A famous quote from Benjamin Franklin reads "by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail", emphasising the critical role of preparation in achieving success. In today's fast-paced and complex society, there are many aspects that can have a significant impact on an organisation, such as natural disasters, cyber attacks, fraud and – case in point – sanctions breaches. Sanctions breaches represent a risk that can be overcome by proper preparation. Implementing a sanctions breach protocol can greatly enhance the organisation's readiness in this respect.