ISO 27001 vs. ISO 22301

It’s no secret that ISO 27001 has become one of the most popular compliance initiatives globally for organizations wishing to prove the solidity of their information security. And though many have already reaped the benefits, some may not have, and others may want to take further advantage of ISO’s stellar reputation regarding their provided frameworks and stack more certifications. Among your options is ISO 22301—another international standard focused on business continuity management.

As an accredited ISO Certification Body, Schellman provides certifications against both ISO 27001 and ISO 22301, and we understand the appeal of the former in today’s digital age. But ISO 22301 certification may also benefit your organization, and to help you better understand the merits of the latter, we’re going to leverage what you likely already know about 27001 in comparison to 22301.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the similarities and differences between ISO 27001 and ISO 22301, the possibility of management system integration, and how you can decide which—if either or both—suits you.

The Similarities Between ISO 27001 and ISO 22301

As both were developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), there were bound to be commonalities despite their addressing entirely different aspects of organizational management.

Not only are both of these management system standards (MSS) and their certification options applicable to organizations of all sizes and industries but ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 are also similar in their approaches to:

• Risk Management: Though ISO 22301 and ISO 27001 each focus on different types of risk, both standards emphasize the importance of identifying, assessing, and managing those risks.
• Continuous Improvement: To address any changing circumstances, emerging risks, and lessons learned from incidents or near-misses, both standards require organizations to periodically review, assess, and update their management systems beyond that which is done to achieve initial certification so as to maintain the effectiveness of controls.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Both standards not only require consideration of various stakeholders—including customers, employees, suppliers, and regulators, among others—in the development, implementation, and maintenance of the relevant management systems, but they also require the buy-in and involvement of leadership in establishing policies, allocating resources, and fostering a culture of resilience and security throughout the organization.
• Documentation and Records Management: As is the case with all ISO standards, documentation is an enormous cornerstone for both ISO 22301 and ISO 27001—if you’re certifying against either, you’ll need to create and maintain records demonstrating the effective implementation of required controls, as well as documents ensuring traceability and accountability.

What are the Key Differences Between ISO 27001 and ISO 22301?

Their commonalities aside, ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 are two different standards, and the key divergences between them that you should know about can be summed up as follows.

1. Scope and Focus

Through its requisite information security management system (ISMS), ISO 27001’s main objective is to help organizations protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets by taking a holistic approach to managing and mitigating information security risks such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyber-attacks. 

Meanwhile, the primary goal of ISO 22301—and its requisite business continuity management system (BCMS)—is to help organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive incidents that could affect their critical business operations such as natural disasters, supply chain failures, and cyberattacks.

2. Standard Structure / Key Components

Given their separate focuses, it follows that ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 were constructed differently as well. Though both follow the same High-Level structure (HLS) for management systems, each framework contains different specifics:

3. Risk Management Approach and Goals

You might have noted that both ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 require risk assessments, and while that’s true, that’s where the commonality ends—that is, performing a risk assessment for one won’t be the same as for the other since when you dive deeper into each’s risk assessment methodology, each has a different emphasis.

An ISO 27001 risk assessment focuses on identifying threats to your information security so that you can implement controls to shore up those vulnerabilities and better protect information assets. Whereas, an ISO 22301 risk assessment reveals potential disruptive threats to the continuity of your business operations and the possible impact on critical functions so that you can implement effective strategies to ensure the resilience of your business.

4. Certification Implications

Though both ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 certification would benefit your organization, it’s important to understand what success in either will demonstrate to your stakeholders.

When you become ISO 27001 certified, your customers will understand your strong commitment to information security management and gain confidence in your ability to protect information assets. But when you become ISO 22301 certified, they’ll be reassured of your commitment to maintaining operations during disruptions due to your enhanced and holistic business continuity management.

Can You Integrate Your ISO 22301 BCMS with Your ISO 27001 ISMS?

It may very well be that you already have ISO 27001 certification and are considering adding ISO 22301.

If so, we can say that while these two frameworks do address different aspects of organizational resilience, it is possible to successfully integrate them, as the two management systems complement each other and, together, can enhance your organization’s overall resilience and security.

(In fact, if both of your management systems share the same scope for certification, it would make more sense to pursue an integrated management system (IMS), as working in your ISO 22301 BCMS will expand upon the existing business continuity controls within ISO 27001’s Annex A.)

Should You Get ISO 22301 Certified or ISO 27001 Certified?

Of course, you may not have pursued any ISO certification yet and are considering both of these options, but how can you truly determine which is the right path for your organization?

Given the general priority around cybersecurity amidst a constantly evolving and more sophisticated threat landscape, ISO 27001 might seem like a more obvious choice. And while that may be true, 2020—and the global COVID-19 pandemic—forced organizations everywhere to leverage their business continuity plans (if they had them). And now, in the post-pandemic world that has seen the rise of a remote and more flexible workforce, ISO 22301’s appeal is bigger than ever.

Still, your decision between ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 will depend on several factors, including the specific needs and objectives of your organization. Here are some considerations to help you decide:

• What’s the nature of your business? If your organization deals with sensitive information assets—like customer data, financial records, or intellectual property—ISO 27001 certification may be more pertinent, but if ensuring the continuity of business operations during disruptions is paramount, ISO 22301 certification is likely the more important way to go.
• Are you subject to any regulatory requirements? Depending on your industry or the jurisdiction where you operate, you may be subject to compliance obligations with specific standards related to business continuity management or information security—if so, determine whether ISO 22301 or ISO 27001 certification aligns better with these requirements.
• What were the results of your risk assessment? While both ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 both require their own, to decide which is right for your organization you should perform one of your own to evaluate the potential impact of disruptions to business operations and the consequences of information security breaches—what you find can help you determine which certification would provide the most significant value.
• What are your organizational objectives? Consider whether enhancing business resilience and continuity or strengthening information security aligns more closely with the broader goals and long-term vision of your organization.
• Do you have the available resources? ISO certifications and the implementation of the requisite management systems are a big lift, so you should assess where you have the realistic and feasible budget, staff skills, and management commitment to move forward with a specific certification.
• Which serves your stakeholders? Determine whether ISO 22301 or ISO 27001 certification is more relevant and valuable in enhancing the confidence of your customers, partners, regulators, and investors in your organization.

While the decision between ISO 22301 and ISO 27001 certification should be based on a comprehensive assessment of your organization's needs, objectives, risks, and resources that includes the answers to these questions, it may also be beneficial to consult with experts in business continuity management and information security to make an informed decision that aligns with your organization's strategic direction.

Moving Forward with the Right ISO Certification for You

The reputation of ISO and its frameworks speaks for itself—no matter if you pursue ISO 27001 certification or ISO 22301, success in your efforts will benefit your organization in specific wins. There’s no losing if you choose to pursue either ISO 27001 or ISO 22301, and now that you know more about each, you can move forward with a better-informed decision.

Of course, there may be other ISO certifications that are even better suited to your organization, and you should check out our other content to help clarify these other options:

• Introducing ISO 20000-1
• ISO 9001 and ISO 27001: The Relationship
• How ISO 42001 “AIMS” to Promote Trustworthy AI

But if you’re settled on either ISO 27001 or ISO 27001 and want to learn more about Schellman and the possibility of partnership with your organization for certification, contact us today.