ISO 27001 vs ISO 22301: differences, how they complement each other and joint certification
The ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 question comes up often because people confuse the two standards, although they cover different ground. While one protects your information, the other protects your ability to keep operating. This guide explains how they differ, where to start and how to certify both without duplicating work.
In 30 seconds: ISO/IEC 27001 is the standard for an information security management system (ISMS); ISO 22301, for a business continuity management system (BCMS). Both are certifiable and share the same management system structure. So you can implement and audit them as one integrated system.
ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001: quick comparison
First, this table sums up the ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 comparison on the key points.
| Aspect | ISO 27001 | ISO 22301 |
|---|---|---|
| Current edition | ISO/IEC 27001:2022, with Amendment 1:2024 | ISO 22301:2019, with Amendment 1:2024 (now under revision) |
| Who develops it | ISO and IEC, in joint committee JTC 1/SC 27 | ISO, in technical committee TC 292 (security and resilience) |
| Management system | Information security (ISMS) | Business continuity (BCMS) |
| What it protects | Confidentiality, integrity and availability of information | The ability to keep delivering critical services during a disruption |
| Starting point | Information security risk assessment | Business impact analysis (BIA) and disruption risk assessment |
| Key documents | Statement of Applicability (SoA) and risk treatment plan | Continuity strategies and plans, and an exercise programme |
| Controls or metrics | 93 Annex A controls in 4 themes | RTO, RPO and maximum tolerable period of disruption (MTPD) |
| Certifiable | Yes, 3-year cycle with annual audits | Yes, 3-year cycle with annual audits |
ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001: the differences that matter
The goal of each standard
ISO 27001 aims to protect information against unauthorised access, alteration or loss. By contrast, ISO 22301 aims to keep the organisation delivering what is essential within acceptable timeframes, whatever happens. For example, a cyberattack, a supplier outage, a fire or a flood. This is therefore the first difference in any ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 analysis.
The starting analysis
In ISO 27001 everything starts from the risk assessment of information assets. ISO 22301, on the other hand, starts from the BIA: which activities are critical, how long they can stop and which resources they need. The BIA also sets the recovery objectives (RTO and RPO), which then shape backups, redundancy and supplier contracts.
What gets tested
ISO 27001 checks that controls work through measurement, internal audits and management review. For its part, ISO 22301 requires you to exercise and test the plans: drills, recovery tests and lessons learned. So, in practical ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 terms, the continuity standard asks for more: proof that recovery actually works.
ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001: how they complement each other
Put another way, ISO 27001 reduces the likelihood of an incident, while ISO 22301 makes sure that, if one happens, you can keep operating. In fact, Annex A of ISO 27001 already includes continuity controls. For example, A.5.29 covers information security during disruption, and A.5.30 covers ICT readiness for business continuity. It also brings in A.8.13 (information backup) and A.8.14 (redundancy of information processing facilities). To review them, see the 93 controls in ISO 27001:2022 Annex A.
However, ISO 22301 develops that area across the whole organisation, not just information and technology. It also covers people, premises, suppliers and crisis communication. That is why treating ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 as an either-or choice is usually a mistake.
Where to start? ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 by risk
There is no single answer, but there are clear criteria. When in doubt about ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001, look at what your clients ask for and at what would hurt you most.
- Start with ISO 27001 if you handle customer data, develop software or provide cloud services.
- Prioritise ISO 22301 if the critical issue is never stopping the service: logistics, energy, finance or outsourced processes.
- Plan for both if NIS2 or DORA applies to you, because they require security and continuity at once.
In practice, organisations often certify ISO 27001 first and then extend the system with the BIA and the ISO 22301 plans. That way, you build on the risk assessment, document control and audits that already work.
Certifying ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001: separately or together
Both standards follow ISO’s harmonised structure for management systems: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation and improvement. As a result, they allow an integrated system with one management review, one internal audit programme and shared handling of nonconformities. Many certification bodies also offer a combined audit, which cuts audit days and internal effort. Thus the ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 debate becomes a question of order, not of choice.
- Share the context, interested parties, document control and internal audits.
- Connect the ISO 27001 risk assessment with the BIA so you do not assess the same processes twice.
- Reuse the evidence for backups, suppliers and incidents in both standards.
- Align the audit dates so both certifications follow the same three-year cycle.
Keep an eye on the standards’ own timeline too. Today, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 remains current with its Amendment 1:2024, which asks you to consider whether climate change is relevant to the system. Meanwhile, ISO 22301:2019 received the same amendment and is now under revision.
ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 under NIS2, DORA and ENS
Neither standard is mandatory on its own. Even so, they are the most efficient way to demonstrate much of what European and Spanish rules require:
- NIS2 requires business continuity in Article 21(2): backup management, disaster recovery and crisis management. Spain has still not transposed it, so Royal Decree-law 12/2018 still applies, as we explain in the status of NIS2 transposition in Spain.
- DORA (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554) requires an ICT business continuity policy in Article 11. You also have to test its response and recovery plans at least once a year, as we summarise in our DORA guide.
- Spain’s ENS (National Security Framework, Royal Decree 311/2022) includes service continuity measures: impact analysis, a continuity plan, periodic testing and alternative means.
With ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 properly in place, you will already have much of the evidence. We cover this in ISO 27001: the shortcut to meeting NIS2, GDPR and DORA at once. That is why ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 stops being a dilemma once you have regulatory obligations.
Frequently asked questions
ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001: which is better?
They do not compete. If your main risk is information (customer data, trade secrets, systems), start with ISO 27001. When the critical issue is never stopping the service, prioritise ISO 22301. In regulated sectors, organisations usually end up with both.
Can I certify both standards at the same time?
Yes, because they share a structure: you can run them as one integrated system and go through a combined audit. To do so, ask your certification body to plan both within the same cycle.
Does ISO 27001 cover business continuity?
Only partly. Controls A.5.29 and A.5.30 address the continuity of information security and ICT, but not business continuity as a whole. ISO 22301, by contrast, does develop it. In an ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 comparison, this is the difference people overlook most.
How long does certification last?
In both cases the certificate follows a three-year cycle with annual surveillance audits. At the end of the cycle, a recertification audit follows. On this point, ISO 22301 vs ISO 27001 ends in a draw.
Is ISO 22301 going to change?
Yes. ISO decided to revise the 2019 edition in December 2025, and the new version is under development. Until it comes out, certification continues against ISO 22301:2019. After that, a transition period normally applies.
Reviewed on 14 October 2026. For information only, not legal advice.
How Atalaya GRC helps
Atalaya GRC manages ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 in the same system, with a “one control, many regulations” approach. So the BIA, risks, continuity plans and evidence also serve NIS2, DORA and ENS, service by service. The platform also collects evidence from your systems and stores the result of every continuity test. Its regulatory clock warns you of audits, reviews and deadlines, and it handles incidents, notifications and the third-party register too. See the ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 guide or request a demo.
