Is it accurate that approvers must always be system admins for access request approvals?

Approvers do not need to be system admins for access request approvals, which makes the response that negates this requirement correct. In an identity governance framework, including SailPoint Identity Security Cloud, approval processes can be defined based on the organization's policies and can involve various roles, not limited to system administrators. This flexibility allows for a more effective approval workflow where managers, application owners, or designated personnel can act as approvers, depending on the sensitivity of the request and the structure of the organization. By allowing different roles to approve access requests, organizations can enhance their operational efficiency while maintaining governance and compliance.

This approach ensures that the right people have visibility and control over access requests without constraining the process to a specific group of individuals, such as system admins. Organizations often implement role-based access control (RBAC) to align approvals with business context and risk assessments rather than limiting it to administrative roles.