ISO 27001:2013
Information Security Management System

ISO 27001 is the international standard that is recognized globally for managing risks to the security of information you hold. Certification to ISO 27001 allows you to prove to your clients and other stakeholders that you are managing the security of your information. ISO 27001:2013 (the current version of ISO 27001) provides a set of standardized requirements for an Information Security Management System (ISMS). The standard adopts a process-based approach for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, maintaining, and improving your ISMS.

Benefits of ISO 27001:2013

Protecting your organization's information is critical for the successful management and smooth operation of your organization. Achieving ISO 27001 will aid your organization in managing and protecting your valuable data and information assets.

By achieving certification to ISO 27001 your organization will be able to reap numerous and consistent benefits including:

1. Keeps confidential information secure.
2. Provides customers and stakeholders with confidence in how you manage risk.
3. Allows for a secure exchange of information.
4. Helps you to comply with other regulations (e.g. SOX).
5. Provide you with a competitive advantage.
6. Enhanced customer satisfaction improves client retention.
7. Consistency in the delivery of your service or product.
8. Manages and minimizes risk exposure.
9. Builds a culture of security.
10. Protects the company, assets, shareholders, and directors.

ISO Certification Process 

The ISO certification process is comprised of a few main steps involving the filling of the application form, review of documents, and detailed auditing procedures. Below, we will look at the general outline of how to apply for and register an ISO for a business or product:

1. Applying: After having selected an appropriate ISO certification for a product or business, the applicant needs to fill in an application form for the registrar that can be submitted in form of a letter or email. The application will need to contain essential details, such as the scope of the certification, general details of the organization including its features and general information, and sought certification standards.
2. Review of Documents: After the submission of the application form, the auditor will review the various documents regarding quality control and various policies and procedures of the organization.
3. Pre-assessment: The pre-assessment stage is where the entrepreneur needs to or have a review conducted of the pre-existing quality control standards in his/her organization to identify any omissions or faults in the policies related to quality management.
4. Action Plan: After the initial review by the auditor and identification of the faults in the existing quality control standards of the organization, he/she will need to review these comments and eliminate the existing deficiencies. This accounts for the action plan.
5. First Audit: The first or initial audit stage involves a thorough inspection by the auditor regarding existing and revised quality controls and the findings of the non-conformities are categorized either as minor non-conformances or major non-conformances. Minor non-conformances constitute minor procedural faults or gaps in the system in compliance with ISO standards. Major non-conformances include the faults in the existing quality standards system that can lead to the potential collapse of the system.
6. Final Audit: By the final audit stage, all major non-conformities will need to be removed and if all the quality gaps have been addressed and rectified, the ISO auditor will prepare the final audit report and forward the ISO certification application to the ISO registrar.
7. Get ISO Certificate: After all the non-conformities are addressed, the registrar will provide the ISO Certificate.
8. Surveillance Audit: These are the periodic audits that will be conducted to ensure that the organization is maintaining ISO quality standards or not.