Client background
A regional bank with multiple lending programs needed tighter control over credit policy adherence and faster exam readiness. Leadership wanted a consistent method to validate controls and produce evidence without relying on manual checklists and spreadsheet-heavy workflows.
The business challenge
Policy controls were tested inconsistently across teams, and evidence was stored in scattered locations. Exam preparation required extensive manual collection and reconciliation—often under time pressure.
The bank needed a way to standardize testing cadence, ensure exceptions were governed, and quickly demonstrate control effectiveness for internal audit, regulators, and leadership reporting.
Strategy and solution
Cicrim implemented a policy automation approach that turns credit policy into testable controls, captures evidence by default, and provides clear reporting for owners, auditors, and exam teams.
The solution included designing and deploying a set of capabilities aligned to the institution’s operating model:
- Policy-to-control mapping: Converted policy requirements into structured controls with owners, cadence, and evidence artifacts.
- Automated testing workflows: Implemented rule-based checks and exception capture to reduce manual sampling and rework.
- Evidence centralization: Standardized where evidence lives, how it’s named, and how it’s retained for repeatable audits and exams.
- Governance and reporting: Established escalation paths, risk acceptance workflows, and executive reporting on control health.
This solution led to the following key benefits
- Reduced exam prep time: Improved evidence availability and eliminated last-minute collection sprints.
- Higher control consistency: Standardized policy testing and exception handling across programs.
- Improved auditability: Delivered clearer artifacts for internal audit and examiner review.
- Faster remediation: Enabled owners to identify and address recurring control gaps earlier.