---

title: Getting Started with ISO 27001 description: Discover what ISO 27001 means for your business and whether certification is the right step sidebar_position: 1

Getting Started with ISO 27001

What is ISO 27001 actually?

ISO 27001 is not a technical review of your IT systems. It's a management standard that shows you take information security seriously and approach it in an organized way.

In simple terms:

• You have clear rules for how you handle sensitive information
• You know what risks exist and do something about them
• You can demonstrate that you do this systematically, not just ad hoc
• You continuously improve your approach based on new insights

What it is NOT:

• A technical penetration test of your systems
• An obligation to implement every conceivable security measure
• An annual paperwork exercise that disappears into a filing cabinet

Why would you consider ISO 27001?

Your customers are asking for it

Many organizations require ISO 27001 from their suppliers:

• Government contracts - Often mandatory for IT services
• Large companies - Procurement departments use it as a filter
• International clients - Standard expectation especially in Europe/US
• Regulated sectors - Sectors that process a lot of sensitive information (e.g., Financial sector, Healthcare, Recruitment, Defense) have strict requirements

Real example: "We lost a €200K client because we didn't have ISO 27001. That opened our eyes."

It gives you competitive advantage

Commercial benefits:

• Faster through sales cycles - Fewer security questions from prospects
• Higher prices - Premium for proven reliability
• Access to new markets - Enterprise clients become reachable
• Partnership opportunities - Other certified companies seek you out

You manage risks better

Practical benefits for your business:

• Lower chance of data breaches - Structured approach prevents errors
• Better crisis management - You know what to do when things go wrong
• GDPR compliance - ISO 27001 covers many privacy requirements
• Lower insurance premiums - Insurers give discounts for certification

Frequently Asked Questions

"Is this something for our business?"

You probably need ISO 27001 if:

• You work with sensitive customer data (personal info, financial data)
• You provide IT services to other businesses
• Your customers ask about your security measures
• You want to grow toward enterprise clients
• You're considering international expansion

Company size doesn't matter:

• Small businesses can achieve certification in 10-14 weeks
• Medium-sized businesses often have the most benefits from certification
• Large companies use it for structure and governance

"How long does implementation take?"

Realistic timelines:

Small business (10-49 employees):

• Preparation: 2-3 weeks
• Implementation: 6-8 weeks
• Certification: 2-3 weeks
• Total: 10-14 weeks

Medium-sized business (50-249 employees):

• Preparation: 3-4 weeks
• Implementation: 8-12 weeks
• Certification: 3-4 weeks
• Total: 14-20 weeks

Factors that influence speed:

• How organized you already are
• Available time from your team
• Complexity of your IT environment
• Experience with compliance projects

"What does ISO 27001 certification cost?"

One-time costs:

Certification itself:

• Small organization: €3,000 - €5,000
• Medium organization: €5,000 - €8,000
• Large organization: €8,000 - €15,000

Implementation support:

• Tooling (like Tidal): €200 - €500 per month
• Consultant/advisor: €4,000 - €10,000 (optional)

Annual costs:

• Surveillance audits: €1,500 - €3,000 per year
• Tooling maintenance: €200 - €500 per month
• Compliance officer: €300 - €1,000 per month (optional)
• Recertification (every 3 years): Comparable to first certification

"Can we do this ourselves, or do we need help?"

You can do it yourself if:

• Your team has experience with project management
• You're digitally organized (cloud tools, documentation)
• You use good tooling (like Tidal)
• You can invest 4-8 hours per week during the project

You probably need help if:

• This is your first compliance project
• Your organization still works very ad-hoc
• Your deadline is very tight (< 8 weeks)
• Your team has insufficient time

How Tidal makes the difference

From months-long project to manageable process

Traditional approach without tools:

• Documents everywhere - Word files, Excel sheets, email trails
• Manual tracking - Who does what, when, with what result
• Risk of errors - Forgotten deadlines, missing information
• Difficult maintenance - After certification everything becomes messy again

With Tidal structured:

• Central workplace - All information in one place
• Automation - Work faster with built-in tools and integrations
• Real-time progress - See immediately where you stand
• Audit ready - All evidence neatly organized

Concrete time savings through automation

What Tidal does automatically:

• Load control framework - 93 ISO 27001 controls pre-configured
• Plan tasks - Automatic deadlines and reminders
• Track progress - Dashboards with real-time status
• Manage documents - Automatic version control and approval flows
• Audit preparation - Automatic reporting and evidence collection

Real example of time savings:

• Risk analysis: From 2 days to 2 hours
• Technical controls: From 5 days to 4 hours
• Progress reporting: From 4 hours to 15 minutes
• Audit preparation: From 2 weeks to 1 day

Support during your journey

What you get:

• 30+ Policy templates - Proven approach from 100+ certifications
• 100+ automatic tests - improve your systems' security with our help
• Work faster - with built-in modules for the most important topics
• Expert guidance - Access to specialists when you get stuck
• Audit support - Preparation for your certification audit

Are you ready? Self-test

Check these points for yourself:

Project readiness

• Budget available - €10K-€30K total budget for implementation and certification
• Decision-making authority - You can approve this project or have direct access to decision maker
• Clear need - Customers ask for it, growth ambitions, or risk management needed
• Management commitment - Leadership supports the project and sees its importance

Organization and expertise

• Project leader available - Someone can spend 4-6 hours per week on the project
• ISO 27001 knowledge - You have experience with compliance or security projects
• Documentation available - You already have policies, procedures or working methods documented
• IT overview - You know which systems, data and processes your organization uses

Scorecard:

• 7-8 checks: You're completely ready and can do much yourself
• 5-6 checks: Good foundation, Tidal expert guidance recommended
• 3-4 checks: Achievable with intensive Tidal support
• < 3 checks: Better to first develop organization and knowledge

What now?

Next steps if you want to start

Week 1-2: Preparation

• Read: Planning your ISO 27001 journey
• Determine scope: Which information and processes will you certify?
• Assemble team: Who becomes project leader and who helps?

Week 3-4: Tool setup

• Create Tidal account and get familiar with the interface
• Activate integrations (e.g. Microsoft Cloud and Github)
• First risks and assets inventory and assess

Week 5-10: Implementation

• Follow the Tidal implementation wizard
• Work systematically through the control checklist
• Implement policies and procedures
• Select certification body and plan audit

Week 11-12: Internal audit and management review

• Conduct internal audit (with Tidal advisor)
• Hold management review meeting
• Resolve any findings

Week 13-14: Certification

• Phase 1 audit: Documentation review (1 day)
• Phase 2 audit: On-site assessment (1-2 days)
• Certificate issuance: Within 2-4 weeks after audit

Alternatives if you're not ready yet

Strengthen organization:

• First implement basic processes (HR, finance, IT)
• Digitize your documentation (cloud storage, collaboration tools)
• Train your team in project-based working

Knowledge building:

• Conduct a GAP analysis
• Get advice from a specialist
• Start with GDPR compliance (easier stepping stone)

Pilot project (for larger teams):

• Start with securing one product/service
• Test the approach with a small team
• Scale to entire organization when it goes well

Ready to begin?

ISO 27001 doesn't have to be complex or overwhelming. With the right approach, good tooling and focused execution you'll achieve your certification within 3-4 months.

Typical success factors:

• Define scope carefully - Which information do you really need to protect? This goes on your certificate and is difficult to change
• Use proven tools - Tidal does much of the work for you and guides the process
• Ask for help when you get stuck - Expert support is available through Tidal
• Focus on the essential - Implement what's needed, not everything that's possible