What is the primary objective of **HITRUST CSF**?

**The primary objective of HITRUST CSF is to provide a certifiable, threat-adaptive control framework harmonizing requirements from 60+ authoritative sources into a single assurance program enabling "assess once, report many."** It consolidates controls across 19 assessment domains and a hierarchical taxonomy (14 categories, 49 objectives, ~156 specifications), using risk-based tailoring via organizational, system, and regulatory factors. The framework employs a five-level maturity model (Policy 15pts, Procedure 20pts, Implemented 40pts, Measured 10pts, Managed 15pts) to ensure operational effectiveness, supported by MyCSF for scoping, evidence management, and validated certification.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **HITRUST CSF**?

**No organization is legally required to comply with HITRUST CSF, as it is a voluntary, industry-agnostic framework, though professionally mandated by contracts in healthcare ecosystems.** Targeted users include covered entities, business associates, payers, providers, and vendors handling PHI/ePHI, plus financial services and cloud providers facing customer mandates. HITRUST certification serves as a trust mark for third-party reliance, reducing questionnaires and audits via standardized reports shared through RDS.

Does **HITRUST CSF** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, HITRUST CSF requires validated assessments by Authorized External Assessors for certification, culminating in HITRUST centralized QA review.** Pathways include e1 (44 controls, 1-year), i1 (182 requirements, 1-year), and r2 (tailored, 2-year with interim). Evidence-based testing covers documentation, interviews, and technical scans; self-assessments via MyCSF support readiness but lack certification validity.

How often should an assessment for **HITRUST CSF** be performed?

**HITRUST CSF validated assessments align with certification validity: e1/i1 annually, r2 every two years with a required interim at one year.** MyCSF enables continuous readiness monitoring; recertification demands evidence of sustained maturity (e.g., 90-day operationalization) and adaptation to CSF updates, ensuring threat-adaptive compliance.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **HITRUST CSF**?

**Non-compliance with HITRUST CSF results in no direct legal penalties, as it is voluntary, but triggers contractual losses, market exclusion, and heightened regulatory scrutiny.** Healthcare vendors risk contract termination from payers requiring certification; uncertified entities face duplicative audits, elevated cyber insurance premiums, and breach risks (vs. 99.4% breach-free rate for certified environments).

An **HITRUST CSF** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, HITRUST CSF includes built-in mappings enabling requirement-level results to roll up into reports for HIPAA, NIST SP 800-53, ISO 27001/27002, SOC 2, PCI DSS, GDPR, and 60+ sources.** MyCSF generates tailored scorecards via cross-references, supporting "assess once, report many" without manual translation.

What is the first step to begin implementing **HITRUST CSF**?

**The first step to implement HITRUST CSF is to access MyCSF for organizational/system/regulatory risk factor scoping to generate a tailored control set.** Define scope (business units, systems handling sensitive data), leverage inheritance (up to 65-85% from cloud providers), and conduct readiness assessment for gap prioritization.

What is the primary objective of **BREEAM**?

**BREEAM's primary objective is to provide a science-based sustainability assessment and certification framework for the built environment, measuring performance across the asset lifecycle.** Developed by BRE in 1990, it uses a category-based structure—**Management, Health & Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land Use & Ecology, Pollution, and Innovation**—with weighted credits converting compliance into ratings from **Pass (≥30%) to Outstanding (≥85%)**. This enables verifiable ESG outcomes, operational efficiency, and alignment with net-zero and resilience goals.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **BREEAM**?

**No organizations are legally required to comply with BREEAM, as it is a voluntary certification scheme.** Professionally, it applies to developers, owners, and operators of buildings, infrastructure, communities, and fit-outs seeking market differentiation, planning incentives, investor ESG alignment, or EU Taxonomy support. Licensed **BREEAM Assessors** and **Advisory Professionals (APs)** are mandatory for certification, with BRE Global conducting quality audits under ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation.

Oes **BREEAM** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, BREEAM mandates third-party certification through licensed Assessors and BRE Global quality audits.** Assessors compile evidence from scheme-specific technical manuals and submit for BRE review, including potential site visits. Certification is issued only after QA verification, ensuring impartiality via UKAS-accredited processes and ongoing **Knowledge Base Compliance Notes (KBCNs)**.

How often should an assessment for **BREEAM** be performed?

**BREEAM New Construction assessments occur once per project at design and post-construction stages, while In-Use certification requires reassessment every 3 years.** Operational schemes like In-Use validate ongoing performance, with **Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE)** recommended to address performance gaps. Version updates (e.g., V7 in 2025) necessitate monitoring via KBCNs for recertification relevance.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **BREEAM**?

**Non-compliance with BREEAM results in denied credits, lower ratings, or failed certification, with no direct legal penalties as it is voluntary.** Indirect impacts include lost market premiums (up to 25-30% rental uplift), planning delays, investor ESG scrutiny, higher operational costs, and ineligibility for green finance or EU Taxonomy alignment.

An **BREEAM** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**BREEAM does not officially map to other frameworks within its standalone schemes, though Version 7 aligns with EU Taxonomy for disclosures.** Its category structure and ratings support comparability in ESG reporting, with International schemes adapting for global use outside NSO countries (**Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden**).

What is the first step to begin implementing **BREEAM**?

**The first step is to select the appropriate scheme (e.g., New Construction, In-Use) and appoint a licensed BREEAM Assessor early at project inception.** Conduct a pre-assessment using the technical manual to target ratings, identify credits, and integrate requirements into design and procurement.

HITRUST CSF vs BREEAM

Standards Comparison

HITRUST CSF

Voluntary

2022

Certifiable framework harmonizing 60+ security standards

BREEAM

Voluntary

1990

Global certification framework for sustainable built environments.

Quick Verdict

HITRUST CSF delivers certifiable cybersecurity assurance for healthcare via risk-tailored controls, while BREEAM provides sustainability certification for buildings through category-weighted credits. Organizations adopt them for credible third-party validation, regulatory alignment, and market differentiation in regulated sectors.

Information Security

HITRUST CSF

HITRUST Common Security Framework

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Harmonizes 60+ frameworks for assess-once-report-many
Risk-based tailoring via organizational/system/regulatory factors
Five-level maturity model with weighted scoring
Centralized certification via MyCSF and assessors
Inheritance for cloud/shared responsibility models

Building Sustainability

BREEAM

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Cost

€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Credit-based scoring across 10 weighted sustainability categories
Third-party certification by licensed Assessors and BRE audits
Lifecycle coverage from design to in-use operational performance
Knowledge Base Compliance Notes for ongoing updates
Alignment with EU Taxonomy and net-zero strategies

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

HITRUST CSF Details

What It Is

HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) is a certifiable, threat-adaptive control framework harmonizing requirements from 60+ standards like ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. It employs a risk-based approach with structured tailoring via organizational, system, and regulatory factors.

Key Components

19 assessment domains and hierarchical taxonomy (14 categories, 49 objectives, ~156 specifications).
Five-level maturity model: Policy (15%), Procedure (20%), Implemented (40%), Measured (10%), Managed (15%).
Tiered assurances: e1 (44 controls), i1 (182 requirements), r2 (tailored, 2-year).
MyCSF platform for scoping, evidence, and certification.

Why Organizations Use It

Rationalizes multi-regulatory compliance (assess once, report many).
Provides credible third-party assurance for healthcare, finance.
Reduces breach risk (99.4% breach-free certified environments).
Enables market differentiation, lower insurance premiums.

Implementation Overview

Multi-phase: scoping/gap analysis, remediation, validated assessment by authorized assessors, continuous monitoring. Suited for regulated industries; requires policies, evidence automation, inheritance for cloud. Certification valid 1-2 years.

BREEAM Details

What It Is

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a science-led sustainability certification framework for the built environment. It assesses environmental, social, and resilience performance across buildings, infrastructure, and communities using a credit-based, weighted scoring methodology that yields ratings from Pass to Outstanding.

Key Components

**10 core categoriesManagement, Health & Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land Use & Ecology, Pollution, Innovation.
Credits earned via scheme-specific technical manuals and Knowledge Base Compliance Notes (KBCNs).
Third-party assurance by licensed Assessors and BRE Global audits (ISO/IEC 17065 accredited).
Ratings: Pass (≥30%), Excellent (≥70%), Outstanding (≥85%).

Why Organizations Use It

Drives operational savings (e.g., 22-33% energy reduction), asset value uplift (up to 30%), and ESG alignment.
Supports regulatory compliance (e.g., EU Taxonomy), risk mitigation, and market differentiation.
Builds stakeholder trust through verified performance.

Implementation Overview

Phased: pre-assessment, design integration, construction evidence, certification.
Requires early Assessor/AP appointment, evidence management, training.
Applicable globally to all sizes/types; voluntary but often planning-driven.

Key Differences

Aspect	HITRUST CSF	BREEAM
Scope	Information security, privacy controls across 19 domains	Building sustainability, health, energy across 10+ categories
Industry	Healthcare, regulated sectors globally	Construction, real estate worldwide
Nature	Voluntary certifiable control framework	Voluntary sustainability certification system
Testing	Maturity-scored validated assessments by assessors	Credit-based audits by licensed assessors
Penalties	Loss of certification, no legal penalties	No legal penalties, loss of certification

Scope

HITRUST CSF

Information security, privacy controls across 19 domains

BREEAM

Building sustainability, health, energy across 10+ categories

Industry

HITRUST CSF

Healthcare, regulated sectors globally

BREEAM

Construction, real estate worldwide

Nature

HITRUST CSF

Voluntary certifiable control framework

BREEAM

Voluntary sustainability certification system

Testing

HITRUST CSF

Maturity-scored validated assessments by assessors

BREEAM

Credit-based audits by licensed assessors

Penalties

HITRUST CSF

Loss of certification, no legal penalties

BREEAM

No legal penalties, loss of certification

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HITRUST CSF and BREEAM

HITRUST CSF FAQ

BREEAM FAQ

You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

Beyond the Boardroom: 5 Ways Modern Compliance Software Elevates Every Department

Discover 5 ways modern compliance software boosts HR, IT, finance & more: automate risks, enhance efficiency, ensure data integrity, stay audit-ready. Elevate y

Top 5 Reasons HITRUST CSF's MyCSF Platform Crushes Evidence Overload for R2 Assessments in Hybrid Cloud Environments

Explore top 5 advantages of HITRUST MyCSF for 1,400+ R2 controls in hybrid clouds. Slash docs by 30%, dodge under-scoping, achieve continuous compliance for hea

Unpacking the True Cost: A Guide to Calculating TCO for Modern Compliance Monitoring Software

Unpack the true Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for compliance monitoring software. Factor in licenses, implementation, training, maintenance, and ROI savings for

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

100+ Standards & Regulations

AI-Powered Insights

Collaborative Assessments

Actionable Recommendations

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

K-PIPA vs ISO 19600

Compare K-PIPA vs ISO 19600: Korea's stringent privacy law (consent, CPOs, 72h breaches) vs global CMS guidelines (risk, governance). Align strategies, avoid fines—dive in now!

ISO 45001 vs ISA 95

Compare ISO 45001 vs ISA 95: OH&S excellence meets enterprise-control integration. Unlock differences, synergies for safer, efficient manufacturing. Align now for peak performance!

UL Certification vs ISO 30301

Uncover UL Certification vs ISO 30301: Safety marks/testing for products vs records MSR for governance. Boost compliance & efficiency. Compare now!

HITRUST CSF

BREEAM

Quick Verdict

HITRUST CSF

Key Features

BREEAM

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

HITRUST CSF Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

BREEAM Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

HITRUST CSF FAQ

What is the primary objective of HITRUST CSF?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with HITRUST CSF?

Does HITRUST CSF require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for HITRUST CSF be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with HITRUST CSF?

An HITRUST CSF be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing HITRUST CSF?

BREEAM FAQ

What is the primary objective of BREEAM?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with BREEAM?

Oes BREEAM require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for BREEAM be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with BREEAM?

An BREEAM be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing BREEAM?

You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

Beyond the Boardroom: 5 Ways Modern Compliance Software Elevates Every Department

Top 5 Reasons HITRUST CSF's MyCSF Platform Crushes Evidence Overload for R2 Assessments in Hybrid Cloud Environments

Unpacking the True Cost: A Guide to Calculating TCO for Modern Compliance Monitoring Software

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

K-PIPA vs ISO 19600

ISO 45001 vs ISA 95

UL Certification vs ISO 30301