Many organisations have approached me, desperate to enhance their information security position almost overnight to win a customer contract.
The details may differ, but the situation is always the same. It usually starts with a panicked email or call, driven by a potential deal that has suddenly introduced information security as a key requirement.
Prospective customers today are focusing more on supplier due diligence, and information security is increasingly taking centre stage.
Financial institutions, in particular, no longer accept vague assurances. Instead, they demand to see evidence—policies, processes, risk assessments—all to verify that you walk the talk when it comes to protecting data.
The Importance of Supplier Security
I've also seen cases where suppliers refuse to allow new customers to connect to their APIs or cloud services until they can demonstrate that they are managing their infrastructure and data appropriately.
Security is no longer just about your own business security; it's also about proving you won't become a weak link in someone else's supply chain.
Security today is a two-way street. All parties need confidence that their partners are taking their responsibilities seriously.
Reactive Security Measures After a Breach
Another common scenario is when an organisation suffers a major data breach and scrambles to improve its security posture.
Unfortunately, nothing motivates like a crisis, and in the aftermath of a breach, there's often a rush to plug gaps and implement security measures that, frankly, should have existed long before any data was compromised.
This kind of acceleration is reactive, and while it might provide short-term gains, it's certainly not the most strategic way to approach information security.
Security for Investment Readiness
There's also the situation where an organisation is preparing for equity investment.
Part of an investor's due diligence involves a deep dive into the infrastructure and processes of the company they plan to invest in.
They want to know that the business is secure and its systems can scale as the company grows.
For investors, it's about reducing risk—no one wants to invest in a company that could face huge setbacks from a preventable security incident.
Why ISO 27001?
So, businesses want to accelerate their information security efforts for plenty of reasons.
Whether it’s winning a key contract, recovering from a breach, or satisfying investor scrutiny, there’s often a sudden urgency to get security right. This is where ISO 27001 comes into play. It's a solid framework that provides a clear model for organisations looking to enhance their security posture quickly.
While some organisations might not actually need full ISO 27001 certification, the standard itself provides a blueprint for good information security: policies, procedures, controls, and a culture of continual improvement.
Building Trust and Resilience
ISO 27001 offers the structure that businesses need, whether aiming for certification or simply wanting to adopt the best practices it lays out.
It's not a silver bullet, but it’s an excellent place to start if you must demonstrate to customers, partners, or investors that your organisation takes information security seriously.
Investing in a proper information security framework isn’t just about ticking boxes for others; it's about making your organisation resilient, building trust, and positioning yourself as a reliable partner in an increasingly connected world.
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