Most GRC professionals are comfortable with policies written in Word docs, stored in SharePoint, and reviewed once a year. But that’s not how modern tech teams operate.
In fast-moving environments, manual reviews and static documents do not scale. That is where Policy as Code enters the picture, and it is something GRC teams need to start understanding quickly.
What Is Policy as Code
Policy as Code (PaC) is the practice of writing and enforcing policies using code, often in a declarative language, so that systems can evaluate and apply rules automatically.
Instead of someone manually reviewing access requests or checking if a configuration is compliant, you can write a rule that the system checks every time a change is made.
Example:
A traditional policy might say:
“All AWS S3 buckets must be encrypted at rest.”
With Policy as Code, that rule becomes a script evaluated by your infrastructure toolchain, like:
deny[msg] {
input.resource_type == "s3_bucket"
not input.encrypted
msg = "S3 bucket must be encrypted at rest."
}
Why Policy as Code Matters for GRC
GRC teams do not need to become developers, but we do need to understand how policies are enforced at scale in modern environments.
Here is why it matters:
Continuous Compliance
With PaC, compliance checks are built into the deployment pipeline. This reduces audit gaps and prevents last-minute surprises.
Speed and Accuracy
Manual reviews are slow. Code-based policies run instantly and consistently across environments.
Version Control
Policies live in Git. Every policy change has a timestamp, author, and history. Perfect for audits and compliance tracking.
Security Embedded
Rather than relying on a separate checklist, security and compliance are built into the infrastructure from the start.
Tools GRC Professionals Should Know
Here are a few tools that support Policy as Code, often used in engineering and DevOps teams:
| Tool | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Open Policy Agent (OPA) | A widely used policy engine that integrates with Kubernetes, Terraform, and more |
| Terraform Sentinel | HashiCorp’s tool to enforce policy checks in Infrastructure as Code workflows |
| AWS Config Rules | Allows writing custom checks for AWS environment compliance |
| Kubernetes Admission Controllers | Validates or rejects Kubernetes resource deployments based on logic you define |
How GRC Can Get Involved Without Writing Code
You do not have to become a coder to be part of a Policy as Code initiative. Here are a few impactful ways GRC teams can participate:
Help translate existing policies into logic
Engineering teams need your help turning real-world policies into enforcement logic.
Review policy coverage
Check whether critical risks are covered by code. Identify what still requires manual review.
Collaborate early
Partner with DevOps and Security teams to build governance into the system from the beginning.
Ask for visibility
Request documentation or dashboards that show what policies are active, tested, and enforced.
Policy as Code is not just for engineers. It is a critical shift in how organizations build compliance and security into their systems from the ground up.
If you are in GRC and still working from static documents alone, this is your sign to adapt. Understanding how policies are automated, versioned, and enforced in modern environments will increase your credibility, influence, and value to your team.
You do not have to write the code.
But you should understand how it works.