How Long Does ISO Certification Take?

How long does the ISO certification take?

Security certifications are always positive steps for your company, as they open doors to new businesses and partnerships. However, these certifications are often difficult to achieve, so you may need to conduct a careful pros and cons analysis to decide whether certification is worthwhile. Part of this analysis involves the time investment, so it is reasonable to ask: “How long does it take to obtain an ISO certification?”

What is ISO?

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, offers numerous standards for various industries. In this case, we are talking about ISO 27001, the standard for information security, which documents the thoroughness of your information security management system (ISMS).

How long does the ISO certification take?

The time of your employees (or hired consultants who help with ISO 27001 compliance) is a limited resource. So how much time can you allocate for ISO 27001 certification? This varies greatly depending on your company's processes and the complexity of your ISMS. Generally, however, you should plan for a period of three to twelve months. Smaller companies that prioritize this certification can achieve readiness in about three months, some even faster.

The ISO 27001 certification process

The ISO 27001 certification process can be complicated. What can you expect along the way? Although details may vary, the following steps are generally involved:

1. Prepare your company

A solid start can ease the entire certification process. Do not view the certification as a side project to tackle when you have time. Appoint an employee or team to focus on ISO 27001 certification. If they are not yet experts on ISO 27001, give them time to familiarize themselves with the standard.

An important part of ISO 27001 is the appointment of a person responsible for the ISMS, who ensures compliance and reports to management. Identify a suitable person and assign them the responsibility to drive the process forward.

2. Determine your current status

Before you begin bringing your security system into ISO 27001 compliance, you should know what requirements you already meet and which are still pending. Some companies accomplish this with a time-consuming manual assessment. A more efficient method is using an ISMS tool like the fuentis Suite 4.

3. Implement the required security controls and protocols

With the fuentis Suite ISMS module, your ISMS team can now gradually implement the missing measures and protocols. Some of these are quickly accomplished, while others may require their own projects, such as developing security protocols and staff training.

4. Reassess your readiness

Once you have fully implemented the measures, it is time to review your progress. Keep track of your progress using customizable dashboards to check your audit readiness. Ideally, you have met all necessary requirements and can continue with the certification process.

5. Engage a certification body

Once you are confident that you meet all ISO 27001 requirements relevant to your company, you can proceed with the actual certification. ISO does not issue certifications itself, so you will need to engage an external certification body.

Ensure that the chosen certification body is fully accredited and meets your company's requirements. fuentis can provide you with recommendations for qualified and cost-effective certification bodies.

6. Conduct an internal audit

To obtain ISO 27001 certification, every company must conduct an internal audit of its security program. You can hire an external consultant for the internal audit, or a qualified and independent member of your company can conduct the audit.

7. Conduct a full certification audit

This is the crucial step for your ISO 27001 certification: the full audit. The certification body will conduct a comprehensive review of your ISMS to assess your ISO 27001 compliance. This can be an extensive on-site process.

An ISMS tool like fuentis Suite 4 can facilitate this process. In fuentis Suite 4, all evidence of your compliance is documented so that your auditor can find all documents in one place.

8. Receive your certification

If your auditor determines that you meet all the necessary ISO 27001 requirements, you will officially receive your certification.

Maintain your ISO 27001 certification

It is important to understand that ISO 27001 certification is not a one-time process. Your certification needs to be renewed to some extent every year.

These certificates follow a three-year cycle. One year after your initial certification, your certification body will conduct a less comprehensive audit to review some key measures. If you pass this, your certification remains valid. Otherwise, the organization will conduct a full, intensive audit, as it did in the first year.

The same applies for the second year after your initial certification: a brief assessment that maintains your certification if you pass, or leads you to a full audit if not. In the third year after your initial certification, you must go through the entire certification process again as in the first year. This restarts the three-year cycle.

Simplify your ISO 27001 certification

The ISO 27001 certification will always be a significant process, as it is designed to be a thorough evaluation of your information security. Nevertheless, using an ISMS tool can significantly simplify the process, making it smoother and more cost-effective.