As organizations collect more and more data, data governance becomes essential. It's not enough to just store data — you need to manage how it’s used, shared, secured, and maintained across the entire organization.

Data governance is the set of policies, standards, and roles that ensure data is consistent, trustworthy, and used responsibly. It includes:

• Defining who can access which data
• Establishing data ownership and stewardship
• Creating clear procedures for data entry and modification
• Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations (like GDPR)

Without data governance, teams may use outdated or conflicting information, leading to costly mistakes and reputational damage.

Good governance fosters accountability, improves data quality, and enables smarter, faster decision-making.

Takeaway: Data without governance is like money without control — powerful, but dangerous.