Which ISO certification is required for IT companies?

ISO standards that are popular in IT industries include:

 ISO 27001 for IT companies

ISO 27001 is also known as ISO/IEC 27001. It is a part of an international set of standards that focuses on information security. The goal of this standard is to provide software development/information technology organisations with a clear and systematic framework for safely handling, storing and protecting their valuable information. This is extremely helpful for IT and software companies, as they usually handle data that is sensitive and valuable.

By implementing the framework based on ISO/IEC 27001 recommendations, they prove to the clients that their information is safe, secure and constantly monitored. The framework, that is known as an Information Security Management System (ISMS) consists of policies and procedures which include all technical, physical and legal controls involved in the organisation’s information risk management processes.

The framework helps organisations address the three dimensions of information security, namely, availability, integrity and confidentiality.

ISO 9001 for IT companies

The ISO 9001:2015 standard focuses on quality assurance, implying that it provides companies with a management system that helps to maintain the consistency of its products or services. This means that any organisation that complies with the ISO 9000 standard and its counterparts has demonstrated its ability to consistently deliver products or services that exceed the customer expectations.

The requirements of ISO 9001 focus on a few key areas including leadership, context of the organisation, planning, support, performance evaluation, operation and improvement. To acquire your ISO 9001 certificate, you need to address these key areas in your business and have a clear framework for each aspect.

Additionally, your Quality Management System (QMS) should be based on the recommendations of ISO 9001 and should integrate the seven principles of quality management including customer focus, engagement of people, leadership, process approach, continual improvement, evidence-based decision-making and relationship management.

If you are an information technology company looking to get your ISO certification, then our services can help you. As a JAS-ANZ accredited certification body, we have the experience, expertise and specialisation to analyse your business processes and support your efforts for continual improvement.

ISO consultant for IT companies

The ISO certification consultation process generally consists of two stages. In the following, we will learn more about these steps and the role of Izzo consulting:

First Step: gap analysis

In the first step of the consultancy process, the ISO consultant understands how your business is operating, and if there are any management systems that need to be improved or corrected. This is usually done by conducting a gap analysis that compares your current management systems to the recommendations stipulated in the selected ISO standard.

This is followed by the formal stage one assessment, where the ISO consultant will assess your management system documentation and review your policies, records and your system implementation. The aim is to address any discrepancies and provide customised recommendations that could strengthen those deficiencies.

Second step: Implement documented requirements

In the second phase of the assessment, we ensure that all the documented requirements are properly implemented across all the areas of your business. Additionally, ISO consultant will do a thorough and detailed E-audit, where we will remotely interview your strategic partners. The aim of this stage is to assess the precision of your management system and its implementation.

Once the consultant has established that your management systems are indeed properly implemented, a statement of certification is offered.

Essentially, during the certification audit, if no non-conformances are found, you will be granted this certificate. This will confirm that your information technology company complies with the international ISO standard. The certificate remains valid for three years from the date of issue and you will need to undergo surveillance audits every twelve months to maintain its validity.

Cost of ISO certification for IT companies

The cost of the ISO certification depends upon the time and resources spent by the certification body in auditing your organisation. The time taken for an audit depends greatly upon the size, and complexity of the organisation, and therefore, the cost remains variable. Certification bodies that give you a generic quotation without actually visiting your site may be short-selling you. Having said that, the industry standard is to charge $15,000 per annum for a medium-sized organisation.