To remain competitive in today's digital age, organizations need effective governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). For enhanced efficiency, the Xanadu update of ServiceNow GRC offers advanced tools and features that allow organizations to navigate the complexities of risk and compliance easily.

Organizations use GRC to manage risk, compliance, and policy management processes. By leveraging the power of the Now platform, GRC allows organizations to access risk and optimize their government processes. It streamlines inefficient processes in an organization into a unified risk management program, integrating risk management, compliance tracking, and governance processes, replacing manual, siloed workflows.

Furthermore, ServiceNow GRC offers robust analytics and reporting tools that enable actionable insights into risk trends, compliance performance, and operational gaps. These insights provide the ability for organizations to make informed decisions, respond to emerging risks swiftly, and maintain alignment with their long-term strategic goals.

By using an integrated, technology-driven approach to GRC, businesses can expand their resilience, improve collaboration, and confidently navigate the complexities of today’s regulatory environment.

This blog explores the key trends, challenges, and best practices shaping the future of GRC in 2025.

Key Trends Shaping GRC in 2025

1. Increased Regulatory Complexity

The regulatory landscape is becoming complex, with governments and international bodies introducing new mandatory compliance. Industries like finance, healthcare, and technology face high scrutiny, requiring businesses to apply agile compliance strategies.

 

ServiceNow GRC module, with its policy management and real time tracking capabilities, helps organizations stay ahead of all these changes. For example, its real-time dashboard allows compliance teams to identify and track non-compliance issues promptly, reducing risks and ensuring adherence to evolving mandates.

 

 

2. Technology-Driven Transformation

 

The usage of cloud computing, blockchain, and other emerging technologies is refining the way organizations manage GRC. ServiceNow’s integration capabilities with third-party tools and advanced reporting allow businesses to support technology to improve efficiency, reduce silos and achieve better oversight.

 

 

3. Cybersecurity as a Core Component 

 

With evolving cyber threats, cybersecurity has become a fundamental component of GRC. ServiceNow’s ability to centralize risk management and incident response provides organizations with the ability to proactively address vulnerabilities and ensure robust security measures.

 

 

4. The Role of Automation and AI in GRC

 

Automation and Artificial Intelligence are revolutionizing GRC by streamlining processes and enhancing accuracy. For instance, AI-driven predictive analytics in ServiceNow can identify emerging risks before they become critical, while machine learning algorithms enhance anomaly detection, reducing the likelihood of compliance breaches.

 

Features like ServiceNow AI-powered risk assessments, predictive analytics, and machine learning capabilities enhance decision-making and reduce manual efforts, allowing organizations to focus on strategic priorities.

 

 

5. Data Privacy and Ethics

 

With data breaches and ethical concerns gaining importance, data privacy regulations like GDPR & CCPA form corporate policies. ServiceNow’s privacy management tools help businesses to maintain transparency, ensure compliance, and support ethical standards.

 

 

6. Integrating GRC with Business Strategy

 

Organizations are frequently aligning GRC initiatives with their priority business strategies and performance metrics with ServiceNow GRC. By embedding risk management and compliance into daily operations, companies can achieve sustainable growth.

 

Challenges With GRC Adoption

Irrespective of technologies advancements, organizations face some challenges with GRC adoption:

1. Changing Regulations: Staying updated with global regulations is challenging. The sheer volume and pace of new regulatory requirements, along with variation across regions and industries, make it challenging for organizations to maintain compliance.

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2. Disparate System Integration: Organizations still rely on legacy systems that are not designed to integrate with modern platforms. Integrating legacy systems into a modern GRC framework requires careful planning, significant resources, and technical expertise to ensure seamless compatibility and data consistency.

 

3. Resource Constraints: A shortage of skilled professionals and/or a sufficient budget hinders the effective implementation of GRC programs.

 

4. Cultural Resistance: Adoption of GRC initiatives often requires a significant cultural shift within an organization. Employees and stakeholders may oppose changes due to a lack of understanding, fear of added responsibilities, or skepticism about the GRC program's value. Creating awareness and fostering a compliance- oriented culture may help overcome their resistance.

Best Practices for Adopting ServiceNow GRC

To address or resolve these challenges and capitalize on emerging trends, organizations must consider following best practices:

1. Adopting Unified Platform: Using centralized platform like ServiceNow provides comprehensive GRC management by integrating processes, policies, and risk data in one place. This ensures consistency, improved collaboration, and enables a single source of truth for decision making.

 

2. Automation: Automating repetitive and manual tasks helps in improving efficiency, helps in reducing human error, and saves time. Tools like “Automated Risk Assessments” and workflows enable teams to focus on technical activities that enhance productivity and efficiency.

 

3. Training and Awareness: Educating employees on the importance of GRC and providing proper training on how to use tools efficiently helps a compliance driven culture. Awareness campaigns and timely updates benefit stakeholders and effectively align with the organization goal.

 

4. Focus on Data Driven Insights: Using analytics and reporting tools enables actionable insights into risks, compliance performance, and operational gaps. These tools enable organizations to track metrices, identify emerging trends, and pinpoint high-risk areas. By using data, businesses can actively identify vulnerability and make well-informed decisions that align with their strategic objectives.

 

5. Stakeholders Engagement: Involving key stakeholders and leadership ensures alignment between GRC initiative and business objective. Engaged stakeholders can endorse GRC programs, secure funding and ensure organizational buy-in. Stakeholder involvement can promote accountability and collaboration across departments and help embed GRC into the company’s culture and operations.


Conclusion

As GRC continues to evolve in complexity and importance, an organization must follow innovative approaches to remain resilient to compliance. ServiceNow GRC provides businesses with tools to navigate regulatory challenges, integrate advanced technologies, and align GRC with strategic goals.

By embracing trends like automation, cyber security, and data-driven insights, and by identifying challenges with proactive measures, organizations can transform their GRC initiatives into drivers of sustainable growth and competitive advantage.

Key to Success in 2025 and beyond lies in a holistic, forward-thinking approach to governance, risk, and compliance.

Partner with inMorphis for expert guidance on ServiceNow GRC, seamless implementation, and cutting-edge solutions tailored to your needs.

  • - Prerna Sharma