A data policy is a documented set of guidelines for ensuring that an organization's data and information assets are managed consistently and used properly. Such guidelines typically include individual policies for data quality, access, security, privacy and usage, as well as roles and responsibilities for implementing those policies and monitoring compliance with them.

A data policy should articulate the principles, practices and standards that organizational leaders have determined necessary to ensure the organization has high-quality data and that its data assets are protected. The policy-forming group, called a data governance committee or data governance council, is primarily made up of business executives and other data owners.

The policy document this group creates clearly defines the data governance structure for the executive team, managers and line workers to follow in their daily operations.

A data governance policy formally outlines how data processing and management should be carried out to ensure organizational data is accurate, accessible, consistent and protected. The policy also establishes who is responsible for information under various circumstances and specifies what procedures should be used to manage it. In addition, it can incorporate risk management and data ethics principles to reduce potential business problems from the use of data.