If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re feeling the pressure of managing governance, risk, and compliance in a fast-changing Australian environment.
Maybe you’re dealing with increasing regulatory demands. Maybe your processes are spread across spreadsheets, emails, and documents.
Or perhaps you’re simply worried about whether your organisation would pass a compliance audit if it happened tomorrow.
You’re not alone. Many Australian businesses – large and small – are facing the same challenges.
Regulations are becoming stricter, expectations from regulators are rising, and the consequences of non-compliance are getting more severe. At the same time, internal risks such as cyber incidents, misconduct, or operational failures can appear when you least expect them.
This is why more organisations in Australia are turning to Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) systems to help them stay organised, accountable, and audit-ready at all times.
But here’s the challenge: Not every GRC system is the same. Some tools are too complex. Others are too generic and don’t align well with Australian laws. And some simply don’t give you the visibility you need to truly understand what’s happening across your organisation.
That’s where choosing the right GRC solution becomes critical.
If you pick well, you can save hours of manual work, reduce compliance stress, improve reporting accuracy, and give your leaders complete confidence in your risk and compliance processes.
Before we dive into the best solution and why organisations across Australia are choosing it, you’ll get a clear understanding of what a GRC system is, why it matters, and what features you should look for.
Let’s jump in.
What Is a GRC System?
Before you choose a GRC system, it’s important to understand what it does.
A Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) system is a central platform that helps you manage the way your organisation operates, identifies risks, and meets regulatory obligations.
Instead of jumping between spreadsheets, emails, shared drives, and manual processes, a GRC system brings everything into one place so you can stay organised and compliant with far less effort.
Think of it as a single source of truth. You can store policies, track risks, record incidents, assign tasks, manage compliance obligations, and run reports, all from the one system.
It’s designed to make your work easier and give you complete visibility over what’s happening across your organisation, whether you’re managing health and safety, cyber risk, financial compliance, or day-to-day operations.
Why a GRC System Matters More Than Ever in Australia
A good GRC system covers three core pillars:
1. Governance
This explains how decisions are made, responsibilities are assigned, and accountability is maintained.
A GRC system helps you set clear policies, manage who is responsible for what, and create transparency across all levels of your business.
You want people to know what they need to do and when they need to do it.
2. Risk Management
Every business faces risks—operational, financial, technological, environmental, or reputational.
A GRC system helps you identify these risks, assess their impact, record the controls you have in place, and monitor whether those controls are working.
It gives you a structured, consistent way of managing risk so nothing slips through the cracks.
3. Compliance
This is especially important in Australia, where organisations face strict regulations across various industries.
A GRC system simplifies compliance by helping you track your obligations, assign responsibility, automate reminders, and keep evidence of everything you’ve done.
This makes audits far less stressful and gives you confidence that you’re meeting your legal responsibilities.
You might also hear GRC compared with ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) or standalone compliance tools. ERM systems mainly focus on risk. Compliance platforms usually focus on training, policies, and obligations. A GRC system brings everything together into one connected ecosystem.
That’s why it’s becoming the preferred option for organisations that want structure, clarity, and accountability.
As regulations in Australia continue to tighten, relying on manual processes becomes risky. Spreadsheets can be overwritten, emails get lost, and it’s almost impossible to see the full picture when information is scattered everywhere. A GRC system solves these challenges by giving you control, consistency, and real-time visibility across your organisation.
And once you start using one, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
What Your GRC System Must Support
If you operate in Australia, you know that staying compliant isn’t just a good practice, it’s a legal requirement.
The regulatory landscape here is complex, and it’s getting tougher every year.
That’s why the GRC system you choose must be able to support the specific laws and standards that apply to Australian organisations. If it doesn’t, you may find yourself doing twice the work or, worse, facing compliance gaps that go unnoticed until an audit.
Let’s break down the main regulations and frameworks you need to think about.
APRA Requirements: CPS 220, CPS 234 and CPS 230
If you work in banking, insurance, or superannuation, APRA’s standards will be familiar territory.
They set strict expectations around risk management, information security, and operational resilience.
A suitable GRC system should help you:
- document your risk management framework
- manage information security obligations
- track incidents and breaches
- demonstrate operational readiness
- collect the evidence you need for audits
APRA’s expectations are detailed, and manual tracking makes compliance difficult. A GRC platform simplifies everything.
ASIC Obligations
ASIC oversees corporate behaviour, financial services, and market integrity.
Your organisation may need to record controls, maintain policies, capture evidence of compliance, and demonstrate that staff understand their responsibilities.
A GRC system helps you maintain:
- policy acceptance
- training records
- risk controls
- audit trails
- ongoing monitoring
It creates the transparency ASIC expects to see.
OAIC and the Privacy Act
Privacy and data protection are now front-of-mind for all Australian organisations.
Under the Privacy Act and OAIC guidelines, you must protect personal information, report serious breaches, and ensure your processes align with privacy principles.
Your GRC system should support:
- privacy impact assessments
- data breach reporting
- evidence of staff training
- policy management
- ongoing compliance checks
With cyber risks escalating, this area is more important than ever.
Whistleblower Legislation
The strengthened whistleblower laws in Australia require you to provide safe, confidential reporting channels and ensure staff understand their rights.
A compliant GRC system makes it easy to manage:
- whistleblower reports
- investigations
- records
- outcomes
- supporting documentation
It also helps you show that your response process is fair and well-managed.
ISO Standards (ISO 27001, ISO 31000, and others)
Many organisations aim to align with or certify against international standards.
A GRC platform can help you map your controls to:
- ISO 27001 for information security
- ISO 31000 for risk management
- ISO 45001 for WHS
- ISO 9001 for quality management
This makes audits much smoother and ensures you’re consistently meeting best-practice requirements.
Modern Slavery Act
If your organisation has reporting obligations under the Modern Slavery Act, you must document risks, track supplier assessments, and keep thorough records.
A GRC system helps you:
- assess suppliers
- track remediation actions
- maintain evidence for reporting
- keep your risk assessments up to date
Industry-Specific Requirements
Different industries in Australia have unique compliance pressures:
- Healthcare: patient privacy, clinical risk, incident management
- Education: child safety, data protection, staff compliance
- Government: strict accountability, transparency, and cybersecurity
- Energy & utilities: operational safety, environmental reporting
Your GRC system must be flexible enough to support whichever obligations apply to you.
The Best GRC Systems in Australia
Choosing a GRC system can feel overwhelming, especially when every provider claims to offer the most complete solution.
To make your decision easier, here’s a breakdown of the top GRC platforms available in Australia in 2025.
1. Sentrient
Sentrient is an Australian-built GRC and workplace compliance platform designed specifically for organisations operating under Australian regulations.
If you’re looking for a simple, intuitive system that your staff will use, Sentrient stands out as one of the strongest options. It focuses on clarity, ease of navigation and quick onboarding so you can start seeing value almost immediately.
Because Sentrient is developed in Australia, it supports local regulatory requirements such as the Privacy Act, WHS laws, APRA standards and modern governance expectations.
It’s trusted across a wide range of industries including aged care, education, not-for-profit, financial services and professional services.
Whether you’re managing risks, policies, training or compliance obligations, Sentrient provides an all-in-one experience that reduces manual effort and improves visibility.
Key Features
- Risk register with assessments, controls and reporting
- Policy and document management with version control
- Compliance tracking with automated reminders
- Incident and WHS reporting workflows
- Built-in compliance training modules
- Audit trails and evidence management
- Customisable dashboards and real-time insights
- Local Australian hosting and support
Best For
Sentrient is ideal if you want an easy-to-use, Australian-compliant GRC system that doesn’t require heavy configuration. It’s a great fit for SMEs through to larger organisations looking for strong functionality without complexity.
2. Protecht
Protecht is one of the most well-known GRC platforms in Australia, offering a powerful suite of tools for enterprise risk management.
It has a strong presence in financial services, government and large multi-site organisations that need a highly configurable solution. The platform is comprehensive and designed to support advanced risk processes, making it a preferred choice for mature risk environments.
Because Protecht is feature-rich, there is a steeper learning curve compared to simpler systems.
However, if you need deep analytical capability, custom workflows and sophisticated reporting, it may be an excellent match.
Key Features
- Detailed risk assessment and modelling tools
- Real-time visual dashboards and analytics
- Audit, incident and compliance modules
- Policy and control libraries
- Strong integration options
- Highly customisable workflows
Best For
Protecht suits medium to large organisations with complex risk environments or dedicated risk teams that require advanced functionality and configurability.
3. SAI360
SAI360 is a globally recognised GRC platform with a solid presence in Australia.
It offers one of the broadest ranges of GRC modules on the market, covering everything from risk and compliance to ethics, learning management and ESG reporting. The system is extremely flexible and scalable, making it suitable for large enterprises with diverse needs.
Because SAI360 covers a wide scope, configuration can require more time and internal resources.
However, once implemented, it offers an exceptional level of control, visibility and governance capability.
Key Features
- Enterprise-level risk and compliance management
- ESG, governance and internal audit modules
- Policy and ethics management
- Compliance learning content
- Workflow automation
- Wide range of integrations
Best For
SAI360 is best suited to large organisations that need a comprehensive, all-in-one platform with extensive customisation and global-scale capability.
4. Diligent GRC
Diligent is a premium governance and board management platform that also offers advanced GRC capabilities.
It’s designed for organisations that want strong board oversight, executive reporting and governance tools alongside risk and compliance functionality. Its polished interface and board management features make it a favourite among executive teams.
Diligent’s strength lies in strategic governance and high-level reporting rather than operational compliance tasks, but it still offers a solid suite of GRC modules for organisations that need both.
Key Features
- Board and executive governance tools
- Risk and compliance dashboards
- Audit and control management
- Policy and document storage
- Third-party risk management
- Highly polished reporting features
Best For
Diligent is ideal for organisations looking to strengthen board governance, executive oversight and strategic decision-making while still managing risk and compliance.
5. Camms Risk
Camms Risk is an Australian-based GRC solution widely used by government agencies, councils and large organisations that need structured risk and project governance tools.
It offers strong alignment with public-sector frameworks and is known for its project risk and strategic planning capabilities.
While the user interface is more traditional, Camms delivers robust functionality for organisations that require structured reporting, auditability and formalised risk processes.
Key Features
- Risk and compliance management
- Project and strategic planning tools
- Incident and audit modules
- Governance and performance tracking
- Public-sector focused frameworks
- Custom dashboards and reporting
Best For
Camms Risk is well-suited to government organisations, councils and regulated industries needing strong project governance and structured reporting frameworks.
Conclusion
By now, you’ve seen just how important a strong GRC system is for any organisation operating in Australia.
With regulations becoming more complex, risks evolving faster than ever, and expectations from regulators, boards, and leaders increasing, you simply can’t afford to rely on manual processes or scattered documents.
You need a system that gives you structure, visibility, confidence, and control.
And that’s exactly why Sentrient stands out.
If you want a GRC solution that’s designed specifically for Australian organisations, easy to use for all staff, and powerful enough to manage risks, policies, incidents, and compliance obligations—Sentrient is the clear choice.
It removes the stress from governance and compliance, replaces outdated processes with reliable digital workflows, and helps you stay audit-ready at all times.
Ready to transform the way you manage governance, risk and compliance?
Book a personalised demo with Sentrient today and see how simple effective GRC can be.
FAQs
1. What is a GRC system and why do you need one?
A GRC system helps you manage governance, risk and compliance in a structured and consistent way. Instead of relying on spreadsheets or manual processes, you get one central place to track risks, policies, incidents and obligations. This makes audits easier and reduces the chance of important tasks being missed. Many organisations in Australia use systems like Sentrient to stay compliant and organised.
2. How do GRC systems support compliance in Australia?
A good GRC system helps you align with Australian regulations such as the Privacy Act, APRA standards, ASIC requirements and WHS laws. It lets you record evidence, assign responsibilities, track deadlines and maintain a clear audit trail. Platforms like Sentrient also include features designed specifically for Australian legislation.
3. What features should you look for in a GRC platform?
You should prioritise features such as risk registers, policy management, incident reporting, compliance tracking, dashboards and strong reporting tools. It’s also important that the system is easy for your staff to use. If you’re looking for a platform with these essentials built in, Sentrient is a popular option in Australia.
4. How much does a GRC system cost?
Costs vary depending on your organisation’s size, the features you need and whether the platform is cloud-based. Some systems offer modular pricing so you only pay for what you use. Sentrient is often seen as an affordable choice for Australian organisations because it offers a wide range of features at competitive pricing.
5. Do small or medium-sized businesses need a GRC system?
Yes — even smaller organisations face risks, compliance obligations and policy requirements. A GRC system helps you stay organised without overwhelming your team. Tools like Sentrient are particularly suited to SMEs because they are simple, affordable and easy to implement.
6. How does a GRC system improve risk management?
It gives you a structured way to identify, record and assess risks. You can track controls, assign actions and see trends over time. This leads to better decision-making and fewer surprises. Systems like Sentrient also provide dashboards and reports to help you communicate risks clearly to leadership.
7. Can a GRC system help with cybersecurity compliance?
Absolutely. A GRC system can help you track cyber risks, document controls, manage incidents and support frameworks like ISO 27001 or APRA CPS 234. Australian organisations often use Sentrient to manage both operational and cybersecurity-related risks.
