Mar 224 min read

5 Reasons organisations need to consider ISO27001

Updated: May 14

Do you know what the most important question is, in relation to implementing ISO27001?

The most important question you need to answer is; Why are we implementing ISO27001?

Your next question is; How?

Let’s take a look at this first question, because if you can’t answer this question then there’s really no point in moving forward. If you don’t know why you’re doing this, then how are you going to convince people that it’s important to them, or to the organisation?

Here are just 5 reasons organisations need to consider ISO27001, but in reality there are many many more reasons, but in our experience these are the ones that seem to resonate with organisations. Which one makes most sense to you?

The handy guide to all ISO27001:2022 Annex A Controls

ISO27001 improves your security

Ok, so this might seem a little obvious, but using ISO27001 as a framework for your security programme means you are more likely to end the process with something that works for you, not against you.

Because ISO27001 is a ‘risk based management system’, it expects organisations like yours to systematically identify, assess, analyse and manage information security risks. This means that you reduce the likelihood of a cyber incident, or reduce the impact it will have.

ISO27001 is a ‘management system’, so it is a structured approach to improving security. If you’ve ever wondered “Why have we implemented X security software”, then it could be that you’ve not fully understood the risks and have purchased a security control that you just don’t need. Which brings us on to the next reason.

ISO27001 saves costs

If you fully understand the risks your organisation faces, you can allocate appropriate resources (including financial) to addressing those specific risks. For example, your biggest risks might not be technical risks, it might be a need for improved training.

In addition, a requirement of ISO27001 requires that you identify your assets, and manage them effectively (A5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets). Assets could be laptops, mobile phones etc and software licences too. Once you know how many assets you have, you might find that you can reduce the number of devices you need to buy (including licences).

As you’re reducing the number of devices and software platforms, you’ll also reduce the ‘attack surface’, which again improves security. It also helps improve in other ways to.

ISO27001 improves Business Continuity and Resilience

Implementing an ISMS based on ISO 27001, you can build resilience against disruptions and incidents. This is because the standard requires you to consider how you’ll prepare for and respond to incidents that might impact your organisation.

You might have a Business Continuity Plan already, but do you have a robust approach to responding to the incident? Clear escalation processes? Clearly defined roles and responsibilities? ISO27001 expects these to be in place, and if they are, the likelihood of you responding effectively is improved.

Additionally, having ISO27001 requires that you consider how you can effectively implement redundancy and resilience into your systems and processes. Again, reducing the likelihood of an incident negatively impacting you. Knowing how to respond when an incident occurs is incredibly important, especially when you consider the legal implications.

ISO27001 helps you to comply with legal and regulatory requirements

Ever heard of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)? Of course you have. GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act require a number of things in relation to information security and privacy, such as

· Data Protection by Design and by Default (A25)

· Security of Processing (A32)

· Notification of a personal data breach to the supervisory authority (A33)

· Communication of a Personal Data Breach to the Data Subject (A34)

All these articles require deeper understanding, but without ISO27001 you are simply implementing security in a random way. You need a structured approach to security that will help demonstrate compliance. This is important for GDPR and DPA compliance, but there is another reason why this is important

ISO27001 build competitive advantage, builds trust and provides market access

If you’re wondering how you’re going to grow your business, then you should consider focusing on how you demonstrate that you are a trusted partner or provider? Trust might feel like an intangible thing, but in truth we look for evidence of trust in multiple ways. One of these is seeking credible certifications and quality ‘kite’ marks.

ISO27001 is an independent validation of your services as serves as a credible signal to stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors, demonstrating that you take information security seriously and adheres to recognised best practices.

If you’re looking to grow your business and want to go for bigger and more lucrative contracts, then being able to demonstrate that you’ve implemented good security by adhering to ISO27001, is a great place to start.

This is equally important if you are looking for investment or looking to sell your business. Having ISO27001 in place shows that you have invested in the security of your business and therefore value the data you hold. This is what an investor will be looking for. A terrible position (for them) would be to buy a company on Monday, only to find that you had a data breach or cyber incident the previous week!

So many more reasons for ISO27001

It’s safe to say we are firm believers in the benefits of implementing ISO27001 and could list a whole host of other reasons you should consider implementing the standard. Everything from increased employee engagement to management of insider threats and data breaches are impacted by implementing ISO27001.

If you’re not convinced, then don’t worry. You have an option; You could do nothing. Your competitors would love you for that.

Are you ready to benefit from ISO27001?