ISO 27001 and ISO 37001 are both popular international management system standards in Indonesia, but they govern completely different areas. Many companies new to ISO certification wonder which standard should be prioritized first. This article summarizes the key differences between the two to help determine your organization’s needs.
ISO 27001: Information Security Management System
ISO/IEC 27001 governs how an organization manages and protects information, whether customer data, internal data, or other digital assets, from risks such as data breaches, unauthorized access, and system disruption. This standard is highly relevant for organizations that:
- Manage large volumes of customer data (for example, technology companies, fintech, or data-driven services).
- Provide cloud services, applications, or IT infrastructure to other clients.
- Are required by partners or regulators to demonstrate a certain level of information security before a partnership is approved.
ISO 37001: Anti-Bribery Management System
ISO 37001 governs how an organization prevents, detects, and addresses bribery practices, whether involving employees, management, or third parties such as agents and business partners. This standard is highly relevant for organizations that:
- Frequently interact with tender, procurement, or licensing processes from government agencies.
- Operate in sectors with high bribery risk, such as construction, financial services, or the public sector.
- Want to strengthen corporate governance and the trust of investors or regulators.
Quick comparison
- Main focus: ISO 27001 on data security, ISO 37001 on integrity and anti-corruption.
- Risk prevented: ISO 27001 prevents information leakage/misuse, ISO 37001 prevents bribery practices.
- Sectors most commonly implementing it: ISO 27001 is common in technology and financial services; ISO 37001 is common in construction, the public sector, and financial services.
- Key documents: ISO 27001 requires a Statement of Applicability (SoA) and an information security risk assessment; ISO 37001 requires an anti-bribery policy and a bribery risk assessment.
Can a company implement both at once?
Yes, and it is fairly common, especially for companies in the financial services sector or those that interact with the public sector, because the two standards complement each other: one safeguards information security, the other safeguards the integrity of business processes. Both certifications can be implemented in stages according to the organization’s risk priorities, or audited in adjacent cycles for cost and time efficiency.
Setting priorities for your company
If your organization manages large volumes of sensitive data, start with ISO 27001. If your organization frequently interacts with tender, procurement, or regulatory processes, ISO 37001 should be the priority. Sertifin’s team can help review your company’s risk profile to determine which standard is most relevant to implement first.