Privacy has been one of the most significant topics when it comes to divulging personal information. Your personal information is everywhere. From your account number to your mail password, sensitive information is either stored bureaucratically or in the cloud servers accessed by top organisations.
If you notice, you never question the safety of some organisations. Like your bank having your account details or your insurance agent knowing about your financial status. You never question such organisations and automatically trust them with sensitive information due to the guarantee that government certifications give them. Most of these organisations would have acquired the ISO 27001 certification to be able to handle sensitive information.
Australian IT companies have contributed to a 200% increase in ISO 27001 certificates due to the Australian Digital Security Policy update. This ensured that the IT companies that deal with sensitive information protect the digital systems better.
What is ISO Certification?
Any ISO certification has only one aim: to acquire the people’s trust they serve in the industry. ISO certificates are a seal of approval given by organisations with approved international standards. When an organisation acquires an ISO certificate, it automatically falls under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. This implies that people can trust them with their information.
For example, an ISO 27001 certification is the benchmark required for managing global information assets. It adds a label of trustworthiness to your company’s IT system security and ensures that your client’s privacy is always protected. Often, the companies seeking an ISO 27001 certificate are given a pre-audit report by the certification organisation. This report consists of:
- Gap Assessment: Gap analysis reports inform the company of the loopholes that may hinder the company’s process of obtaining a certification. This can be an overview or an in-depth analysis report as per the company’s demand.
- Risk Assessment and Compliance Policy: In this, your ISO auditor will offer you tips to acquire the certification as quickly as possible. They will also assist with planning and strategising so that your company’s IT security maturity remains up to the standards at all times.
- Compliance Implementation: This is the final segment of an ISO report that links all the 3 together. This report offers a plan of action where the auditors will work closely with the company IT heads to identify which strategies can be implemented to fill the gaps identified in the gap assessment report.
What are the advantages of acquiring an ISO Certificate?
Having an ISO certification is top-tier validation to your organisation. It can pay huge dividends, but it automatically implies efficiency, respect for client privacy, productivity, and consumer satisfaction. Employee intake, interaction, planning, and marketing strategies also get positively influenced with an ISO certification.
For example, an ISO 27001 certification confers certain benefits when customer privacy is considered:
- It allows your organisation to maximise security on your client’s assets and personal information.
- It helps your organisation protect and better its reputation in the market.
- An ISO certification brings in new clientele and establishes your company’s status amongst people.
- In case of data breaches, it helps in avoiding financial setbacks by a large margin.
- It enables your organisation to promise both internal and external stakeholders of high-quality security and constant monitoring.
Most companies in Australia now possess an ISO certification. Previously, it was considered difficult to acquire the certificates, but now, certification security companies make the process easier by providing ISO auditors