The Role of the Mitigation Monitor in SAP GRC

SAP Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) solutions help organizations manage their risks, ensure compliance with regulations, and streamline operations. Mitigation controls play a crucial part in maintaining a strong GRC posture, and the Mitigation Monitor is vital to the success of these controls.

What are Mitigation Controls?

When it’s impossible to eliminate the risk of a conflict of duties (SoD) within a business process, mitigation controls come into play. These controls offer a way to reduce risk to an acceptable level. They implement additional safeguards, reviews, or alternative procedures to lessen the chance of a risk materializing.

The Importance of the Mitigation Monitor

The Mitigation Monitor is the individual responsible for overseeing the execution and effectiveness of an assigned mitigation control. Their key responsibilities include:

• Review and Evidence Collection: The Mitigation Monitor regularly verifies that the mitigation control operates as intended. They collect and maintain evidence (documentation, logs, approvals) to support their review.
• Communication and Reporting: The Mitigation Monitor communicates closely with relevant stakeholders, such as control owners and approvers. They report deviations, issues, or potential weaknesses in the control’s execution.
• Continuous Improvement: The Mitigation Monitor actively contributes to refining mitigation controls. They suggest changes, process enhancements, or additional checks to optimize a control’s effectiveness over time.

Who Can Be a Mitigation Monitor?

The best fit for a Mitigation Monitor is someone knowledgeable about the business process related to the risk being mitigated. They should possess the following qualities:

• Understanding of Risks: A grasp of the potential risks the control aims to mitigate.
• Process Expertise: Familiarity with the details and steps involved in the business process to which the control is applied.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous in evidence collection, review, and documentation.
• Assertive Communication: Ability to communicate issues or areas for improvement to stakeholders.

Setting Up and Working with Mitigation Monitors in SAP GRC

Here’s a simplified view of the process within SAP GRC:

1. Create Mitigation Control: Define the control, link it to the risk, and establish its procedures.
2. Assign Mitigation Monitor: Designate the appropriate individual as the Mitigation Monitor. This might be a team lead, process owner, independent reviewer, or someone aligned with the control’s scope.
3. Monitor Execution: The Mitigation Monitor stays on top of the control’s implementation, gathers evidence of its effectiveness, and reports any deviations.
4. Reporting: The Mitigation Monitor may use SAP GRC’s reporting functionalities to generate status updates and exception reports.

Key Points to Consider

• Workflows: SAP GRC can leverage workflows to automate notifications to Mitigation Monitors. These alerts ensure timely actions or reviews.
• Training: SAP GRC users assigned as Mitigation Monitors benefit from clear training on the GRC system, roles, and expectations.
• Change Management: When mitigation controls are modified, communication with the Mitigation Monitor is crucial to maintain alignment and effectiveness.

In Conclusion

The Mitigation Monitor plays a significant role in upholding the integrity of SAP GRC’s mitigation controls. Their vigilance helps ensure residual risks are kept within acceptable bounds, safeguarding the organization’s processes and, ultimately, its overall reputation.