In This Article
Quick Overview
ISO 22301 and ISO 27001 address different aspects of organizational resilience. While ISO 27001 focuses on protecting information assets, ISO 22301 focuses on maintaining business operations during and after disruptions.
- ISO 27001: Information Security Management System (ISMS) - protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information
- ISO 22301: Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) - ensuring critical business activities continue during disruptions
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | ISO 27001 | ISO 22301 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Information security | Business continuity |
| Core Concern | CIA of information assets | Continuity of critical activities |
| Key Analysis | Information security risk assessment | Business Impact Analysis (BIA) |
| Main Output | Security controls (Annex A) | Business continuity plans |
| Testing | Control effectiveness testing | Exercise programme |
| Incidents Covered | Security incidents | All disruptive incidents |
| Recovery Focus | IT disaster recovery | Full business recovery |
| Structure | Annex SL + Annex A (93 controls) | Annex SL (no Annex controls) |
Different Focus Areas
ISO 27001 Focus
- Protecting information from unauthorized access
- Ensuring data integrity
- Maintaining availability of information systems
- Security risk management
- Access control and cryptography
- Incident response for security events
- Supplier security management
ISO 22301 Focus
- Identifying critical business activities
- Understanding dependencies and impacts
- Developing continuity strategies
- Creating response and recovery plans
- Exercising and validating capabilities
- Managing all types of disruptions
- Stakeholder communication during incidents
Where They Overlap
Both standards share significant common ground:
Structural Overlap (Annex SL)
Both use the same high-level structure:
- Context of the organization
- Leadership and commitment
- Planning for risks and opportunities
- Support (resources, competence, awareness, communication, documentation)
- Performance evaluation (monitoring, internal audit, management review)
- Improvement (nonconformity, corrective action, continual improvement)
Content Overlap
- Risk assessment: Both require identifying and treating risks
- Incident management: Both address incident response
- Documentation: Similar documentation requirements
- Testing: Both require validation of arrangements
- Supplier management: Both address third-party considerations
ISO 27001 Business Continuity Requirements
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A includes specific controls related to business continuity:
A.5.30 ICT Readiness for Business Continuity
This control requires:
- ICT continuity planning based on business impact analysis
- ICT continuity plans aligned with business continuity requirements
- Testing and exercising ICT continuity arrangements
Other Relevant Controls
- A.5.29 Information security during disruption: Maintaining security during incidents
- A.8.13 Information backup: Data protection for recovery
- A.8.14 Redundancy of information processing facilities: Availability measures
Important Distinction
ISO 27001 A.5.30 focuses on ICT continuity, not full business continuity. Organizations wanting comprehensive BC management need ISO 22301, which covers people, premises, suppliers, and all business activities - not just IT.
Integration Strategies
Organizations often implement both standards as an integrated management system:
Shared Elements
- Single policy framework: Combined security and continuity policies
- Unified risk assessment: Combined risk register covering both domains
- Shared documentation: Common document control system
- Combined audits: Integrated internal audit programme
- Joint management review: Combined oversight
- Integrated training: Combined awareness programmes
Distinct Elements
- BIA: ISO 22301-specific requirement (not explicitly in ISO 27001)
- Annex A controls: ISO 27001-specific security controls
- Exercise programme: ISO 22301 has more detailed requirements
- BC plans: ISO 22301-specific operational requirements
Integration Benefits
- Reduced documentation overhead
- Consistent approach to risk
- Efficient audit process (integrated audits)
- Single management review
- Holistic organizational resilience
Which to Implement First?
Implement ISO 27001 First If:
- Information security is your primary driver
- Customer contracts require ISO 27001
- Cyber threats are your main concern
- You need to demonstrate security to stakeholders
Implement ISO 22301 First If:
- Operational resilience is your primary driver
- Regulatory requirements mandate BC (e.g., financial services)
- Your organization faces diverse disruption risks
- Stakeholders demand demonstrated resilience
Implement Together If:
- You have resources for parallel implementation
- Both are regulatory requirements
- You want maximum integration benefit
- Comprehensive resilience is a strategic priority
Most organizations implement ISO 27001 first due to higher market demand, then add ISO 22301 to address broader resilience requirements. The shared Annex SL structure makes adding the second standard significantly easier.