You have certainly heard about ISO certifications by now, whether you own a business, you’re employed, or just looking for information on the companies you are interested in. ISO represents certain sets of international standards, and it comprises a vast number of specific certifications. We take a look at the importance of ISO 27001 certification.
What Is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is a certification that deals specifically with the security of data. As more and more companies are collecting and storing sensitive data, either from their customers, employees, or business partners, the ISO/IEC 27001 certification becomes a must-have in any industry to gain credibility and trustworthiness.
By being certified under the ISO 27001 standards, a company proves that it complies with risk management best practices and it’s capable of protecting the information it’s in possession of.
Why Is the ISO 27001 Certification Important?
There are two main benefits of pursuing this ISO certification and obtaining it. Your business will improve its informational management system, and your customers and business contacts will be able to acknowledge the legitimacy of your risk assessment expertise and informational data responsibility.
Here are the main ways your company will benefit from achieving ISO 27001.
- Your data security will improve
The first and probably the most obvious benefit of complying with the standards that ISO 27001 requires is that your data security processes will improve. Your day to day protocols and risk management measures make data breaches dramatically less likely to happen, which takes a lot of stress away.
Your entire staff will be required to acknowledge and apply the ISO regulations in their day to day activities, making security controls stronger and more reliable. Cyber attacks are very hard to avoid 100%, but a certification like ISO 27001 will also get you to ensure business continuity in case something does happen, which means being prepared for any scenario.
- Your customers and business partners will trust you more
Being ISO certified is easily recognised as proof of trustworthiness and professionalism. Business partners or customers will be more willing to entrust their valuable data with you if they know that your information security management system (ISMS) was audited and found to be up to information security standards.
Most companies decide to get an ISO certification simply because their customers or business partners require it to do business with them. This shows that valuable customers and partners are satisfied with your processes, but would like a guarantee that their informational data is, indeed, in good hands.
- You will avoid fines, breeches, and legal problems
Being in line with the ISO standards ensures that your processes are up to date with the legal requirements of data security. Data breaches and information losses that conflict with your customers’ or business partners’ rights don’t always happen from lack of interest or bad intentions on your part.
You could easily be unaware of updated regulations or procedural requirements that an ISO certification will indicate as necessary. Therefore, your ISO 27001:2013 process protects not only the data you are entrusted with but also your company.
How to Get an ISO 27001 Certification
The current version of this certification is ISO 27001:2013. Before you consider applying for it, get to know its guidelines and evaluate your business cyber security management process.
ISO standards are created by the International Organisation for Standardisation, but companies don’t get their certificates from them. Instead, third party entities are charged with evaluating companies and deciding if the ISO 27001 compliance is satisfactory.
When choosing who to work with to get an ISO 27001 certification, you can research them to see if they have accreditation or not, but it all comes down ultimately to the company’s experience in your industry.
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Do You Need Help?
If you are aiming to obtain an ISO certification with proper preparation and sooner rather than later, working with a consultancy firm is the safest way of obtaining your ISO 27001. You will be advised along the way, directed toward the best course of action, and supported to make ISO standards part of your existing process, and not the other way around.
We at Best Practice Biz support companies in Australia and around the world through their certification process, implementing business solutions that are integrated seamlessly into their process. If you want to be ISO 27001 certified, Best Practice Biz will be the certification body that will work closely with you to make certification possible.
