ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 is about understanding your company and its world. You must think about things that can help or hurt your plan for keeping information safe. These things are called issues. You need to write them down.
What is ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 Understanding The Organisation And Its Context?
The latest version of the ISO 27001 standard is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (published in October 2022).
In the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Standard the control is titled “Understanding The Organisation And Its Context”.
What is the ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 control objective?
The formal definition and control objective in the standard is: “The organisation shall determine external issues and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended outcome(s) of its information security management system.
The organisation shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.“
What is the purpose of ISO 27001 Clause 4.1?
The purpose of ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 is “To ensure you identify, manage and mitigate risks to the management system achieving its intended outcomes.“
Is ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 Mandatory?
ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 (Understanding The Organisation And Its Context in the 2022 standard) is a mandatory clause in the main body of the standard.
What are internal issues?
These are things inside your company. They can be good or bad. For example, do you have smart workers? Do leaders support the plan? Do you have a good system to work?
What are external issues?
These are things outside your company. They can change your plan. For example, what do new laws say? What is the economy like? What do other companies do? Is there a new kind of threat?
Why is this important?
It is very important. It makes sure your plan works. It helps you find risks. You can then manage those risks. This helps your safety plan to succeed. You must keep your information safe.
What an Auditor Will Check
An auditor will want to see proof that you are following these rules. They will:
- Check your work.
- Look for evidence that you found all issues.
- Check if your plan makes sense for your company.
You can learn more about Understanding The Organisation And Its Context and ISO 27001 by watching this video: The purpose of ISO 27001 Clause 4.1 Understanding the Organisation and Its Context.
