BIZOPS-31 Statement of Applicability (SOA)

What is this control about?

This control is a  key requirement for any ISO program. The SOA identifies the controls that the organization has selected and implemented to manage its specific (ISMS/PIMS/QMS, etc..) risks. The SOA provides an overview of the organization’s approach to managing ISMS/PIMS/QMS, etc.. risks and demonstrates how the organization meets the requirements of the specific ISO  standard. This document historically is manual to document, but as Trust Cloud customers, this can be automated.

Available tools in the marketplace

Available templates

TrustCloud has a curated list of templates internally or externally sourced to help you get started. Click on the link for a downloadable version:

• Refer to template available in the Helpful Resources section

Control implementation

Every company pursuing an ISO audit should document how they are addressing with each ISO requirement by documenting the controls used.  The SoA should be developed during the implementation phase of the ISO program. The template provided covers all the required topics, but as a minimum, the meeting should address:

1. A list of the controls that have been selected to manage the ISMS/PIMS/QMS, etc risks based on the results of the risk assessment.
2. A brief description of each control and its purpose.
3. The status of each control, including whether it has been implemented, partially implemented, or not yet implemented.
4. The justification for not implementing certain controls, if applicable.
5. Any additional controls that have been implemented beyond those required by the standard.

The SoA should be updated regularly to reflect changes in the organization’s risk profile or  requirements. It is an important document that provides a snapshot of the organization’s information security controls and helps to ensure that the organization is effectively managing its information security risks in accordance with the ISO standard.

What evidence do auditors look for?

Most auditors, at a minimum are looking for the below suggested action:

• Most recently updated SOA

Evidence example

From the suggested action above, an example is provided below.

• Most recently updated SOA

Refer to template available in the Helpful Resources section and the completed version of the template will suffice as evidence.