Which roles are typically involved in SOP governance and what is the main responsibility of each?

• A. Owner creates and maintains; Approver authorizes; User executes; Reviewer checks content; Custodian controls distribution and storage.
• B. Owner finances the SOP; Approver edits the document; User signs off; Reviewer files paperwork; Custodian prints copies.
• C. Owner approves; Approver creates; User audits; Reviewer distributes; Custodian deletes.
• D. Owner drafts procedures only; Approver ignores; User supervises; Reviewer compiles data; Custodian hoards.

Answer: (A)

In SOP governance, each role aligns with a stage of the document’s lifecycle: creation, authorization, execution, verification, and controlled access. The Owner is responsible for creating and maintaining the SOP, ensuring it reflects current practice and regulatory or policy requirements, and managing its revision history. The Approver has the authority to authorize the SOP before it goes into use, ensuring the content is accurate, complete, and compliant. The User carries out the procedures as described, using the SOP in daily operations and providing practical feedback that can drive improvements. The Reviewer independently checks the SOP’s content for correctness, clarity, and consistency, validating that it meets quality standards before approval. The Custodian controls distribution and storage, maintaining the repository, managing access, and ensuring the correct, up-to-date version is available and properly archived.

That combination matches the typical governance structure, where creation and updates come from the Owner, authorization from the Approver, practical execution by the User, quality checks by the Reviewer, and secure access control and storage by the Custodian. Other options mix in duties like financing, printing, ignoring, auditing, or hoarding, which do not fit the standard governance responsibilities for SOPs.