TRUST, INTEGRITY AND CONFIDENCE – Here's What ISO 27001 Really Means.
You may have heard that Clearhead recently received ISO 27001 certification, that we’re one of very few Australasian EAP services to do so – and that we’re extremely proud to have achieved it! But what is ISO 27001, and why should it matter to you, your people and clients of your own organisation?
What is it?
Firstly ISO stands for the International Organisation for Standarisation, and 27001 is the global standard for information security management. Yes, we know ISO is not the right acronym, but interestingly it was taken from the Greek word "isos" meaning equal, so that the organisation’s name would be consistent across languages (it would OIN in French). What this standard is, though, is an extremely robust and detailed set of standards for protecting data, including people’s personal and sensitive information, something that is more important in wellbeing and mental health care than in just about any other industry.
Why is it so hard to achieve?
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing and more challenging space, as technology accelerates and more ‘bad actors’ seek to hack into the systems of organisations. ISO 27001 ensures a platform like Clearhead’s has the best practices possible to protect information. Globally more than 36,000 organisations (as of 2019) have achieved this standard through an extremely detailed recording and auditing of their information security systems, including some of our own major clients. It is also an evolving standard, requiring constant improvement of risk management systems and ongoing audits. Why is this necessary for Clearhead? Because ISO 27001 means confidentiality, integrity and trust for everyone who engages with us and uses our platform.
Why does it matter that Clearhead has achieved this?
In New Zealand, ISO 27001 is among the sought-after certifications, alongside standards like ISO 45003 for psychological health and safety at work. It has a risk-based approach focused on identifying, assessing and mitigating information security risks and means we are always reviewing cyber threats and potential data breaches. This includes collecting and analysing evolving threats to our data, protecting our data in cloud environments and preventing unauthorised data transfers. It has a system of 93 controls across Organisational, People, Physical and Technological themes. It also helps us comply (and more!) with local regulations such as the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
What does that mean for me, for our teams and for our business?
Most importantly, ISO 27001 means you can – with complete confidence – assure everyone that their personal and sensitive information is safe and protected at Clearhead. Trust is extremely important to us, and to our partners. Achieving this standard is more than a badge, it’s our commitment to safeguarding your data and providing the highest level of security.
Our certification for you means:
- Trust: You know we’re serious about data security and constantly improving our systems to stay ahead of emerging risks
- Compliance: If your company needs to meet security standards, working with an ISO 27001 certified partner like Clearhead ensures you’re aligned
- Peace of Mind: You can rest easy knowing that your people’s data is in good hands, no matter where they’re located or how they engage with us.
Want to know more?
We are super proud of this achievement and love to talk to anyone keen to know more about the process, either for your own business or to be able to discuss it with your teams. Our Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Michael is always up to talk .
Email him at [email protected] if you’d like to know more.
