ISO 27001 is the top ISO standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). Its clause 4.1 calls for identification and understanding of the organisational context.
ISO defines the context of the organisation as a combination of internal and external issues that can impact a company’s approach to its investments, products, services, and interested parties.
If your organisation is ISO 27001 certified, you must be able to identify the internal and external factors associated with your ISMS strategy that can impact your business goals.
Here are the common internal and external issues that may prevent your business from accomplishing its intended outcome.
Internal Issues
Internal issues are factors originating from the inside, and in most cases, they are under the control of an organisation. These are:
The organisation’s operations: This is how a company operates or does things. It involves understanding how interconnected (or isolated) processes work, how decisions are made, and how information flows. This will provide a framework for integrating your information security systems and processes with business management activities.
Organisational drivers: These cover a company’s mission, vision, and values infused in its internal policies, culture, strategies, and objectives, which help define your information security system’s goals.
Available resources: You are required to determine the capital, systems, equipment, time, technology, and personnel you have in your company to know which acquisitions and competencies you need to protect your information.
Organisational structure: Knowing the roles and accountabilities of your staff in the ISO 27001 can enable you to know where to position your information security system.
External Issues
External issues are factors outside a company that affects its ability to achieve the desired results. They are:
- Market and customer trends: Technological trends change daily, impacting the market. The rapid adoption of cloud solutions is a perfect example of a market trend that can affect an ISMS. Monitor these trends and ensure your information security system stays on top of the trends.
- Political and economic conditions: Organisations should monitor things like elections which can change policy trends and local currency exchange rates.
- Technological trends: Modern technological innovations can deliver advanced solutions to protect data and information or make the available controls obsolete.
- Applicable laws and regulations: An organisation should ensure that its operations, products, and services comply with the relevant laws and regulations.
- External relationships: The organisation’s external interested parties may have different values, perceptions, and beliefs that should be considered.
How Next Practice Can Help
The team at Next Practice offers world-class business coaching and consultancy services to small and large companies. This is the team to get in touch with if you’re struggling to establish the internal and external factors that affect the performance of your ISO 27001 Management System.
We can empower your business and provide solutions that align with your systems to help you identify potential information security risks and implement robust solutions for optimal information protection. Contact us today for further details.
