email governance

Email governance is a form of management that dictates how email messaging is used in a corporate setting. It also addresses how to secure information that is exchanged via the email system.

Email governance helps to protect organizations against threats that may infiltrate the organization through email, such as malware and DDoS attacks. It also is designed to ensure corporations are prepared in the case of litigation.

Other areas that may be addressed in an email governance policy include e-discovery and compliance, archiving and retention, and risk assessment and mitigation. An email governance policy should address personal usage, prohibited content and treatment of confidential information.

C-level executives draft rules for email governance to form the corporate email policy. Some rules are translated into employee policies and procedures to prevent misuse that could expose the company to lawsuits or regulatory compliance breaches. IT must implement these policies via governance tools for tracking and enforcement.

An organization may perform a compliance audit to make sure that email governance policies are followed.