A policy document is a formal written statement that defines an organisation’s rules, principles, and expectations on a specific topic. Policy documents guide decision-making, ensure consistency, and support governance and compliance.

What Is a Policy Document?

Policy documents establish how an organisation operates, behaves, and complies with laws, standards, and internal requirements. They provide clear direction to employees and stakeholders on acceptable actions and responsibilities.

What Is a Policy Document?

A policy document outlines high-level rules and guidelines approved by management. It explains what must be followed and why, while supporting procedures and SOPs describe how tasks are performed.

Why Policy Documents Are Important

  • Provide clear organisational rules and expectations
  • Ensure consistent decision-making
  • Support regulatory and legal compliance
  • Reduce risk and operational ambiguity

Common Policy Document Examples

  • Information security and data protection policies
  • Quality and compliance policies
  • HR and workplace conduct policies
  • IT usage and access control policies

Who Uses Policy Documents?

  • Employees and managers
  • Compliance and risk teams
  • Auditors and regulators
  • External partners and stakeholders

Policy vs Procedure vs SOP

  • Policy: Defines rules and principles
  • Procedure: Explains steps to follow a policy
  • SOP: Provides detailed, task-level instructions

How Policy Documents Support Compliance

Policy documents demonstrate management intent and governance. Auditors rely on approved policies to verify that organisations have defined rules aligned with regulatory and industry standards.

Best Practices for Managing Policy Documents

  • Standardise policy templates and structure
  • Define clear ownership and approval authority
  • Review and update policies regularly
  • Use version control and audit trails

Next Steps for Organisations

  • Identify policies required for governance and compliance.
  • Ensure policies are approved, current, and accessible.
  • Use a document management system to control policies.

Learn how modern document management platforms manage policy documents by exploring document management software features, book a demo, or contact our team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a policy document used for?

A policy document is used to define organisational rules, principles, and expectations to guide behaviour and decisions.

Are policy documents mandatory?

Many regulations and standards require formal policies to demonstrate governance and compliance.

Who approves a policy document?

Policy documents are typically approved by senior management or designated governance authorities.

Can policy documents be managed digitally?

Yes. Modern document management systems manage policies with approvals, version control, and audit trails.