Holistic GRC Initiatives Translate to Measurable Business, Not Just Tech, Benefits

Proactive, Top-Down Driven GRC Initiatives Prove Their Value to the CxO


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - March 6, 2008) - In the newly released benchmark report "GRC Strategic Agenda: The Value Proposition of Governance, Risk, and Compliance," Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), found that on average, only 53% of organizations' sensitive data is adequately protected from insider abuse.

The report analyzed organizations' planning, deployment, use, and management of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) policies, procedures and solutions to analyze and highlight the top-line business benefits of an enterprise-wide, proactive approach. As part of their GRC strategies, organizations that leverage a variety of top-down procedures, customized policies, integrated and scalable solutions, automated analysis procedures, and clearly articulated reporting tools were able to significantly impact high-level business metrics to derive the optimal benefits from GRC implementations. Although one of the key problems organizations expect to encounter when implementing a GRC solution is the difficulty communicating the value of such solutions to decision makers (36%), organizations developing GRC initiatives on a proactive, rather than reactive or compulsory basis, were able to validate and firmly establish the value of GRC budget allocations to the C-Suite budget holders through increasing their ability to prioritize investments by 20% and realizing a 16% increase in the optimization of existing business processes.

"Historically compliance has been the factor that most significantly impacts the adoption and acceleration of GRC initiatives," explains Stephen Walker Esq., Senior Associate in the Technology Markets Group. "However, the fact that internal policies and procedures emerged as the most important standard/regulation driving investment in GRC solutions, ahead even of government regulations such as SOX and industry mandates like PCI DSS, indicates the development of a shift from compulsory regulations being the primary driver of GRC implementations, to organizations implementing GRC programs because it makes good business sense."

The report educates end users on the most effective approaches to developing and deploying GRC initiatives that drive significant business, as well as technological value, and outlines a roadmap allowing end user organizations to evaluate the current status of their GRC initiative and provides direction on the path that initiative can take to augment and proactively advance their business goals. A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: MetricStream, Mitratech, and Paisley Consulting. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4519.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

2008 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
260 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-3112
Telephone: (617) 723-7890
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com

Contact Information: Media Contact: Ralph Rodriguez, Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5332 Ralph.rodriguez@aberdeen.com