Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) used to live quietly in the background, important but rarely central to business conversations. Today, that’s no longer the case. In a world defined by constant disruption, regulatory pressure, and rapid change, how an organization manages risk directly impacts how fast it can move, how confidently it can innovate, and how resilient it can remain. That’s why many organizations turn to the Three Lines Model. At its best, the model brings clarity, accountability, and confidence. However, at its worst, it unintentionally reinforces silos that slow decision-making and obscure risk. The difference lies not in the framework itself, but in how it’s put into practice. So how do you put the Three Lines Model into practice without falling into the silo trap? Let’s explore. The Three Lines Model: Clear Roles, Complicated Reality The Three Lines of Defense Model (often shortened to the Three Lines Model), introduced by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), is designed to answer a deceptively simple question: Who is responsible for what when it comes to compliance and risk management? First Line: Business and operational leaders who own and manage risk as part of day-to-day decision-making. Second Line: Risk management and compliance functions that provide oversight, guidance, and structure. Third Line: Internal audit, offering independent assurance that controls are working as intended. On paper, the model creates order. In practice, many organizations experience something else entirely. Each line often develops its own processes, terminology, tools, and reports. Risk assessments live in one system. Compliance obligations in another. Audit findings in yet another. The result is not clarity, but fragmentation. Instead of a shared understanding of enterprise risk, leaders are left piecing together partial views across compliance and risk management functions. And that means trying to put it together often after issues have already surfaced. When Silos Undermine the Business This fragmentation can frustrate GRC teams and create real business consequences when organizations lack integrated GRC and rely on disconnected tools instead of integrated risk management software. When the Three Lines operate independently: Risks are identified too late. Early warning signs sit in disconnected systems, unnoticed by the teams that need them most. Effort is duplicated. Multiple teams assess the same risks, request the same data, and test the same controls. Leadership lacks confidence. Executives struggle to get a single, reliable view of organizational risk. Over time, GRC begins to feel like a barrier rather than an enabler, meaning something the business works around instead of with. A Story Many Organizations Recognize Consider a hypothetical global manufacturer navigating ongoing supply chain volatility. The first line tracks supplier performance and operational metrics. The second line monitors geopolitical risk, third-party exposure, and regulatory requirements. The third line reviews sourcing policies and vendor compliance through periodic audits. Each team is doing its job, but in isolation. When a key supplier suddenly fails, the warning signs were technically there: declining delivery performance, rising geopolitical risk indicators, and audit findings pointing to overreliance on a single region. But because those insights lived in separate systems, no one connected the dots in time. Production stalled. Costs rose. Customer commitments were missed. Now imagine the same organization with an integrated approach. Supplier metrics, risk indicators, and audit insights feed into a shared platform. Alerts are triggered automatically. Leaders see emerging risk in real time and take action before action before disruption hits. The framework didn’t change. The coordination did. Making the Three Lines Work, Together To unlock the full value of the Three Lines Model, organizations need to shift from separation to coordination. That doesn’t mean blurring responsibilities or compromising independence. It means enabling each line to operate with shared visibility, consistent data, and aligned workflows. In practice, that requires: A common source of truth for risk, compliance, and audit data. Shared workflows that reduce duplication while preserving accountability. Real-time insights that support proactive, not reactive, decision-making. Scalability to adapt as the organization grows and regulations evolve. Technology plays a critical role here. Spreadsheets and point solutions weren’t designed for today’s interconnected risk landscape. Modern organizations need integrated risk management software that supports integrated GRC across functions. From Framework to Competitive Advantage Modern integrated GRC platforms and GRC compliance software allow organizations to operationalize the Three Lines Model without creating silos. Instead of juggling disconnected tools, teams collaborate within a single environment. A single environment that reflects how risk actually moves across the business. Origami Risk supports this approach by delivering integrated risk management software that brings risk, compliance, and audit together in one unified GRC compliance software solution. The result is greater efficiency, clearer accountability, and stronger alignment between GRC and business strategy. When the Three Lines work together, GRC becomes more than a control function. It becomes a source of insight, resilience, and confidence. Bringing the Three Lines Together The Three Lines Model was never meant to create distance between teams. It was designed to create clarity. Organizations that focus solely on structure within the three lines of defense model risk missing the bigger opportunity. Those that focus on integration turn the model into a strategic advantage that helps them anticipate risk, move faster, and lead with confidence. Ready to see what coordinated GRC looks like in practice? Explore how Origami Risk helps organizations bring the Three Lines together and build a connected, future-ready approach to risk management with an integrated approach to GRC.