A recent survey by Info-Tech Research Group examined the state of compliance across organizations. In particular, the survey looked at internal procedures and the level and effectiveness of compliance initiatives within organizations. The Info-Tech IT Compliance Maturity Scale (ITCMS) provides an objective benchmark that addresses the degree of alignment between business units and IT, and provides a roadmap for IT to better meet business and compliance needs.
This scale should be used as an assessment of maturity of current compliance procedures and practices. Organizations that are required to be compliant for legal purposes should assess their position on the scale and aim to move upwards to capture efficiencies. The same can be said for those organizations concerned with abnormally high or rising compliance costs. Finally, organizations that are not required to adhere to compliance regulations can use the scale to aid with cost-cutting and security measures.