Compliance isn’t a dirty word
From a cost centre to a value centre
From a cost centre to a value centre
By guest author, Brook Thomas, Sales Director at Mindbridge Consulting
Whether it's day-to-day conversations, conference chats, or longstanding relationships, I always seem to find myself in discussions with them. And when it comes to the subject of compliance, I hear the same thing time and again:
“Compliance is a cost. Like everyone, we do the bare minimum to meet the requirements and then move onto actual business.”
Which is fair enough. Historically, meeting regulatory standards has been a bit of a chore, just something the busybodies up above demand. A rulebook you’d gladly do away with if you could.
One Head of GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) gave me an analogy I’ve been longing to repeat ever since:
“Take Formula One, or any performance car. The brakes are there to slow the car down, to make sure the driver doesn’t crash. The driver depends on the brakes more than any other component. Compliance in business is a little like the brakes. By optimising them, we can be more agile, more confident turning the corner, secure in our ability to move forward quickly. And we can be safer and more resilient.”
The question I’ve had on my mind lately is this: Can compliance be a tool to advance business interests, rather than something that simply slows everything down?
The answer isn’t as simple as “get accredited and watch revenue grow.” But I believe a compliance-first model can create a more efficient, profitable and investor-attractive business from the inside out.
More and more, I’m seeing organisations (especially in heavily regulated sectors like finance, pharma, gambling, and telecoms) shift their mindset.
Compliance isn’t just about dodging fines or ticking boxes to land that elusive tender anymore. It’s about building a business that puts trust, resilience, and quality at its core. Take ISO 27001 or SOC 2. These aren’t just badges to impress the auditors. They’re signals to partners, investors, and customers: “We take your data seriously. We’re secure. We’re structured. We’re not winging it.” In industries where reputational damage can be fatal, that message is worth its weight in gold.
And we’re seeing a shift from that being a marketing message to something embedded into the very mindset of modern companies.
When your data is governed, your risks mapped, and your processes documented, you don’t move slower. You move faster. You don’t second-guess decisions. You operate with clarity. You know where your weaknesses are, and how to play to your strengths.
We have a product in development to automate compliance, and it's nearing market readiness. During a recent demo with the Head of Information Management at a well-known broadcasting company, we were showcasing the tool’s features.
She wasn’t from compliance or security, and the concept of total transparency across her digital environment didn’t land well. “We’re not a heavily regulated industry,” she said. “Having everything laid bare with total traceability is just going to slow us down.”
She pretty much shut the idea down from there. And while I respect her honesty, I couldn’t help but be internally critical of the mindset. Maybe I’m biased - but surely, in any organisation, total transparency of information is essential for long-term success?
At Mindbridge, our mindset leans heavily in that direction. We help companies use compliance as a framework for transformation. Whether it's aligning with DORA, the Telecoms Security Act, or preparing for the wave of AI regulations like ISO 42001 and the EU AI Act, we’re seeing firsthand how proactive compliance leads to better systems, stronger cultures, and ultimately, better business outcomes.
So maybe it’s time to stop seeing compliance as something that slows us down.
The brakes on the car aren’t there to hinder your progress. They’re what enable you to take corners with speed and confidence. Upgrading them improves your time. Neglecting them? That only leads one way.
Compliance isn’t a necessary evil. It’s a competitive advantage if you’re bold enough to treat it that way.
It's never been more important for businesses to make the right decisions and quickly. This is in an environment of increased costs, AI, sophisticated cyber risks, more regulation than ever before, and data increasing by the day.
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