Leadership Requirements (Clause 5)
ISO 27001 places significant responsibility on top management. Without leadership commitment, your ISMS will fail.
Clause 5.1: Leadership and Commitment
Top management must demonstrate leadership by:
Direct Actions Required
- Ensuring security policy and objectives are established
- Ensuring ISMS integration with business processes
- Ensuring resources are available
- Communicating importance of security
- Ensuring ISMS achieves intended outcomes
- Directing and supporting people
- Promoting continual improvement
- Supporting other management roles
Evidence of Commitment
- Attendance at security meetings
- Budget approval for security initiatives
- Security topics in board meetings
- Personal involvement in incidents
Clause 5.2: Policy
Top management must establish a security policy that:
- Is appropriate to the organization's purpose
- Includes security objectives or framework for setting them
- Includes commitment to satisfy requirements
- Includes commitment to continual improvement
Policy Requirements
- Documented information
- Communicated within organization
- Available to interested parties (as appropriate)
Clause 5.3: Organizational Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities
Top management must ensure:
- Roles and responsibilities are assigned and communicated
- Authority to report ISMS performance
- ISMS conformity with ISO 27001 requirements
Key Roles to Define
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| ISMS Owner | Overall accountability |
| Security Manager | Day-to-day management |
| Risk Owner | Risk treatment decisions |
| Asset Owner | Asset protection |
| Internal Auditor | Compliance verification |
Demonstrating Leadership
DO:
- Attend security reviews
- Allocate budget
- Set the tone from the top
- Hold people accountable
DON'T:
- Delegate everything
- Ignore security issues
- Deprioritize security
- Send mixed messages
Next Lesson: Create your Information Security Policy.