Information Technology
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
With the digitization and computerization of almost every activity, the Information Technology industry has become gigantic in recent times. It goes without saying that the IT organizations should commit to delivering efficient services that ensure customer satisfaction in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market. For this reason, implementing a management system as per the international standard can be hugely beneficial. The International Organization for Standardization publishes a set of ISO Certification for IT Industry that ensures the quality and efficiency of a business. Registering to such international standards helps IT organizations establish their credibility in the market.
ISO STANDARDS THAT ARE APPLICABLE FOR IT INDUSTRY
ISO 9001 Standard
ISO 9001 helps in the implementation of a quality management system in an organization. This standard can be applied to any organization irrespective of the sector that they belong to. For IT industries, it helps in ensuring the quality of services.
ISO 14001 Standard
Every industry, including the IT sector, is required to demonstrate their commitment for a sustainable environment. For that purpose, ISO 14001 certification can act as a proof of your commitment towards the environment as well as compliance towards related regulations.
ISO 45001 Standard
Occupational safety of the employees has a direct relation with productivity. With ISO 45001 certification an IT company can demonstrate its commitment for providing a safe work environment for its staff.
ISO 27001 Standard
ISO 27001 standard helps in the implementation of Information security management systems that ensures the safety and privacy of data stored within the organizations. The IT sector deals with a huge amount of online data that needs to be protected against any breach or loss.
ISO 22301 Standard
This standard helps in the implementation of Business Continuity Management System in an organization and helps them in identifying and eliminating any risk that can affect the continuity of business.
ISO 27701 Standard
This standard is a data privacy extension of ISO 27001 certification and helps the organizations with their GDPR compliance. It is also called PIMS (Privacy Information Management System) and it sets a framework for Personally Identifiable Information (PII) controllers and processors for data management.
ISO 20000-1
ISO 20000 is the first worldwide standard specifically focused at IT Service Management. It describes an integrated set of management processes for the effective delivery of services to the business and its customers.
BENEFITS OF ISO CERTIFICATION FOR IT INDUSTRY
- Gives a competitive edge to the organizations
- Helps them in delivering quality product and services that meets customer’s requirements
- Helps in streamlining complicated processes
- Helps in meeting the changing market demands through continual improvement.
ISO CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR IT INDUSTRY
- Application & contract
- Audit team Assignment
- Document view
- Certification Audit Independent review
- Notification of Certification
- Surveillance audit
- Re-Assessment
FAQ
Information technology standards include both hardware and software standards. Software and information formatting standards are increasingly important. Standards exist for operating systems, programming languages, communications protocols, and human computer interaction.
ISO IEC 20000-1 Information Technology Service Management: ISO IEC 20000-1 is a set of standards for IT service providers that outlines best practices for maintaining security, delivering consistent service, and adopting new technologies as they become available.
According to the FFIEC Management Booklet, the ISO is typically responsible for: Implementing information security strategies and objectives. Engaging with management related to information security risk. Working with management to protect information.
The most commonly required ISO Certification for IT Industry that are applicable for all kinds of Information Technology Sector are as listed below:
• ISO 9001 Standard: Quality Management System.
• ISO 14001 Standard: Environmental Management System.
• ISO 45001 Standard: Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
• ISO 27001 Standard: Information Security Management System
• ISO 22301 Standard: Business Continuity Management Systems
• GDPR Standard: General Data Protection Regulation
• SOC Standard: System and organization controls.
Achieving ISO Certification is no big deal in today’s upgraded systems. The basic steps to become ISO Certificate for Information Technology Industry are as follows:
1. you need to prepare all the relevant information about your company in a systematized way (It is always best and safe to hire a legal consultant.)
2. you need to document all the relevant information about your business.
3. you have to implement all the documented information in your organization.
4. get ready for the internal audits which are performed first during the certification process and then periodically after.
5. if the certifying body approves your management system then you will be awarded the required ISO standard.
An ISO Certificate is valid for 3 years. And during this time period of 3 years, a surveillance audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that ISO quality standards are being maintained by the organization.
1. select the type of ISO certification you want for your Information Technology Industry.
2. selecting a recognized and credible ISO certification body (ISO Registrar)
3. make an application in the prescribed form which should include liability issues, confidentiality, and access rights.
4. the ISO certification body will review all the documents related to various policies and procedures being followed in the organization. If there are any existing gaps, the applicant has to prepare an action plan to eliminate these gaps.
Then, the ISO registrar will conduct a physical onsite inspection to audit the changes made in the organization.
As soon as the certifying body approves your management system, you will be awarded the required ISO standard.
Basically, when you approach a certifying body for ISO Certification and they approve your management systems and all your processes, they will then quote an amount for the certificate. Moreover, the cost for achieving ISO certification depends mostly on your organization, such as the no. of employees in your organization, No. of branches your organization has, and many more.
