What is meant by data governance?

Data governance is a management approach that helps organizations control how data is handled, used, and protected. It ensures that data remains accurate, secure, and consistent across all departments. By setting clear responsibilities and rules, data governance supports better business decisions and helps organizations meet legal and ethical standards. One of the key roles of data governance is to assign ownership of data and define how it should be maintained and shared. This process helps avoid errors, improves efficiency, and builds trust in the data being used. This is exactly what data governance does. It creates a reliable environment for data use by making sure everyone follows the same rules and understands their role in maintaining data quality. To support this structure, organizations create data governance policies. These are formal guidelines that explain how data should be stored, who can access it, and how it should be protected. These policies also help prevent misuse and ensure that sensitive information is handled properly. A strong data governance model outlines how all these elements work together. It describes the roles of individuals and teams involved in managing data, along with the tools and processes used to support governance activities. Overall, data governance helps businesses treat their data as a valuable asset and use it with confidence.