ISO/IEC 27701 certification in Switzerland

ISO 27701 certification in Switzerland at a glance

Privacy management in Switzerland now has legal weight: the revised FADP, in force since 1 September 2023, asks controllers and processors to keep a record of processing, guarantee data security appropriate to the risk, carry out impact assessments for high-risk processing and notify the FDPIC of qualifying breaches. The Ordinance on Data Protection Certification adds an optional route in which accredited bodies certify management systems, products, services and processes, though it does not name ISO/IEC 27701. The FDPIC also lists the GDPR among the legal bases it works with, so groups serving people in the EU often run one privacy system for both regimes. ISO/IEC 27701 extends an information security management system with privacy controls and is certified by a certification body, preferably one accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service. Sterling's Frankfurt office helps Swiss organisations map processing, assign roles and prepare for audit, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included with the engagement.

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

In Switzerland 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.

• Swiss controllers with large or sensitive data setsThe FADP asks for a record of processing, data security appropriate to the risk and impact assessments for high-risk processing.
• Processors and SaaS providersA controller must satisfy itself that its processor can guarantee data security, and processors are asked for evidence of their privacy management.
• Companies wanting an independent privacy benchmarkThe Ordinance on Data Protection Certification allows accredited bodies to certify management systems, products, services and processes.
• Groups that serve people in the EU as well as SwitzerlandThe FDPIC lists the GDPR among the international legal bases, and many groups manage both regimes in one privacy system.

ISO 27701 requirements in Switzerland

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

In Switzerland 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 Switzerland

One team from the Frankfurt office carries the work from scoping to certificate. Clients across Switzerland are served from Sterling's Frankfurt 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 Swiss 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 Switzerland?

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

• Number of processing activities, systems and processors in scope
• Existing ISO/IEC 27001 system and its maturity
• Impact assessment and breach procedure maturity
• Certification body scheduling

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 Switzerland?

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 Switzerland these factors move both.

• Scope of entities and processing activities
• Remediation needed in notices, contracts and security
• Certification body fees quoted separately from consulting
• Combination with ISO/IEC 27001 certification

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 Switzerland

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 Switzerland 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 Switzerland: questions clients ask

More on ISO 27701 for Swiss organisations

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

Other standards Swiss businesses ask Sterling for

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

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in Switzerland →