During a pivotal period at a major pharma manufacturing site facing closure, teams were tasked with maintaining uninterrupted supply, safeguarding quality standards, and protecting patient safety while operations transitioned elsewhere. With only 18 months to deliver, the organisation needed clarity, discipline, and a shared approach to doing the right thing under pressure. From that challenge emerged a simple, memorable framework which remains widely applicable today: The ABC of Compliance. This leadership model helps organisations strengthen culture, design out risk, and respond effectively when issues arise. It provides a practical anchor for leaders who want to build confidence, consistency, and accountability across their teams.

In the pharmaceutical sector, social media activity by employees can carry significant compliance risks. This article outlines key dos and don’ts, including the dangers of reposting promotional content, engaging with third-party posts, and discussing prescription-only medicines online. With global regulations in mind, it introduces a simple framework, Restrict, Report, Regionalise, to help employees navigate digital platforms responsibly and protect both personal and organisational integrity.

This article explores the strategic dilemma Boards face in categorising cybersecurity and artificial intelligence risks within governance frameworks. As regulatory pressure and technological complexity increase, the way these risks are "labelled" significantly impacts Board oversight. Boards must choose between elevating cyber and AI to standalone strategic risks (increasing visibility and accountability) or integrating them as sub-risks of information governance (ensuring a holistic view of the data lifecycle).

Acronyms and mnemonics are useful for simplifying complex ideas. Although the SURVIVOR mnemonic isn’t officially recognised in project management, its elements, Scope, Urgency, Risks, Value, Integration, Validation, Accountability, and Leadership, align closely with core project management principles. At GRC Catalyst, we’ve taken this SURVIVOR framework and created a proprietary tool for Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) professionals.

AI risks extend beyond your own organisation because third-party partners, suppliers, and vendors may embed AI into their services. This creates “shadow AI” - systems that affect your business indirectly but remain outside your direct control. You are only as safe as the AI your partners use. Shadow AI means you are potentially exposed to regulatory penalties, data leaks, and reputational damage.

GRC Catalyst offers fractional Compliance Officer and Data Protection Officer services to pharma, biotech, and life sciences organisations. But why engage a fractional Compliance or Data Protection Officer, and what benefits can they offer a company? The “fractional” executive has gained traction over the last five years. Nowadays, fractional roles form part of mainstream recruitment and are a recognised option for start-ups, SMEs and similar organisations.