Comparing ISO 27001 and ISO 9001
What are the differences between these two ISO standards? Use this resource to explore ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 in detail.
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Six Questions About ISO 27001 Certification
When an organization earns ISO certification, it isn’t buying a plaque for the wall. It’s validating via a qualified, independent party that its management systems are real, repeatable, and resilient. ISO certification demonstrates that your business has built the processes, controls, and discipline to maintain conformance with the standard.
ISO standards cover a wide landscape of operational maturity. Smithers provides accredited certification for core management system frameworks including:
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ISO 9001:2015: Quality Management
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IATF 16949:2016: Automotive Quality Management
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ISO 45001:2018: Occupational Health & Safety
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AS9100:2016, AS9110, AS9120 Aerospace Quality Management
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ISO 13485:2016: Medical Devices Quality Management
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ISO 14001:2015: Environmental Management Systems
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SN 9001:2015: Snow and Ice Management
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Smithers also offers auditing and certification for ISO 27001. It covers compliance with Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) controls.
Here are six common questions surrounding ISO 27001.
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Why Pursue ISO 27001 Certification Now?
ISO 27001 is no longer “just for tech companies.” It defines how an organization protects information, both its own and its customers.
Clients now judge security posture with the same seriousness as quality. For federal contractors, ISO 27001 often maps directly into the technical and documentation rigor expected in CMMC Level 2 assessments. While ISO 27001 is not a replacement for CMMC, organizations pursuing federal work find that a mature ISMS provides a strong head start.
If ISO 9001 tells customers your management system processes conform to the standard, ISO 27001 tells them your data environment is trustworthy and protected.
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What is the Value of Being ISO Certified?
ISO certification communicates that a company is not improvising its way to success. Instead, it is executing against a defined framework, one that has been scrutinized, tested, and verified.
For businesses pursuing ISO 27001, this means:
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A codified risk treatment process
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Clear roles and responsibilities for security
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Documented and regularly reviewed controls
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Incident response discipline
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Evidence-driven decision-making
Certification across any ISO standard, whether quality, environmental, safety, or information security, signals control, consistency, and competitive differentiation. Internally, it reduces risk. Externally, it builds trust.
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How to Choose the Right Certification Partner
The first thing to ensure is that your certification body is accredited, for example, by the ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) in the United States. This ensures your audit will be conducted by internationally recognized standards.
At Smithers, we bring a “no-surprise” philosophy to every engagement. Certification is not a transaction. Instead, it’s a partnership grounded in clarity and supported by auditors with decades of practical industry experience. Companies stay with us year after year because they know exactly what to expect.
ISO 27001 clients appreciate seasoned auditors who understand the nuances of Annex A controls, objective evidence collection, continuous improvement cycles, and what it takes to maintain an ISMS that stands up to scrutiny.
For those organizations navigating both ISO 27001 and CMMC assessments, our cross-disciplinary team understands the intersection points, the distinctions, and the process disciplines common to both efforts.
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How Much Does ISO Certification Cost?
Certification costs vary based on the complexity of your organization. Factors include:
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Headcount
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Maturity of your management system
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Whether you maintain design responsibility
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Physical footprint and facility size
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Number of outsourced processes
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Number of buildings or operational sites
These variables collectively determine audit duration and, therefore, pricing. ISO 27001 follows the same structure, with added consideration for the scope of your information security environment.
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How Long Does ISO Certification Take?
A typical implementation and certification cycle ranges from six months to one year. Organizations must document their management system, implement controls, train personnel, and allow the system to run long enough to generate auditable evidence. Internal audits and the management review process must be conducted prior to the beginning of the formal third-party assessment.
Once ready, certification occurs in two initial stages, with an optional pre-assessment activity.
Optional Preassessment:
While not a requirement of certification, Smithers offers an optional pre-assessment activity. Designed to provide peace of mind prior to the Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits, during the pre-assessment the auditor will walk down the clauses of the standard with you and provide a green, yellow, red stoplight report detailing where gaps may exist.
Stage 1 Audit
A preliminary review of documentation, readiness, and scope—including ISMS scope boundaries for ISO 27001 or QMS boundaries for ISO 9001.
Stage 2 Audit
A deeper, evidence-based assessment: interviews, observations, control sampling, record reviews, and effectiveness evaluations. Any non-conformances identified will be explained and detailed in the audit report.
If recommended for certification, the final decision typically comes within 30–45 days. Certifications remain valid for three years, as long as required surveillance audits are completed at 12- and 24-month intervals.
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What is the ISO Certification Journey Like?
Smithers supports clients throughout the lifecycle of certification:
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Initial Assessment (Stage 1) – Documentation review, system and, facility overview, team member introductions, and audit-day planning.
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Full System Audit (Stage 2) – Process audit using a sampling approach, evaluation of real-world implementation and control effectiveness.
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Certification Decision – Formal approval of compliance with the chosen standard.
Ready to Talk About Your ISO 27001 Audit?
Visit our ISO 27001 page today. You can either click the request a quote button on that page or simply contact us today to start your journey.
If you’re operating in the defense supply chain, we can also discuss how ISO 27001 maturity can strengthen your preparation for future CMMC assessments.
About Smithers
Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, cannabis, dry commodities, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence. In addition to being a long-time ANAB-accredited Certification Body, Smithers is one of the most respected authorized C3PAOs. The listing can be found in the CyberAB marketplace.