ISO 26000
International guidance standard for social responsibility
ISO 27018
International code of practice for PII protection in public clouds.
Quick Verdict
ISO 26000 offers voluntary guidance on broad social responsibility for all organizations, while ISO 27018 provides certifiable controls for PII protection in public clouds. Companies adopt ISO 26000 for ethical governance and ISO 27018 for cloud privacy compliance and trust.
ISO 26000
ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on social responsibility
Key Features
- Non-certifiable guidance explicitly rejecting certification
- Seven principles underpinning all SR decisions
- Seven interconnected core subjects for holistic coverage
- Stakeholder engagement for issue prioritization
- Multi-stakeholder consensus from 500+ global experts
ISO 27018
ISO/IEC 27018 Code of practice for cloud PII protection
Key Features
- Privacy controls for public cloud PII processors
- Subprocessor transparency and location disclosure
- Breach notification to customers without delay
- Support for data subject rights fulfillment
- Prohibits PII use for marketing without consent
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 26000 Details
What It Is
ISO 26000:2010 is a non-certifiable international guidance standard providing a framework for social responsibility (SR). Its primary purpose is to help organizations integrate SR into governance, strategy, and operations across all sectors, sizes, and locations. It uses a principles-based, holistic approach emphasizing context, stakeholder engagement, and life-cycle impacts.
Key Components
- Seven core principles: accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, respect for stakeholder interests, rule of law, international norms, human rights.
- Seven core subjects: organizational governance, human rights, labor practices, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, community involvement.
- Built on multi-stakeholder consensus from 500+ experts across 80 countries; no requirements, thus no certification model—focuses on self-assessment and transparent reporting.
Why Organizations Use It
Enhances sustainability commitment, risk management, and stakeholder trust without certification burdens. Aligns with SDGs, OECD, GRI; reduces reputational/legal risks; supports ESG reporting and competitive differentiation via credible SR practices.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: materiality assessment, stakeholder engagement, policy integration, training, supplier due diligence. Applicable universally; no audits required, but integrate with ISO 14001/45001; ongoing PDCA for continuous improvement.
ISO 27018 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 is a code of practice extending ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 for protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds where providers act as PII processors. Its primary scope targets cloud-specific privacy risks like multi-tenancy and cross-border data flows, using a risk-based, control-oriented approach.
Key Components
- Privacy-specific controls (~25-30) mapped to ISO 27001 Annex A themes: organizational, people, physical, technological.
- Core principles: consent, purpose limitation, data minimization, transparency, accountability.
- Integrated with ISO 27001 ISMS; assessed during certification audits, not standalone.
Why Organizations Use It
- Builds customer trust, accelerates procurement via Statement of Applicability.
- Aligns with GDPR Article 28, HIPAA; aids regulatory compliance.
- Mitigates privacy risks, enhances cyber insurance terms.
- Differentiates CSPs in competitive markets.
Implementation Overview
- Conduct gap analysis against existing ISMS.
- Integrate controls, update policies/contracts, train staff.
- Applicable to CSPs of all sizes; requires ISO 27001 prerequisite.
- Third-party audits: stage 1/2, annual surveillance, 3-year recertification. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 26000 | ISO 27018 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Social responsibility across 7 core subjects | PII protection in public cloud services |
| Industry | All organizations, all sectors globally | Cloud service providers worldwide |
| Nature | Non-certifiable guidance standard | Certifiable code of practice extension |
| Testing | Self-assessment, stakeholder reporting | ISO 27001 audits with added controls |
| Penalties | No penalties, reputational risks only | Loss of certification, no legal fines |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 26000 and ISO 27018
ISO 26000 FAQ
ISO 27018 FAQ
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