ISO/IEC 27701 certification in Ireland

ISO 27701 certification in Ireland at a glance

No certificate exists for the GDPR itself, which is why some Irish organisations look to ISO/IEC 27701 as a benchmark for privacy management. The Data Protection Commission is the supervisory authority under section 11 of the Data Protection Act 2018; it, not an auditor, decides whether processing complies. ISO/IEC 27701 extends an information security management system with privacy controls for controllers and processors, and a certification body accredited by INAB or another recognised body audits it. Technology processors and financial services clients in Ireland often pair it with ISO/IEC 27001 when answering customer questions. Sterling's London office plans the combined scope, records of processing, processor contracts and rights and breach procedures, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included in the engagement. Certification does not displace the Commission's oversight.

Who needs ISO 27701 in Ireland, and what happens without it

In Ireland the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.

• Controllers and processors wanting a benchmark for GDPR accountabilityThe Data Protection Commission supervises the GDPR; the GDPR has no general certificate, so an accredited ISO/IEC 27701 certificate is an optional benchmark.
• SaaS and cloud providers acting as processorsCustomers ask processors to show how personal data is managed within the security management system.
• Funds, banks and insurers outsourcing processingRegulated firms review the privacy controls of the suppliers that process their data.
• Companies already certified to ISO/IEC 27001The privacy extension builds on the information security system.
• Healthcare and medtech organisations handling health dataHealth data calls for strong, documented safeguards.

ISO 27701 requirements in Ireland

Strip away the vocabulary and ISO/IEC 27701 requires a company to prove six things about how it handles personal data.

In Ireland these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: ISO/IEC 27701 explained →

• ISO 27701 requirements, clause by clause in plain language

How to get ISO 27701 certified in Ireland

One team from the London office carries the work from scoping to certificate. Clients in Ireland are served from Sterling's London office, on-site where the work needs it and remotely otherwise.

1. Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
2. Gap assessment against ISO/IEC 27701 and the Irish requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
3. Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
4. Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before the certification body arrives.
5. Certification body stage 1 and stage 2, then surveillanceAn accredited body audits and decides. Sterling supports the audits and the three-year cycle.

The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.

• The ISO 27701 certification process, step by step
• ISO 27701 internal audit

How long does ISO 27701 certification take in Ireland?

There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In Ireland these are the factors that set the timeline.

• Maturity of the ISO/IEC 27001 system
• Records of processing and processor contracts
• Rights, breach and transfer procedures
• Whether controller, processor or both roles are in scope

Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.

• Scope and timeline estimator

How much does ISO 27701 certification cost in Ireland?

The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the certification body’s audit fees, which are quoted separately. In Ireland these factors move both.

• Number of processing activities and entities
• Remediation of privacy controls
• Certification body audit fees quoted separately from consulting
• Combined audit with ISO/IEC 27001

Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.

• What makes up the cost of ISO 27701

ISO 27701 consultants and certification bodies in Ireland

Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; an accredited certification body then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.

• Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers ISO 27701 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
• Ask the consultant how the local requirements in Ireland are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
• Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
• Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.

ISO 27701 in Ireland: questions clients ask

More on ISO 27701 for Irish organisations

• ISO/IEC 27701: the complete guide
• Watch: How to implement ISO/IEC 27701
• ISO 27701 certification in Ireland and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards Irish businesses ask Sterling for

Organisations in Ireland often combine ISO/IEC 27701 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.

All 22 standards Sterling delivers in Ireland →