In today’s business world, there are a few things more important than reputation. Clients want to know that your company is one they can trust, to provide key services and products. One of the best ways to do just that, is to get a certification.
Certifications are certificates of organisational quality that are awarded after audits carried out by certification organisations. These certifications can then be added to business websites and marketing materials as a way to attract more clients, show credibility and trustworthiness.
Some of the most internationally respected certifications are based on the standards set by the ISO – the International Organisation for Standardization.
Who are the ISO?
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the ISO is an organisation made up of 167 standards bodies across a wide range of industries and fields, from cyber security to health and safety.
First founded back in 1946, they are the oldest standardisation collective in the world and external certification bodies use their standards to grant their stamp of approval to tens of thousands of businesses every year.
Thanks to their extensive heritage, these certifications, and the standards they are based on, are the most trusted by customers and businesses – something which also makes them very hard to achieve.
How the certifications work
The standards provided by the ISO are not certifications themselves and the ISO does not provide certifications. Instead, other special certification bodies use their standards to audit businesses – providing certification if businesses can meet those standards in their operations.
Take ISO9001 for example – ISO9001 is a standard for quality management systems, that signifies a strong approach to organisational excellence. The standard is created by the ISO but for a business to be certified as ISO9001 compliant, it must be audited by a certification body and granted the ISO9001 accreditation if it reaches the right standards.
Achieving these certifications can have a big impact on the reputation of the certified business, so they are often worth pursuing.
ISO 27001 – The cyber security standard
The ISO27001 standard is the standard for information security management, denoting high levels of cyber security within an organisation.
For businesses that handle a lot of data in line with GDPR regulations, getting a certification in line with the ISO27001 not only carries reputational benefits, but is actually often a requirement when working with large corporations.
27001 is not just one certification, but rather an entire family. It consists of over 12 smaller and more specific security management specifications. Each one corresponding to a specific area of the cyber security field, making it a comprehensive collection of standards to provide complete coverage of modern security needs.
For a full rundown of what ISO27001 contains and how to reach the standards the certification requires, the ISO has provided a series of informational content on their website. You can find out more by visiting their website here.
If you’re looking to get your business certified under ISO27001, here at CSP we provide a full third-party auditing service, led by our team of dedicated consultants.
To find out more about how our auditing provides a clear path to certification, visit our audit and certification page.