ISO/IEC 27701 is the international standard for Privacy Information Management Systems (PIMS). It focuses on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and privacy, adding transparency, accountability, and demonstrable compliance. 
It applies to all organizations that collect, process, or store PII from startups and SaaS providers to banks, clinics, and public bodies. The goal is to establish a coherent, measurable, and auditable framework that supports alignment with the GDPR and other international regulations, while strengthening customer and partner trust. 

What is ISO/IEC 27701 and why is it important? 

ISO 27701 defines the requirements for a PIMS so that privacy is managed with the same PDCA cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act) and risk-based approach used in information security. 

Key features: 

  • Transparency & accountability: standardized privacy policies, clear roles and responsibilities, and documented procedures for data subject rights (access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection). 
  • Controller & processor coverage: explicit requirements for organizations that determine the purposes of processing (controllers) and for those that process data on behalf of others (processors). 
  • Privacy by design & by default: embedding privacy throughout the service/product lifecycle, with controls for data minimization, pseudonymization, lawful bases/purposes, retention, and deletion. 

The standard’s value is practical and operational: it reduces the risk of breaches, eases audits and due diligence (including third-party assessments), strengthens perceptions of responsibility, and supports evidence-based compliance. 

ISO 27701 and its relationship with ISO 27001 

ISO 27701 extends ISO 27001. This means you need either: 

  • an existing ISO/IEC 27001 certification, or 
  • a combined 27001 & 27701 certification in the same project. 

Its structure plugs into ISO 27001 clauses 4–10 and ISO 27002 practices, adding privacy controls for controllers/processors. The result is a single system covering both information security (ISMS) and privacy (PIMS) with shared policies, unified risk management, and harmonized KPIs—leading to fewer overlaps, lower audit costs, and clearer accountability to management, customers, and regulators. 

Alignment with GDPR and other regulations 

The standard does not replace the GDPR, it provides a structured way to implement it and prove compliance. In particular, it helps with: 

  • Records of processing (ROPA), lawful bases, purposes, and retention periods. 
  • Data subject rights implementation with SLAs/OLAs and clear workflows. 
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and ongoing privacy risk monitoring. 
  • Breach management (detection, assessment, notification) with clear material-risk criteria. 
  • Processor/sub-processor governance and cross-border transfers outside the EEA (transfer assessments, SCCs). 

Its structure also facilitates alignment with other privacy regimes (e.g., CCPA/CPRA, LGPD), especially for organizations with an international footprint. 

Implementing ISO 27701 in practice 

Start with realistic scoping: which systems/services/departments and which PII categories (customers, users, employees, partners) fall under the PIMS. Then: 

  1. Assessment & Gap Analysis: review current policies, data flows, tools, and contracts; identify gaps against 27701. 
  1. Processing mapping (ROPA): purposes, lawful bases, data subject/data categories, recipients, transfers, retention. 
  1. Risk-based approach for PII: materiality criteria, privacy threats, vulnerabilities, impact on data subjects; treatment plan (mitigate/accept/transfer/avoid). 
  1. DPIA where required: method, preventive measures, residual risk, decision records. 
  1. Policies & Procedures: privacy policy, notices, consent management, data minimization, access/rectification/erasure, retention & secure disposal, breach handling, vendor management. 
  1. Roles & Governance: DPO, data owners, process owners, IT/Legal/HR, board oversight, accountability mechanisms and KPIs (e.g., response time for rights requests, time to report incidents). 
  1. Technical/Organizational measures: pseudonymization/encryption, IAM/MFA, logging & monitoring, environment segregation, log governance, application security (SDLC/DevSecOps). 
  1. Training & Awareness: role-based programs, comprehension checks, communication plan. 
  1. Continual improvement (PDCA): internal PIMS audits, management review with performance data, risk/controls refresh, improvements. 
  1. Supply chain: due diligence of processors/sub-processors, explicit contractual clauses, monitoring and re-assessment. 

ISO 27701 certification process 

Certification is performed by an accredited certification body (e.g., Q-CERT) and follows a three-year cycle: 

  • Application & planning (scope definition, exchange of core documentation). 
  • Pre-assessment (optional) to identify critical gaps. 
  • Stage 1 audit: PIMS/ISMS readiness, policies, ROPA, DPIAs, roles, internal audits & management review. 
  • Stage 2 audit: implementation & effectiveness—sampling rights requests, incidents, vendors, transfers, retention/erasure. 
  • Certification decision & issuance (typically 3-year validity). 
  • Annual surveillances and recertification at the end of the cycle. 
    Often, organizations pursue a combined 27001 + 27701 certification to reduce cost and effort. 

Costs and resourcing 

Costs depend on size, service/system complexity, role (controller/processor), number of sites and third parties, and the volume/sensitivity of PII. A combined 27001+27701 audit offers economies of scale and simplifies annual compliance cycles. 

Benefits of ISO 27701 certification 

  • Competitive edge & trust: a tangible signal of maturity for proposals, RFPs, and customer/partner due diligence. 
  • Demonstrable accountability: documented decisions on purposes, lawful bases, retention/deletion, and data subject rights. 
  • Lower audit & presales overhead: fewer questionnaires, faster third-party assessments, smoother security/privacy addenda. 
  • Better privacy risk management: unified risk methodology, DPIA, targeted controls, faster detection/response. 
  • Stronger reputation & regulatory readiness: robust privacy notices, clear records, and procedures that stand up to scrutiny. 
  • ISMS synergy: shared governance, common KPIs, fewer overlaps, and a sustained PDCA culture. 

Use cases & sectors 

  • Healthcare: clinics/diagnostics and e-health platforms with sensitive PII categories. 
  • Banking/Fintech: payments, KYC/AML, credit scoring, open-banking APIs. 
  • e-Commerce & Loyalty: user profiles, behavioural data, targeted marketing. 
  • Public sector & Education: citizen/student registries, service portals. 
  • HR/Payroll & B2B SaaS: large PII volumes across multiple third-party interfaces. 

Across all sectors, ISO 27701 applies proportionately, tailoring measures to real risk. 

FAQs 

ISO 27001 covers information security (ISMS). ISO 27701 adds privacy requirements (PIMS) for controllers and processors.

From a few months for mature organizations (already on ISO 27001) to longer where process mapping/redesign and DPIAs are required.

Proportionality applies: smaller scope, simpler procedures, and a focus on essential measures.

Yes—it provides structured evidence of compliance, without replacing the GDPR itself.

Certification doesn’t eliminate legal risk, but it significantly reduces the likelihood and impact of penalties by enforcing clear accountability and repeatable processes.

Why choose Q-CERT for ISO/IEC 27701 Certification? 

Q-CERT has specialized auditors with deep expertise in GDPR, ISMS, and ITSM, capable of assessing both the technical and organizational privacy measures with a clear value-added approach. In addition, as the only Greek accredited Conformity Assessment Body that certifies trust services under eIDAS, we bring the same rigor, traceability, and high criteria of the trust-services domain to PIMS assessments—setting us apart in the market and enhancing the credibility of your certificate. 

Contact Q-CERT to discuss your needs and certify your Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). 

Audit Information & ExpectationsApplication Form
F-2108, Annex CF-2503, Annex D