Is Your Risk Program Built on the Right Foundation? Download the SoD Checklist
Separation of Duties: The Minimum Standard for Enterprise Risk Management
Separation of Duties is one of the oldest and most reliable safeguards in the governance playbook. It is not an optional feature or an advanced technique. It is a minimum standard for any serious Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program. Without it, governance structures lack the foundational controls needed to prevent error, fraud, and breakdowns in accountability.
At LogicManager, SoD is embedded into how we operate, how we design our solutions, and how we support our customers in building resilient governance frameworks.
Unfortunately, many Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms still approach SoD as an afterthought — something to address when a regulator raises concern, rather than as a core design principle. They separate risk, audit, compliance, and operations into disconnected functions, overlooking the fact that these teams work toward shared business objectives. That fragmentation introduces blind spots which can jeopardize organizational credibility and performance.
Our approach is different: Separation of Duties is not an add-on. It is where governance begins.
SoD Is the Baseline — Not the Backup Plan
The value of Separation of Duties is well-established:
- No individual can act without oversight or appropriate checks.
- Errors are identified and addressed before they escalate.
- Compliance is consistently documented and defensible.
- Oversight is built into operational processes, not handled reactively.
This is the floor, not the ceiling, for any organization seeking to manage risk proactively and responsibly. Without SoD, risk management becomes reactive and exposed to preventable failures.
Embedding Accountability Into Daily Operations
Organizations consistently strive to demonstrate accountability, transparency, and control. But intent alone is not sufficient. Without clear distribution of responsibilities, gaps remain where mistakes or misconduct can occur without detection.
Our role is not to add unnecessary process but to ensure that the right processes exist — aligned, connected, and embedded across functions. While responsibility is shared across teams, leadership remains accountable for the outcomes. Separation of Duties is the first, necessary step to making that accountability demonstrable and sustainable.
A Practical Tool to Evaluate Your Readiness
The Separation of Duties Checklist serves as a practical evaluation tool. It is designed to help organizations assess whether their current structures meet the operational standards required for effective governance. The checklist provides targeted questions and clear benchmarks to ensure responsibilities are appropriately separated, risks are properly distributed, and conflicts are actively mitigated.
Download your complimentary checklist today to evaluate whether your program reflects the standards that serious ERM requires.
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