We are ISO 27001 consultants specialising in helping businesses build security as they grow
It is our mission to turn the image of ISO 27001 on its head – information security does not have to stop you being creative in your business. We have helped many startups and scaling businesses in London, Kent, nationally and internationally to achieve ISO 27001 certification. As ISO 27001 consultants it is our job to translate the requirements of the ISO 27001 standard for your organisation, building solid and secure procedures, without putting up barriers. We have helped startups, scaleups, professional service businesses and others to implement comprehensive yet easy to manage systems that genuinely improve security.
The fundamentals of ISO 27001
ISO 27001:2022 is a globally recognised standard that outlines how an organisation should manage its Information Security Management System (ISMS). Consider it as a set of best practices that ensure your company consistently safeguards and secures its data and assets.
Here’s a breakdown:
Information Security Management
ISO 27001 outlines the structure for an Information Security Management System (ISMS) within your business. This ISMS acts as a playbook that guides how you should operate to maintain security in your operations.
Risk management
A central pillar of ISO 27001 is good risk management. The standard helps you to identify, score and then treat risks. It drives continual improvement in how you work, eliminating opportunities for data breaches and cyber-attacks.
Better Security Practices
ISO 27001 is designed to improve your organisation’s security practices. It’s not just about implementing security measures, but also about ensuring they are effective and suitable for your specific business needs.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
The standard ensures that your business complies with all the relevant laws and regulations related to information security in your industry. This is crucial to avoid legal issues, maintain a good reputation, and foster trust with your customers.
Continuous Improvement
ISO 27001 encourages a culture of continuous improvement in information security. It means always looking for ways to enhance your security measures, which can lead to increased efficiency, customer satisfaction, and confidence in your information security practices.
Common questions about ISO 27001 certification
How does the ISO 27001 certification process work, and what are the key steps?
The ISO 27001 certification process is a series of steps that help your organisation prove its commitment to information security.It can often start with a gap analysis to see where your current practices stand compared to the standard’s requirements, you can do this yourself or get an ISO 27001 consultant to support.Next, you’ll develop and implement an Information Security Management System (ISMS). This involves creating policies, identifying risks, and putting controls in place to address those risks. Staff training is also important, so everyone knows their role in keeping information secure.Once your ISMS is up and running, you’ll conduct an internal audit to make sure everything’s working as it should. After that, a management review checks that leadership is on board and resources are in place for continual improvement.Finally, an external certification body comes in for a two-stage audit. Stage 1 checks your documentation and readiness, while Stage 2 looks at how well your ISMS works in practice. If you pass, you’ll receive ISO 27001 certification, which is valid for three years, with annual check-ups to make sure you stay on track.
How long does ISO 27001 certification take?
For most startups and scaling businesses, three to nine months from starting work to certification, depending on your size, how many people are involved and how much you already have in place. The single biggest variable is not the standard, it is how much of your existing practice is written down.
Do we need ISO 27001 or SOC 2?
It usually comes down to who is asking. European and UK enterprise customers and tender processes tend to ask for ISO 27001. North American customers and investors more often ask for SOC 2. Some businesses end up needing both, and because they overlap heavily, doing them together is far less work than doing them two years apart.
Do we need a full time security manager to hold ISO 27001?
No. The standard requires that responsibility is clearly assigned and that someone competent is accountable, not that you employ a dedicated person. Plenty of certified businesses run their ISMS with an existing team member holding the role alongside their day job, supported externally where specialist input is needed.
We are a small startup. Is ISO 27001 realistic for us?
Yes, and it is often easier at that stage than later. A smaller business has fewer processes to document and less legacy practice to unpick. The system scales to the organisation, and our implementation support is built around that.
Many of our ISO 27001 clients are software and technology businesses certifying to unlock enterprise sales. If that is your position, ISO 27001 is usually the first step rather than the whole picture, and our Digital Trust service sets out how we build from certification into wider information security, data protection and AI governance support.
Ready to embark on this journey together?
We have guided hundreds of businesses through the implementation and certification process, and we know what auditors are looking for. Each ISO standard introduces a wide number of requirements – we ensure you meet each of these sufficiently (this is what gets you certified), and assist you in focusing more on those areas you wish to excel further at (this is what adds value).