More and more aspects of our daily life can be found in the virtual sphere, effectively reducing the time we spend at offices and banks. We eagerly swap stationary retail for convenient online shopping. Fitness apps know everything about us – what is our 5k running time and where we did our workout a few months ago. We share lots of our sensitive data (regarding political views, religion, ethnicity) with third parties, not sparing a thought for their further processing. What makes some companies trustworthy and what are some tell-tale signs that an enterprise should be avoided?
A company’s continuous development is not limited to widening its offer or enabling higher volume of orders to be processed. It also regards all actions aimed at providing reliable protection of client’s data and excellent customer service. Striving to implement the necessary procedures, numerous companies attempt to become ISO 27001 certified. Even though it requires harmonious and intense cooperation from the whole team, following the guidelines of ISO 27001 standard confirms that the company can boast of a top-notch information security management system and your data is processed according to all security precautions.
ISO 27001 standard – document and benefits
The contents of ISO 27001 standard in a pdf form can be accessed by anyone. It could be challenging, however, to realistically translate its provisions into the daily operation of a company within the scope of information security. What does the implementation of ISO 27001 mean for clients and business partners of a given company? Do benefits from ISO 27001 outweigh the effort that was put into the application of restrictive standards and the commitment of the whole team?
The provisions might sound vague, but they give the general idea of numerous restrictions and safety measures necessary to provide appropriate information security level. In the case of a translation agency, the amount of sensitive data processed on a daily basis is overwhelming. Inboxes of not only in-house team, but also freelance translators, are flooded with invoices, contracts, medical documentation or confidential data concerning patent applications or clinical trials. The safety of your data is equally important to us, whether you are an individual client or an international company. In case of the latter, we often provide security that significantly exceeds the scope of data protection exercised in the company’s registration country. ISO 27001 certification allows establishing a consistent way to handle data, ensuring the highest level of information security. Attempts to obtain the certification are often preceded by long negotiations, when various options are subject to discussion. New perspectives, the possibility to participate in more demanding tenders or completion of innovative initiatives are just a few out of endless benefits that come with ISO 27001. Obtaining a certificate is a clear message for our business partners and clients; it provides an objective confirmation of comprehensive care exercised over their data and a chance to build a long-lasting cooperation based on trust. Your data is safe. And we know very well that the value of company’s know-how or personal data cannot be overestimated.
Requirements vs benefits – is it worth it to be ISO 27001 certified?
The content of the ISO 27001 standard itself won’t tell us everything about long-term benefits that come with this investment. Preparing the company for the audit and meeting numerous requirements often demands monthsof work and substantial changes within many areas of company operation. The requirements of ISO 27001 often demand entrepreneurs to introduce starkly different approaches within the bery core of their business. All employees play a vital role here, as their commitment is often key in the process of obtaining ISO 27001 certification. Some of the duties are assigned to the IT team, such as providing appropriate technical facilities or protection of the company’s websites. Others concern those, who are directly entrusted with the task of handling files. In this case all the documents containing personal or sensitive data should be protected with a password, which will be then provided via other communication channels.
Establishing certain standards facilitates the consistency of actions taken, no matter who is entrusted with a given task. The implementation of ISO 27001 certification also increases the employees’ awareness and competences when it comes to information security systems used in the company. Skillful and efficient data transfer ensures not only peace of mind for clients, but also seamless processes and an increase in productivity. Providing a copy of the ISO 27001 standard is not enough to ensure successful implementation of the plan. Extensive knowledge on appropriate data handling methods is crucial to maintain the certification and ensure full information security. A competent team and completion of projects according to the requirements of the ISO 27001 standard is not only about your image of a reliable entrepreneur, but – first and foremost – the client’s comfort and data protection at every stage of project completion.
Triple certification for impeccable quality
Translation agencies usually strive to obtain ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certifications which confirm that the company handles their work in a way that guarantees consistent and satisfactory translation services. Currently Alingua is one of the few translation agencies in Poland that value both high quality of language services and safety of the data provided to the company. With that, our clients and business partners can be sure that our attention to high standards is not limited to translation services.
