Communication Strategy Template (Clause 7.4)

Document Control

1. Purpose and Requirements

This Communication Strategy defines how information security matters are communicated to support Clause 7.4 compliance.

ISO 27001:2022 Clause 7.4 requires the organization to determine:

• What to communicate about the ISMS
• When to communicate
• With whom to communicate
• How to communicate
• Who communicates

2. Communication Principles

• Clarity: Messages are clear, unambiguous, and jargon-free
• Timeliness: Information shared when needed, not delayed
• Relevance: Content appropriate to audience needs and roles
• Accessibility: Easy to find, understand, and act upon
• Two-way: Feedback mechanisms and dialogue enabled
• Consistency: Unified messaging across all channels
• Transparency: Open and honest about security matters

3. Internal Communications

3.1 To All Employees

What: Policy updates, awareness topics, incident alerts, training requirements, procedural changes When: Onboarding, annually, monthly, as needed How: Email, intranet, meetings, training, posters, newsletters Who: ISMS Manager, HR, IT, Line Managers

3.2 To Executive Management

What: ISMS performance, risk assessment results, incidents, audit findings, compliance status, resource needs When: Quarterly, annually, immediately (critical), as needed How: Management review meetings, executive reports, dashboards, presentations Who: ISMS Manager

3.3 To ISMS Team

What: Operational matters, tasks, audits, improvements, technical updates When: Weekly, daily, as needed How: Team meetings, email, collaboration tools, documentation platforms Who: ISMS Manager, Team Members

3.4 To IT Department

What: Technical requirements, incidents, vulnerabilities, changes, monitoring needs When: Bi-weekly meetings, as needed How: Technical meetings, ticketing system, email, documentation Who: ISMS Manager, Security Team

4. External Communications

4.1 To Customers/Clients

What: Certification status, security capabilities, incident notifications, compliance evidence When: As contractually required, upon request, if incidents affect them How: Account managers, official letters, portals, questionnaires Who: ISMS Manager, Account Managers, Executive Management (major incidents)

4.2 To Certification Body

What: Documentation, audit scheduling, scope changes, significant incidents, corrective actions When: Initial certification, annual surveillance, re-certification, as needed How: Formal submissions, email, audit meetings Who: ISMS Manager

4.3 To Regulators

What: Compliance reports, breach notifications, audit findings When: As legally required (e.g., GDPR 72-hour rule) How: Official regulatory channels, legal counsel Who: ISMS Manager, Legal Department, DPO

5. Communication Channels

6. Incident Communications

Low Severity: Notify ISMS Manager and IT Team via email/incident system within 4 hours Medium Severity: Above + Department heads and HR within 2 hours High/Critical Severity: Above + Executive Management and all staff (if necessary), immediate

External: Customer impact notifications within 24 hours, regulatory notifications per legal requirements, public/media only through designated spokesperson

7. Measurement and Review

Metrics: Email open rates (target: 90%), training completion (100%), incident reporting rates (increasing trend), feedback scores (>80% positive)

Review: Quarterly effectiveness review, annual strategy update

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