or external, such as cybersecurity vulnerabilities. GRC offers banks standardized processes for identifying, analyzing, and responding to these potential risks and challenges.
Role of compliance in banking: Due to the complexity and risk inherent in the banking sector, an array of rules and regulations governs various processes. These include legal requirements, privacy laws, and industry-specific regulations such as ISO and internal policies. Non-compliance can result in legal repercussions and may lead to reputational damage. GRC can help banks promote regulatory compliance by aligning external regulations with internal processes.
The scope & benefits of GRC in financial services
The scope of GRC in financial and banking services extends from customer service to control and reporting cycles. GRC ensures that all internal processes align with various regulations and best practices.
This approach protects banking institutions from potential financial risks, promotes ethical conduct, and streamlines critical decision-making processes. As the global financial industry evolves, dynamic and integrated GRC models become essential for promoting agile processes and enabling real-time visualization.
GRC smoothens day-to-day operations, streamlines redundant processes, and improves resource allocation. It also helps banking institutions reduce costs by eliminating inefficient workflows and compliance violations.
The banking sector is one of the most heavily regulated industries. An integrated GRC approach ensures that financial institutions systematically focus on internal and external compliance requirements.
Challenges in implementing a successful GRC program
1. Managing regulations and stakeholders
Banking institutions must navigate highly complex and rapidly evolving regulations and stakeholder expectations. Staying abreast of new industry regulations while balancing the needs of various stakeholders, such as customers and regulators, can be challenging. However, achieving this balance is crucial for maintaining trust and compliance.
2. Change management
Change is one of the most significant challenges for businesses attempting to implement a GRC program. Altering established processes and integrating new technologies can often lead to employee resistance. To ensure the smooth adoption of GRC, banking institutions should employ change management strategies that assist employees and customers in seamlessly transitioning to new GRC frameworks.
3. Data handling and transparency
Banking institutions must collect, manage, and analyze large amounts of sensitive data daily. Studies have shown that 70% of financial companies have experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year. Therefore, protecting personal or sensitive user data while maintaining high transparency can be challenging.
GRC implementation requires a rigorous and detailed approach to data management, encompassing specific data protection and handling processes. This involves obtaining explicit user consent before collecting data, ensuring secure storage, and managing information responsibly throughout its lifecycle.
4. Lack of robust GRC framework
The absence of a well-defined GRC framework specifically designed for banking institutions can hinder successful implementation. A robust and case-specific GRC framework serves as a foundation for creating effective governance, risk management, and compliance policies. A strategic GRC framework should underline the specific challenges and regulations that the institutions may encounter, and establish clear pathways to address them.
5. Clarity in information sharing
Maintaining accurate and effective communication channels for sharing information among stakeholders and teams within a GRC framework is vital. Information gaps or bottlenecks can lead to potential compliance risks in banking, so it is very important for banking institutions to establish precise and efficient communication channels between all concerned parties. Tools such as messaging apps and project management software can be used to facilitate these open communication channels.
Model Risk Management and GRC
Integrating Model Risk Management (MRM) within GRC frameworks is key to how banking institutions manage accuracy, compliance, and risk:
1. Governance
MRM requires a robust governance structure within GRC frameworks. This structure establishes clear responsibilities, approvals, and processes for creating, validating, and monitoring governance models. This approach is beneficial for ensuring that processes align with internal and external regulatory standards.
2. Risk
Model Risk Management entails ensuring that internal processes yield accurate and reliable results, as discrepancies can lead to financial and reputational consequences. Therefore, integrating MRM within the GRC framework is crucial. This approach safeguards banking institutions from risks associated with model usage.
3. Compliance
In banking, MRM plays a pivotal role in ensuring that internal models comply with relevant regulations and standards. Regular assessments and timely updates contribute to a continuous compliance management framework and risk mitigation.
Leveraging technology to build robust GRC frameworks
As the financial world embraces digital solutions, machine learning, and AI-centric models, the need for Model Risk Management (MRM) becomes more crucial than ever. By integrating MRM with GRC frameworks, banking institutions can be better equipped to precisely navigate the challenges associated with complex financial models and evolving regulations.
Model Risk Management (MRM) platforms like Yields can provide banking institutions with dynamic solutions to steer operations toward compliance, risk avoidance, and governance.
Book a demo today to explore how Yields can enhance model risk management within your GRC practice!
