ISO 27001 Consulting Services
In today’s competitive marketplace, customers, whether individuals or businesses, are increasingly demanding that their data be managed securely. As a result, certifying to established security standards has become a necessity. By obtaining ISO 27001 certification, you can fulfil your compliance obligations while also establishing trust with your customers.
Building customer confidence with ISO 27001 certification
Attain Certification
Securing compliance for your organisation, both now and in the future, requires strict adherence to legislative, regulatory, and contractual requirements. The continuous implementation of strategies to fulfil obligations will secure compliance for your organisation in the present and safeguard against future risks.
Build Confidence
Instil confidence in both your existing and new customers. Demonstrate that information security is an integral part of your services and critical business processes, ensuring secure management and storage of their data.
Amplify Business Growth
Compliance with established cybersecurity standards has become essential for businesses to remain competitive and gain access to new opportunities. The rising focus on third-party questionnaires just to engage your business, and cybersecurity certification requirements in tenders, RFPs and RFQs, makes this a necessity.
ISO 27001 certification services that elevate your business
Growing cybersecurity requirements in the marketplace are driving organisations to certify to established and trusted cyber security frameworks, such as ISO 27001. More and more organisations are requiring their third parties to answer exhaustive third-party questionnaires which provide them with a snapshot of the cyber risks imposed on them if they do business with you. These requirements are becoming foundational tasks when engaging in new business. Without solid, proven cybersecurity practices, your organisation is out of the running before you have even started.
One of the first questions organisations ask when engaging new business, or releasing a tender, RFP or RFQ, is “What security standards are you certified to?” or “Are your ISO/IEC 27001 certified?”. Having this certification in place instils confidence in the organisation you are engaging with that its safe to do business with you. But it also brings numerous benefits to your organisation beyond just fulfilling compliance requirements or your customer’s expectations. Identifying and managing information security risks minimises your business risk and reduces the risk of security incidents. This, in turn, reduces the financial impact resulting from costly breaches and can have knock-on effects such as lowering cyber insurance premiums as you pose less risk to your insurers.
But obtaining ISO 27001 certification can be a costly and resource-intensive proposition for an organisation to perform when leveraging in-house resources or engaging contractors. This includes the need for resources with:
ISO 27001 certification experience – The process of certifying an organisation to ISO/IEC 27001 is challenging with a lot of moving parts. Trying to achieve this for the first time can be extremely difficult. Competing business objectives, limited access to internal resources, and resistance from some areas of the business can all lead to your ISO project failing. Additionally, collaborating with external auditors for the first time can be unclear as to what is needed to pass the audit, such as the required documentation and its contents.
Exceptional soft skills – To certify a company to ISO 27001 requires the ability to liaise with the entire business, from the C-suite and Board, through to highly technical specialists. A diverse set of soft skills and the ability to transition between business and technical language are a necessity. Being able to lead steering committees, communicate cyber risk to the executive leadership team, evaluate and manage information security risks and their impact on enterprise risk, and create policies and procedures across all security domains that are usable for all staff and align seamlessly with business operations is critical.
Outstanding project management skills – Due to the complexity of the standard and the need for engagement and buy-in from all areas of the business, managing an ISO 27001 certification project necessitates exceptional project management skills that span the entire organisation. Limits on the availability of internal resources and competing projects can cause resistance from some areas of the business, making project management and stakeholder expectations difficult to handle.
Strong business acumen – If the business’ needs are not considered, poorly designed and implemented security controls can increase business risk instead of reducing it. To implement information security processes and controls effectively, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of business operations, including its strategy and direction, to assess the potential impact of these controls.
Committed time investment – It takes a significant time commitment from both the project manager and relevant stakeholders to successfully complete an ISO 27001 certification project. However, internal resources are already overwhelmed with their existing responsibilities, including ongoing projects, troubleshooting, and daily business tasks. It is therefore unrealistic to expect an internal resource to manage an ISO 27001 project effectively.
Comprehensive cybersecurity experience – The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard encompasses 93 possible controls. Achieving a full understanding of these cybersecurity domains and implementing the controls in a way that mitigates risks without hindering business operations requires extensive experience. Moreover, organisations often have limited budgets for these controls, and there are numerous methods for achieving their objectives. Therefore, it’s crucial to have comprehensive real-world, proven expertise to devise the most efficient and cost-effective solution that meets the specific needs of your business.
In addition to the intricacies and demands of ISO 27001 certification, obtaining certification is not a one-off undertaking. Your Information Security Management System (ISMS) is a dynamic entity that necessitates continuous effort and investment to sustain and enhance its performance, manage your risks, and remain compliant with the standard. This requires your ongoing investment in highly qualified resources and the administration of ongoing activities such as risk assessments and compliance audits.
How we can help…
We understand that achieving your ISO 27001 certification requires a combination of expertise in cybersecurity and business operations, as well as a commitment to the certification’s objectives. Our consultants are well acquainted with these requirements, having all held CISO or equivalent positions within organisations like yours. They have personally encountered the obstacles, understand the areas that require more attention, and comprehend the intricacies and challenges involved.
Our ISO 27001 certification services have been developed based on our practical, real-world experiences to offer the kind of services that we would have wished for when we held similar positions to yours. We have customised these services to assist organisations with limited resources in fulfilling their distinct compliance requirements. We possess the expertise and resources necessary to effectively cater to your certification needs.
Through our ISO 27001 certification services, companies that lack the resources or rationale to engage a full-time person for their security program can obtain the required assistance from seasoned experts at a significantly lower ISO 27001 certification cost than a full-time equivalent. This enables any business, regardless of its size, to attain certification, allowing them to compete with other businesses in their industry.
Secure business growth by staying one step ahead
Minimise Risk
ISO 27001 adopts a risk-based strategy for information security and ensures ongoing risk management practices that recognise, document, and reduce risks in accordance with your company’s risk tolerance. This reinforces the mitigation of current and emerging risks across your business
Exceed Industry Standards
By obtaining an internationally recognised information security certification, you showcase your commitment to reducing information security risks and protecting customer data, setting you apart and giving you a competitive edge when bidding for new contracts.
Surpass Limits
Effective management of adverse risks creates an environment for organisations to capitalise on positive risks, thereby creating opportunities for business growth, innovation, process optimisation, and cost reduction.
Start Your Certification Journey
Secure your business with ISO 27001 certification services that not only meet compliance standards but also drives growth and helps you stay ahead of your competitors.