In the 2018 ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications, only 30,000 worldwide companies had a valid IS0 27001 accreditation with the UK being ranked 3rd in the world.
ISO 27001 is a framework and specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS) that helps keep data safe. The information security standard basically sets out an internationally recognised best practice framework for managing sensitive company data and highly relevant for those organisations working in all sectors where the protection of information is critical.
Organisations that have been awarded the ISO 27001 certification have demonstrated that they take information security seriously and do as much as possible to mitigate identified risks and manage them effectively. This includes:
• Keeping confidential information secure.
• Ensure any transfer of confidential information is carried out using secure and compliant means.
• Have identified the main risks to information security and have put controls in place to manage or reduce them.
• Shown that they have secure and robust measures in place, across the entire organisation, regarding each of the following processes: documentation, management responsibility, internal audits, continual improvement, and corrective and preventive action.
Having achieved ISO 27001, organisations have to maintain the accreditation, regularly reviewing their ISMS and updating procedures and controls where needed.
Benefits of having been awarded the accreditation are not limited to the organisation itself. Clients, partners and customers can see a whole host of benefits by choosing to work with an organisation who has been awarded ISO 27001:
• ISO 27001 protects the security of confidential information.
• Improves the secure exchange of information internally and externally.
• Helps clients comply with regulations impacting on their business.
• Manages and minimises risk exposure for clients and who they have chosen to work with.
• Provides increased confidence to the customer that the organisations they are partnered with are managing risk and improving the delivery of service they receive.
How many companies on your supply chain have been awarded the ISO 27001 accreditation and can place so much importance on the security of your confidential data?
