Industry:
Energy
Field:
GRC
Location:
Canada
Project background
Hydro-Québec, a leading player in the energy sector, faced increasing complexity in managing risk and regulatory compliance. The company recognised the need to modernise its processes by adopting a more structured and harmonised approach. The primary objective was to streamline practices across teams and departments, while enhancing internal interactions. This would ultimately improve cross-functional collaboration and establish stronger defence mechanisms.
The company launched an initiative aimed at harmonising risk management practices, structuring its lines of defence, and reinforcing synergies between compliance and risk management teams.
The company launched an initiative aimed at harmonising risk management practices, structuring its lines of defence, and reinforcing synergies between compliance and risk management teams.
Strategic challenges to address
- Establishing a clear roadmap: A detailed implementation plan was essential, including strategic and operational directions, precise timelines, and the necessary resources to ensure long-term project success.
- A unified tool to support collaboration: Hydro-Québec sought a single solution to enhance communication between departments and centralise risk management—eliminating fragmentation and reducing information loss.
- Clearly defined lines of defence: A key priority was to structure the organisation’s lines of defence to reinforce risk and compliance governance across all levels.
- Harmonisation of practices and frameworks: The objective was to standardise working methods and align frameworks used by different teams to ensure consistent risk analysis and compliance practices.
- Feasibility assessment for seamless integration: A comprehensive feasibility study was required to identify the most suitable modules and applications, along with any necessary adaptations for successful integration.
Solutions deployed:
A methodical and tailored approach
To meet Hydro-Québec’s specific needs, a multi-phase approach was implemented, each phase targeting a key aspect of risk and compliance management.
- Identification of specific GRC applications and modules
The needs analysis enabled the identification of tailored applications and modules that aligned with Hydro-Québec’s requirements. Tools were selected to provide full risk coverage and ensure compliance with evolving regulations. - Standardisation of business processes
A custom solution was proposed based on standardised processes adopted across sectors. This ensured that each team—regardless of function—could operate within a shared framework, supporting organisational coherence. - Custom configuration for specific requirements
For non-standard needs, customised configurations were recommended. These enabled Hydro-Québec to envision a flexible solution capable of addressing the company’s unique operational specificities, while remaining adaptable to future changes. - Development of a logical implementation roadmap
A clear, structured roadmap was created, defining each key step for the integration and configuration of selected applications. The roadmap included precise deadlines and objectives, ensuring a controlled, phased deployment.
Results:
Enhanced Risk Management and cross-team collaboration
The deployed solutions delivered tangible results for Hydro-Québec, notably improving both risk governance and internal coordination.
- Greater risk visibility:
Centralised processes provided a comprehensive view of risks, reducing response times to potential threats.
- Improved interdepartmental communication:
The GRC platform enabled real-time information sharing and smoother collaboration across teams.
- Reduced duplication of efforts:
The integration of purpose-built modules helped eliminate redundant tasks and boost efficiency in risk and compliance operations.
- Strategic alignment:
With a clear roadmap and harmonised practices, Hydro-Québec successfully aligned its operations with long-term strategic goals.
Conclusion
This project highlights the critical importance of a structured and customised GRC approach, particularly for large-scale organisations operating in highly regulated sectors such as energy. Through the implementation of optimised digital solutions and a reliable, accessible control framework, Hydro-Québec is now better equipped to manage current risks—and well prepared to face future challenges.
ESG 
EHS 
LEGAL 
REM 
GRC
PERFO
