10key policies and

procedures every
organization needs

By Nicolas E. Quiroga T
1 Code of Conduct

An organization’s Code of Conduct is

the “Policy of All Policies”, outlining
the standards expected of its
employees in the pursuit of
operational excellence.
A Code of Conduct outlines principles,
values, and standards of behavior
expected from employees, and
provides guidance on how they
should conduct themselves in the
workplace and what to expect as
consequences of not adhering those
guidelines.
The Code of Conduct is also essential
for maintaining a positive and ethical
workplace culture, preventing
reputational and legal risks, and
protecting the organization’s brand
and stakeholders.
 Risk Management
2 Policy

A Risk Management Policy outlines

how risks associated with the
organization’s operations, processes,
and activities are identified, assessed,
and managed.

As with the Code of Conduct, a Risk

Management policy helps to protect
the organization from potential
financial, legal and reputational risks,
and provides guidance on the
necessary steps employees should
take to identify, evaluate and mitigate
potential risks through the use of risk
registers and other risk management
tools.
3 Compliance Policy

Compliance Policies are especially

important in highly-regulated
industries where the organization may
need to adhere to numerous
legislative measures, providing
guidance on how individual
employees should conduct themselves
in the workplace to stay compliant.

A good Compliance Policy outlines

the organization’s approach to
complying with relevant laws,
regulations, and standards, including
the use of compliance frameworks
and audits.
 Third-Party
4 Management Policy

A Third-Party Management Policy

outlines how the organization
manages relationships with third-
party vendors, suppliers, and
contractors, including the use of due
diligence and monitoring procedures.

It provides guidance on how

employees should evaluate, select,
and manage third-party relationships
and it is especially important that
employees follow the policy to ensure
that these relationships are properly
managed and the organization’s data
and assets are protected.
 Business Continuity
5 Plan

A Business Continuity Plan outlines

how the organization will respond
(and recover) when faced with such
an event, and includes details such as
backup and recovery procedures, and
the roles and responsibilities of all
parties involved.

Having a Continuity Plan in place

helps minimize the impact of
disruptions on business operations
and ensures continuity of services in
the event of an unexpected event or
emergency, such as a natural disaster
or cyberattack.
 Incident Response
6
Plan

The Incident Response Plan outlines

the steps to be taken in the event of a
security breach or other incident,
including the reporting and
investigation procedures, and the
roles and responsibilities of all parties
involved.

It provides guidance on how

employees should respond to
incidents to minimize their impact and
is again an important measure to have
in place to help minimize the impact
of incidents on the organization’s
operations, protecting its assets and
data, and maintaining its reputation.
 Information Security
7
Policy

An Information Security Policy

outlines the organization’s approach
to securing its information and data,
including the use of access controls,
encryption, and other security
measures, and is important for
protecting the organization’s data and
assets from potential cyber threats
and other security risks.

This policy covers how information

assets are protected from
unauthorized access, use, disclosure,
modification, or destruction, and
provides guidance on how employees
should safeguard sensitive
information.
8 Privacy Policy

A Privacy Policy covers how an

organization collects, uses, and
protects personal information about
its customers, employees, and other
stakeholders – and the measures
taken to protect it.

It is important that employees do

what they can to help protect the
privacy and rights of individuals, and
this policy provides guidance on how
they should handle personal
information to ensure compliance with
the privacy laws and regulations
applicable to their business.
9 Data Retention Policy

A Data Retention Policy outlines how

the organization manages its data
retention and destruction policies in
order to comply with applicable legal
and regulatory requirements.

This policy provides guidance on how

long different types of data should be
retained and the appropriate methods
for destroying data.
10 Acceptable Use Policy

An Acceptable Use Policy outlines

how IT resources (such as computers,
networks, and information systems,
including email, internet and social
media) should be used by employees,
and provides guidance on the
appropriate use of technology
resources along with the
consequences of misuse.

It is important for employees to follow

the Acceptable Use Policy to help
prevent security breaches, data leaks,
and other risks associated with the
misuse of technology resources.