A Pivotal Moment for Integrated Risk Management: Lessons from Oracle's GRC Exit

The End of an Era: Oracle Discontinues Its GRC Solution

Oracle's announcement to discontinue its Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) solution by May 2025 marks a significant turning point in the Integrated Risk Management (IRM) landscape. This decision underscores the necessity for unified frameworks that encompass all risk domains: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Technology Risk Management (TRM), and Operational Risk Management (ORM). As businesses face increasingly complex regulatory environments and interconnected risks, the need for integrated approaches has never been greater.

Oracle's move aligns with a broader trend toward prioritizing modernized, scalable solutions over outdated architectures. While Oracle's Risk Management Cloud remains a recommended alternative, it is clear the platform's functionalities do not entirely replicate the legacy GRC suite. This presents challenges—and opportunities—for businesses, GRC professionals, and IRM providers alike. 

Understanding the Four Domains of Integrated Risk Management

Source: IRM Navigator™ Report Series

Integrated Risk Management (IRM) is a comprehensive approach that unifies various risk management disciplines to provide a holistic view of an organization's risk landscape. The four primary domains of IRM are:

1. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC): GRC primarily focuses on regulatory compliance. This domain emphasizes adherence to laws, regulations, and internal policies while fostering ethical conduct and robust internal controls. Core components include regulatory compliance, ethics & conduct, internal audit, and policy management. By ensuring compliance and governance activities are integrated into the overall risk management strategy, GRC enhances resilience and assures stakeholders.

2. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM): ERM involves identifying, assessing, and managing risks that could impede an organization's ability to achieve its strategic objectives. It ensures strategic alignment by integrating risk considerations into decision-making and planning. Core components include board risk oversight, corporate governance, and strategic risk management.

3. Technology Risk Management (TRM): TRM addresses risks associated with technology use, cybersecurity threats, and IT system failures. It ensures the protection of technological assets and operational continuity through policy enforcement, data protection, and incident response.

4. Operational Risk Management (ORM): ORM focuses on risks arising from daily operations, including process failures, human errors, and external events. This domain ensures operational resilience by addressing risks related to internal processes and third-party dependencies.

Oracle's discontinuation of its GRC solution directly impacts the GRC domain but has broader implications across all IRM domains. Organizations must reassess their risk management strategies to ensure they remain integrated and comprehensive, addressing potential gaps from this change.

Why Is Oracle Discontinuing Its GRC Suite?

The decision is driven by several factors that highlight industry trends:

1. Strategic Realignment Toward Cloud-Native Solutions: Cloud-based platforms like Oracle Risk Management Cloud provide greater scalability, automation, and real-time monitoring capabilities, which legacy systems often fail to deliver.

2. Market Dynamics and Competition: The GRC market has become highly competitive, with vendors like Diligent, NAVEX, ServiceNow, Riskonnect, and Mitratech offering cutting-edge, AI-powered tools that go beyond traditional GRC functionalities to integrate with broader IRM frameworks.

3. Demand for Integration Across Risk Domains: Modern IRM frameworks emphasize seamless integration between GRC, ERM, TRM, and ORM. Oracle's legacy GRC tools, designed for a different era, could not meet today's enterprise needs for interoperability and comprehensive risk management.

4. Customer Expectations for Advanced Analytics and Proactivity: Organizations increasingly seek tools that offer predictive analytics, real-time risk visualization, and strategic decision-making support—capabilities absent in many legacy platforms, including Oracle GRC.

Implications for the IRM Market

Oracle's exit from the GRC market signals challenges and opportunities for IRM providers and organizations. It highlights the growing importance of integrated risk management approaches and presents a critical moment for the IRM ecosystem to innovate and adapt.

Opportunities for IRM Providers

1. Market Expansion: Thousands of organizations relying on Oracle's GRC suite must migrate to new platforms, creating significant market opportunities for IRM vendors. Solutions like Diligent's governance and compliance tools, NAVEX's risk and compliance management platform, and Riskonnect's integrated suite are strong contenders.

2. Enhancing Integration Capabilities: Vendors prioritizing seamless integration with existing ERP systems, particularly Oracle ERP, will stand out as preferred options. Platforms like Mitratech and ServiceNow excel in integrating governance, compliance, and operational risk data.

3. Driving Innovation: To meet evolving organizational needs, IRM providers must continue investing in AI, automation, and predictive analytics. Vendors like IBM OpenPages, Mitratech, and NAVEX already leverage AI-driven insights to transform risk management practices.

4. Migration Support Services: Vendors offering robust migration services will be key to helping organizations navigate the technical, operational, and compliance-related challenges of transitioning from Oracle GRC. This includes providing consulting expertise and ensuring minimal disruption to existing operations.

Strategic Recommendations for Organizations

To navigate this pivotal moment, businesses must take the following proactive steps:

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Gap Analysis: Evaluate the specific functionalities lost with Oracle GRC and identify alternatives that meet your regulatory compliance, risk management, and operational needs.

2. Select Integrated Solutions: Consider platforms like Diligent, NAVEX, Riskonnect, and Mitratech, which provide seamless integration across all IRM domains, including GRC, ERM, TRM, and ORM.

3. Prioritize Modern Features: Opt for tools that leverage AI and real-time analytics to support proactive risk management, ensuring your organization stays ahead of emerging risks.

4. Develop a Migration Plan: Collaborate with vendors and consultants to ensure a smooth transition from stakeholder engagement to training and implementation.

5. Future-Proof Your Risk Management Framework: Align your platform selection with your broader IRM strategy to ensure scalability and adaptability for future regulatory and operational demands.

Seize the Opportunity

Oracle's exit from the GRC market underscores the urgent need for organizations to embrace a truly integrated risk management approach. This is more than a migration—it is an opportunity to elevate risk management strategies across all four IRM domains: GRC, ERM, TRM, and ORM. Platforms like Diligent, NAVEX, Mitratech, Riskonnect, and others exemplify how modern solutions can seamlessly integrate these domains, ensuring compliance, resilience, and strategic alignment.

By leveraging the principles of Wheelhouse Advisors' IRM Navigator™, organizations can redefine how they approach risk management in an increasingly complex and regulated business environment. The time to act is now; those who seize this moment will be better prepared to navigate the evolving risk landscape.

References 

1. Wheelhouse Advisors. (2024). IRM Navigator™ Quarterly Insight Report - GRC Edition. Retrieved from Wheelhouse Advisors IRM Navigator™ Reports.

2. Lee, G. (2025). The End of Oracle GRC: Are You Ready?. ERP Today. Retrieved from ERP Today.

3. Wheelhouse Advisors. (2024). IRM Navigator™ Framework Overview. Retrieved from Newswire.