If you’re responsible for governance, risk or compliance in your organisation, you’ve probably felt the pressure growing year after year.
Regulations are becoming stricter; expectations are rising and the risks facing Australian businesses are more complex than ever.
Whether you’re managing workplace safety, protecting personal information, monitoring suppliers or staying ahead of industry standards, the reality is the same: compliance is no longer something you can leave to chance or manage with spreadsheets.
Many organisations still rely on manual processes to meet their governance and compliance responsibilities.
Policies sit in scattered folders, risks are tracked in different spreadsheets, incidents are reported inconsistently, and compliance tasks get lost in email threads. These systems might have worked once, but today they create gaps, confusion and unnecessary stress.
When an auditor or regulator asks for evidence, finding the right documents becomes a time-consuming, frustrating task.
This is why more Australian organisations are turning to GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance) systems.
A modern GRC system brings everything together in one structured, easy-to-manage platform. Instead of juggling multiple tools and manual processes, you can track policies, manage risks, record incidents, store evidence and monitor compliance with confidence.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the top GRC features Australian organisations need in a GRC system to achieve compliance success.
Why GRC Systems Matter for Australian Organisations
As an Australian organisation, you operate in an environment where compliance expectations are constantly increasing.
Regulators want more evidence, risks are evolving faster and stakeholders expect you to demonstrate strong governance at all times.
Without the right systems, staying on top of everything can feel overwhelming.
This is where a GRC system becomes essential. Instead of relying on scattered documents or manual spreadsheets, a GRC system brings all your governance, risk and compliance activities together in one organised space.
It helps you stay ahead of your obligations, avoid costly mistakes and create a culture where compliance is part of everyday practice – not an afterthought.
What a GRC System Actually Does
A GRC system simplifies how you manage governance, risk and compliance by giving you:
- one place to store policies
- one system to track risks
- one process for reporting incidents
- one register for compliance obligations
- one source of truth for audits and reporting
Everything becomes easier to access, easier to update and easier to monitor.
Why Compliance Is Becoming More Complex in Australia
Australian organisations face unique challenges, including:
- strict privacy expectations
- high WHS obligations
- increasing cyber security threats
- modern slavery reporting requirements
- rapid regulatory change across industries
Trying to manage all this manually creates a high risk of errors, delays and compliance gaps.
The Risks of Outdated or Manual Processes
If you’re still using spreadsheets, shared drives or email reminders, you may already be experiencing problems such as:
- inconsistent documentation
- missing audit evidence
- outdated policies
- delayed incident responses
- unclear responsibilities
- difficulty tracking compliance tasks
These gaps weaken your governance framework and can expose your organisation to unnecessary risk.
The Unique Compliance Challenges Faced by Australian Organisations
If you operate in Australia, you already know that compliance isn’t optional – it’s an essential part of running a responsible, trustworthy and legally compliant organisation.
But what makes the Australian landscape especially challenging is the sheer variety of obligations you must manage. These obligations often change over time, and keeping up without the right compliance mangement system can be incredibly difficult.
Below are some of the biggest compliance challenges Australian organisations face today, and why they highlight the need for a strong, feature-rich GRC system.
1. High WHS Obligations Across All Industries
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) legislation in Australia is among the strictest in the world.
Whether you have five employees or five hundred, you’re required to:
- provide a safe working environment
- manage hazards effectively
- report and investigate incidents
- document corrective actions
- maintain compliance records
If incident reporting is inconsistent or poorly documented, it can put your organisation at significant risk – both financially and legally. A GRC system helps you keep clear, complete records and ensures staff follow the correct processes.
2. Strong Privacy Requirements and Breach Reporting
Australia’s Privacy Act requires organisations to protect personal information, handle it responsibly and report eligible data breaches promptly.
With cyber-attacks on the rise, this obligation is becoming harder to meet.
Common challenges include:
- tracking privacy-related risks
- managing data breach workflows
- ensuring staff understand privacy responsibilities
- maintaining accurate records for audits
A GRC system gives you the structure to handle privacy risks and incidents consistently and transparently.
3. Modern Slavery Act Reporting Obligations
Many organisations must now assess, document and report on modern slavery risks within their supply chains.
Even if your organisation is not legally required to submit a statement, many stakeholders expect transparency around ethical sourcing.
The challenge here is evidence. You must be able to show:
- supplier assessments
- risk mitigation activities
- internal reviews
- corrective actions
Without a system to track these activities, compliance becomes difficult and inconsistent.
4. Industry-Specific Regulations
Certain sectors in Australia face even more demanding compliance environments. For example:
- Aged care: quality standards, incident reporting, risk management
- Healthcare: clinical governance, privacy expectations, safety requirements
- Financial services: APRA and ASIC compliance, cyber resilience, operational risk
- Education: safeguarding, WHS, data protection
- Not-for-profit: governance codes, transparency obligations
A GRC system helps you manage these layers of requirements without losing visibility.
5. The Need for Strong Documentation & Evidence
In Australia, regulators often expect not just compliance, but evidence of compliance. That includes:
- version-controlled policies
- risk reviews
- incident investigations
- audit trails
- staff acknowledgements
- supplier assessments
This is where many organisations fall short. Without a GRC system, documents are scattered, outdated or difficult to locate during audits.
6. Rapid Regulatory Change
Regulations evolve quickly. New cyber requirements, updated WHS codes, changing privacy expectations and new industry standards can appear at any time.
Relying on manual processes makes it hard to stay on top of these changes.
A modern GRC system helps you stay aligned with current requirements and gives you the flexibility to adapt as new rules emerge.
6 Essential Features Every Australian Organisation Needs in a GRC System
Choosing a GRC system can feel overwhelming, especially when different platforms offer long lists of features.
But not all features carry the same weight – some are essential for compliance success in Australia. These core features give you structure, visibility and confidence, while helping you meet your regulatory requirements more consistently.
Below are the must-have features you should look for in a modern Australian-focused GRC system.
1 – Centralised Policy & Document Management
Policies are the foundation of governance. They guide behaviour, set expectations and support compliance across your organisation.
But policies only work when staff can find them easily and when everyone is using the correct version.
A strong GRC system should provide:
- One central place for all policies and procedures
- Version control to ensure old documents aren’t used
- Staff acknowledgement tracking
- Automated review reminders for policy owners
- Easy access for all employees
Without this structure, it’s very easy for outdated or missing policies to create compliance gaps.
2 – Robust Risk Management Tools
Risk management is at the heart of good governance. You need a clear, organised way to identify risks, score them, assign actions and monitor them over time.
A good GRC system will offer:
- A central risk register
- Likelihood and impact scoring
- Controls and treatments
- Risk owners and review cycles
- Heatmaps for visualising risk exposure
- Trend reporting
These tools help you move from reactive firefighting to proactive risk prevention.
3 – Incident & WHS Management
Incidents, whether safety-related, operational or security-related, require fast reporting, proper investigation and clear corrective actions.
Manual reporting often leads to missing details, delays or inconsistent processes.
A strong incident and WHS management module should include:
- Simple reporting forms for staff
- Guided investigation workflows
- Corrective and preventive action tracking
- Hazard reporting tools
- WHS compliance alignment
- Audit trails for review and regulatory demands
This incident management system as a prominent feature in your GRC System alone can significantly reduce workplace risks and improve staff safety.
4 – Compliance Obligation Tracking
One of the biggest pain points for organisations is keeping track of endless compliance tasks: deadlines, reviews, evidence, reporting requirements and regulatory updates.
A GRC system should make this easy by offering:
- A central obligations register
- Automated reminders and escalations
- Task assignments and attestations
- Evidence storage for audits
- Compliance dashboards showing progress at a glance
When you automate compliance tracking, you reduce the chance of missed deadlines and last-minute panic.
5 – Internal Audit & Assurance Tools
Internal audits help you ensure that policies are followed, risks are managed and compliance processes are effective. Without the right audit and compliance reporting system, audits become time-consuming and difficult to manage.
A good GRC system includes:
- Audit planning and scheduling
- Checklists and structured workflows
- Findings and recommendations tracking
- Corrective action plans
- Evidence and document storage
This reduces audit stress and helps you stay compliant throughout the year – not just when an audit approaches.
6 – Reporting & Dashboards
Good reporting is essential for decision-making, board presentations and ongoing monitoring. Leaders want clear, visual insights – not spreadsheets filled with outdated numbers.
Your GRC system should provide:
- Customisable dashboards
- Visual charts, heatmaps and summaries
- Real-time updates
- Exportable reports for executives and boards
- Drill-down capability for deeper analysis
Strong reporting turns your GRC data into meaningful insights that support better governance.
6 Advanced GRC Features That Support Long-Term Compliance Success
Once you have the essential features covered, it’s time to look at the advanced capabilities that can take your governance, risk and compliance processes to the next level.
These features aren’t always required from day one, but they become incredibly valuable as your organisation grows, your risk environment evolves and expectations from regulators and stakeholders increase.
Below are the advanced features that help Australian organisations future-proof their compliance strategy.
7 – Workflow Automation & Process Standardisation
Automation is one of the biggest advantages of a modern GRC system. Instead of chasing people for updates or manually updating spreadsheets, you can let the Workflow Automation System handle repetitive tasks for you.
Automated workflows help you:
- send reminders for overdue or upcoming tasks
- escalate issues when deadlines are missed
- route policies or incidents through approval steps
- assign corrective actions instantly
- maintain consistency across teams
This not only saves time, but it also ensures processes are carried out the same way every single time, reducing the risk of human error.
8 – Integrations with HR, LMS, Payroll and Quality Systems
Many compliance obligations depend on data that lives in other systems. For example:
- HR systems store employee information
- Learning management systems track training
- Payroll or onboarding tools manage staff lifecycle events
- Quality and safety systems track operational incidents
When your GRC system integrates with these tools, you reduce duplication, avoid conflicting records and improve accuracy.
9 – Vendor & Third-Party Risk Management
Supply chains are becoming more complex, and Australian organisations are under pressure to manage third-party risks more closely – especially with Modern Slavery obligations and growing cybersecurity concerns.
An advanced GRC system should offer tools for:
- supplier assessments and questionnaires
- tracking risk ratings and due-diligence results
- monitoring contractual obligations
- storing evidence and certifications
- managing supplier incidents and breaches
This ensures you’re not exposed to unnecessary risk through vendors, contractors or service providers.
10 – Cybersecurity Risk & Data Protection Features
Cyber threats are one of the top risks for Australian organisations. Regulators and stakeholders increasingly expect businesses to demonstrate strong cyber resilience.
A future-focused GRC system should help you:
- align with information security frameworks like ISO 27001
- run cyber risk assessments
- document controls and treatments
- record and track data breaches
- respond quickly and consistently when incidents occur
Cyber risks change fast, and having a system to manage them properly can save time, money and reputational damage.
11 – ESG, Sustainability & Ethical Governance Tools
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) responsibilities are becoming a standard expectation – not just for large organisations, but across many sectors.
Stakeholders want transparency around:
- sustainability practices
- ethical sourcing
- diversity and governance performance
- social responsibility
Advanced GRC systems now include features that help you:
- collect ESG data
- track key metrics and goals
- assess sustainability risks
- document modern slavery due diligence
- report on governance outcomes
Even if ESG reporting isn’t mandatory for you today, it likely will become more important in the future.
12 – AI-Powered Insights, Automation & Predictive Analytics
Artificial intelligence is beginning to transform the GRC landscape. While still emerging, AI-powered features are becoming increasingly useful for compliance success.
These advanced capabilities can:
- detect patterns in incidents and risks
- predict emerging threats
- suggest controls or mitigation actions
- automate risk scoring
- analyse large volumes of data instantly
This shifts you from reacting to issues to preventing them before they escalate.
How to Evaluate a GRC System for Australian Regulatory Needs
Choosing a GRC system isn’t just about picking the one with the longest feature list.
It’s about finding a platform that truly supports your organisation’s regulatory requirements, cultural expectations and long-term goals. Australian organisations, in particular, need tools that understand local laws, local risks and local compliance challenges.
Here are the key factors to consider when evaluating a GRC system for the Australian environment.
1. Local Data Hosting & Privacy Requirements
Privacy expectations in Australia are high, and many organisations prefer, or are required, to store data locally.
When a GRC system hosts its data in Australia, you gain:
- stronger data sovereignty
- better alignment with privacy expectations
- improved response times
- peace of mind about where your information lives
This is particularly important if you handle sensitive information or operate in regulated industries like health, aged care or finance.
If a provider cannot offer Australian-based hosting, it may not be the best fit for your compliance needs.
2. Vendor Expertise in the Australian Market
Not all GRC vendors understand the Australian regulatory landscape.
Some overseas providers offer impressive features but lack alignment with:
- WHS requirements
- Privacy Act expectations
- Modern Slavery obligations
- Industry-specific compliance frameworks
Choosing a vendor with strong Australian expertise ensures the system matches your actual obligations – not generic ones from other regions.
A vendor with local experience can also provide:
- relevant templates
- Australian-specific workflows
- guidelines tailored to local regulations
- examples based on real Australian organisations
This makes your setup smoother and more practical.
3. Scalability & Long-Term Alignment
Your organisation will grow and evolve, and your risks, obligations and processes will evolve with it. A good GRC system must grow with you.
Look for a system that:
- lets you add new modules over time
- supports increasing user numbers
- adapts to changing regulatory requirements
- doesn’t require complicated or expensive customisation
Scalability ensures your investment remains valuable as your organisation changes.
4. Usability & Adoption
A GRC system is only effective if people actually use it. Complicated systems with steep learning curves may look impressive, but they often fail because staff avoid them.
Consider systems that:
- are intuitive and easy to navigate
- require minimal training
- offer mobile-friendly access
- simplify tasks rather than adding complexity
The easier the system is to use, the more likely your teams will engage consistently and that directly improves your compliance outcomes.
5. Customer Support & Local Responsiveness
Strong customer support is essential, especially when you’re onboarding or configuring your system.
You want a vendor who:
- responds quickly
- understands local compliance needs
- provides training and onboarding assistance
- offers ongoing guidance as your processes mature
Australian-based support is often a major advantage, especially for time-sensitive compliance issues.
Conclusion
Compliance success in Australia isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s about building a reliable, consistent and transparent framework that protects your organisation and supports your people.
With regulations evolving quickly and risks becoming more complex, the right GRC system makes it possible to stay ahead rather than constantly catching up.
By now, you’ve seen the essential and advanced features that matter most. These features work together to streamline your processes, strengthen governance and create a culture where compliance becomes part of everyday operations.
If you’re looking for a solution designed specifically for Australian organisations, Sentrient’s GRC System is one of the strongest options available.
It brings together all the features you need – policies, risks, incidents, compliance tasks, reporting and more – into one simple, intuitive platform. It’s built for Australian requirements, supported by a local team and designed to make governance, risk and compliance easier for everyone across your organisation.
Ready to simplify governance, risk and compliance across your organisation?
Book a personalised demo with Sentrient now and see how the right GRC system can transform your compliance success.
FAQs
1. What are the must-have features of a GRC system?
Essential features include a centralised policy library, a clear risk register, incident and WHS management tools, compliance tracking, audit workflows and strong reporting dashboards. These core components give you structure and visibility across your organisation.
2. Why do Australian organisations need GRC tools?
Australia has strict WHS, privacy, ethical sourcing and risk management expectations. GRC tools help you stay compliant, manage risks proactively and meet regulatory requirements without relying on scattered spreadsheets. They make governance more consistent and audits far less stressful.
3. What is the difference between a GRC system and risk management software?
Risk management software focuses mainly on identifying and tracking risks. A GRC system covers governance, risk and compliance, giving you one platform to manage policies, incidents, obligations and audits as well. It’s a much more complete solution.
4. Should a GRC system be hosted in Australia?
Ideally, yes. Local hosting helps with data sovereignty, privacy expectations and regulatory compliance. Many organisations prefer Australian-based solutions like Sentrient because they offer local hosting and support.
5. How much does a GRC system cost?
Pricing varies depending on the size of your organisation, the number of modules you need and the vendor’s pricing model. Some systems offer bundled packages, while others charge per feature. The key is choosing a platform that meets your needs without unnecessary complexity or cost.
