ISO 27001
International standard for information security management systems
RoHS
EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in electrical equipment
Quick Verdict
ISO 27001 certifies voluntary ISMS for global security resilience across industries, while RoHS mandates hazardous substance limits in EU EEE for environmental protection. Companies adopt ISO 27001 for trust and efficiency; RoHS for legal market access.
ISO 27001
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management Systems
Key Features
- Risk-based approach to ISMS implementation
- 93 Annex A controls in four themes
- PDCA cycle for continual improvement
- Technology-agnostic across all industries
- Internationally recognized certification standard
RoHS
Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2)
Key Features
- Restricts 10 hazardous substances at homogeneous material level
- Open scope for all EEE unless explicitly excluded
- Time-limited exemptions via Annexes III and IV
- Requires EU Declaration of Conformity and technical file
- Tiered verification using IEC 62321 testing methods
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 27001 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is the international certification standard for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It uses a risk-based approach to manage information assets' confidentiality, integrity, and availability across all formats and threats.
Key Components
- **Clauses 4-10Mandatory requirements for context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, and improvement.
- **Annex A93 controls in four themes (Organizational: 37, People: 8, Physical: 14, Technological: 34).
- Built on PDCA cycle; voluntary certification via accredited auditors with Stage 1/2 audits, surveillance, and recertification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates breaches, ensures compliance (e.g., GDPR alignment), reduces costs (30% fewer incidents).
- Builds trust, wins bids (20-30% more in finance/tech), enables market access.
- Fosters security culture, scales for SMEs to multinationals.
Implementation Overview
Phased: initiation, risk assessment, control deployment, audits (6-18 months). Applies universally; certification optional but strategic.
RoHS Details
What It Is
RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU, recast as RoHS 2) is an EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to protect health and environment during waste management. It applies open-scope to all EEE unless excluded, using homogeneous material thresholds (0.1% for most, 0.01% for cadmium).
Key Components
- Restricts 10 substances (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP).
- **Annex III/IV exemptionstime-limited for specific uses.
- Built on CE-marking framework with technical documentation per EN IEC 63000.
- Compliance via DoC, technical files, no mandatory certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory for EU market access; prevents recalls, fines.
- Reduces e-waste risks, enhances recyclability with WEEE.
- Builds supply chain transparency, ESG credibility.
Implementation Overview
- Risk-based: BoM analysis, supplier declarations, tiered testing (IEC 62321).
- Applies to manufacturers/importers of EEE globally selling to EU.
- Phased: scoping, gap analysis, verification, documentation (10-year retention).
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 27001 | RoHS |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Information security management systems (ISMS) | Hazardous substances in electrical/electronic equipment |
| Industry | All industries, global, all sizes | EEE manufacturers, primarily EU market |
| Nature | Voluntary certification standard | Mandatory EU product restriction directive |
| Testing | Internal/external audits, risk assessments | Material substance analysis (XRF, ICP-MS) |
| Penalties | Certification loss, no legal fines | Fines, product recalls, market bans |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 27001 and RoHS
ISO 27001 FAQ
RoHS FAQ
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